ASAF | Silent Prayer

The music is undulating gently. Existential questions and metaphysical longings emerge on the surface of consciousness. It is easy to succumb to them, because the ephemeral and fragile human existence wants to be satisfied with what is eternal and unchanging. Joyful sounds are subtly combined with dark, lunar tones marked with memories of dramas. But their echoes should not overwhelm, but rather lead them to trustingly entrust themselves to the wave of life. After all, life as a whole does not have to end with a disaster. There is still time for closeness, trust and, ultimately, forgiveness.

What is the title "silent prayer"? One of the possible answers is suggested by Piotr Jankowski: “We are looking for beauty and intensity in music. [...] This music is a form of thanks for all the good we receive in life ”.

"In 2020, he recorded the album "Silent Prayer", referring to the spirituals jazz trend.

The evening program includes songs from the album "Silent Prayer".

Team members:

Piotr Jankowski -the drummer, the leader and founder of the band. For many years he stayed in Germany, where he studied jazz and had the opportunity to work with such celebrities as Clark Terry, Freddie Hubbard, The Woody Show, Johnny Griffin. From 1987 to 1989 he co-founded the Włodek Pawlik Trio. After a long break, he returned to the jazz scene, initiating the formation of the band ASAF. He also co-founded the band New Life.

Maciej Sikała – a tenor and soprano saxophonist, composer, lecturer (PhD) of the saxophone class at the Academys of Music in Gdańsk and Bydgoszcz. He has collaborated with leading Polish jazz musicians (Piotr Wojtasik, Jan Ptaszyn Wroblewski, Tomasz Szukalski, Henryk Miśkiewicz, Jarosław Śmietana, Wojciech Karolak, Leszek Możdżer) and jazz musicians from abroad (Lester Bowie, Kenny Wheeler, Billy Harper, Billy Har, Joanne Brackeen, David Liebman, Ronnie Burrage, Wayne Dockerey, Reggie Workman). He has recorded more than 40 jazz records, including 4 originals, two of which were nominated for the "Fryderyk" award.

Joanna Gajda -a pianist, the graduate of the Jazz Department of the Academy of Music in Katowice, lecturer at the Academy of Art in Szczecin. She has collaborated with musicians such as Billy Harper, Judy Bady, Janusz Muniak, Piotr Wojtasik, Urszula Dudziak, Piotr Baron, and Mieczysław Szcześniak.

Franciszek Pospieszalski - a double bass player; studied at the Music Conservatory in Copenhagen (Rhythmic Music Conservatory) and at the Music Academy in Katowice. He is active in international and Polish teams as a sideman and a leader in several of his projects.

Guest performers on the album included: a double bass player Michał Bąk and a vocalist Barbara Pospieszalska.

Michał Bąk – is a graduate of the Academy of Music. Karol Szymanowski in Katowice, laureate of many double bass and jazz competitions.

Barbara Pospieszalska – performed and collaborated, among others with Anna Maria Jopek, Wojciech Waglewski, Anna Serafińska, Lora Szafran and Bogdan Hołownia.