Written by Editor’s note: Christoph Giese attended the opening weekend of Jazz w Ruinach. The festival continues through August 15 in Gliwice and Katowice.
The festival’s name raises questions. Jazz w Ruinach means ‘Jazz in the Ruins’ in English. But this event takes place over two weekends in Gliwice and, on the third weekend, in Katowice, on the stages of former industrial buildings. So, no ruins, then. But the first 15 editions of this Silesian jazz festival, which has been running for 22 years, took place in the ruins of the old Victoria Theatre in the centre of Gliwice. The Red Army had set it alight when they marched into Gliwice in 1945. Now, in Gliwice, the festival is held in a former model-making hall dating back over 150 years, situated just outside the city centre.
So much for the history of Jazz w Ruinach, which has been run for the past five years by the leading Polish trumpeter Piotr Schmidt, who was born and raised in Gliwice. The opening weekend alone was a real delight, as Schmidt had put together a colourful and varied programme. He even joined in straight away at the opening concert with the Italian singer Sonia Spinello. Spinello’s project ‘Eterea’ – which is also the title of her new CD – delivers exactly what the album title promises: ethereal music that gently sways, unfolding thoughtfully and with great feeling. The young pianist Sonia Candellone, also from Italy, delicately touches the keys of the concert grand piano, weaving tender chords that blend classical elegance with jazzy playfulness, all with a keen sense of sound design. And Piotr Schmidt accompanies her with intense notes on his visually striking black-and-gold trumpet. The most surprising thing about this soul-soothing concert is that the fourth musician on stage, unlike Piotr Schmidt, had never played with Spinello before. Multi-instrumentalist Tomasz Drodzek only met the Italian musician on the day of the concert; they rehearsed together. And yet, come the evening, it sounds as though Drodzek knows exactly what Spinello’s music needs at every moment. Or rather, what enriches it. Using a wide array of ethnic instruments, the Polish musician adorned the sounds of the other three on stage. Enchantingly beautiful.
Adam Jarzmik Quintet | photo by Tomasz Kowalczuk
The Adam Jarzmik Quintet then took to the stage with a much more conventional set. Featuring a classic line-up of two wind players plus a rhythm section, the compositions by the pianist and bandleader follow in the tradition of modern mainstream jazz. Beautiful melodies, powerful ensemble playing and solos well worth listening to characterised this performance, which provided a lovely bridge to the evening’s third concert featuring another pianist, Tal Cohen, who was born in Israel and now lives in the USA. Accompanied by the fantastic US trumpeter John Daversa – who also played an electronic wind instrument in Gliwice, delighting the audience with his sounds – and the two Polish musicians, Sebastian Kuchczyński on drums and Sławomir Kurkiewicz on double bass (the latter having only joined the band on the day of the concert), Tal Cohen proved himself to be a dexterous, energetic creative force in reimagining well-known jazz standards. One has rarely heard ‘On A Clear Day’ performed as brilliantly as Cohen did. The only piece that was even more fiery was an old Bulgarian tune that his grandmother used to sing to him. But even as a solo ballad performer, this keyboard wizard is well worth your full attention.
Grzegorz Masaowski | photo by Tomasz Kowalczuk
Another musician from the creative Polish jazz scene well worth hearing took to the stage at Jazz w Ruinach in drummer Grzegorz Masaowski and his quintet – featuring no fewer than two saxophonists. Contemporary, lyrical jazz with European roots, presented with a beautiful band sound: that is the music of this man from Kraków. Not spectacular, but simply good. It comes as no surprise that the Tingvall Trio have been real crowd favourites for years now. The formula of Swedish pianist Martin Tingvall, Cuban bassist Omar Rodriguez Calvo and German drummer Jürgen Spiegel is simple yet effective: an unerring instinct for highly accessible, catchy melodies – sometimes with pop appeal – as well as a perfectly balanced flow of light-footed grooves and rhythms, all in a carefully considered blend of composed and improvised moments. And the trio certainly has ideas. In the highly virtuosic, fast-paced track ‘Cuban SMS’, they gave an impressive glimpse of what they might sound like if they were finally able to play in Cuba – something that hasn’t worked out yet.
My own visit covered the festival’s opening weekend, but Jazz w Ruinach runs until August 15. Several highlights still await interested jazz fans, featuring artists such as the Spaniard Vincen García and the Piotr Schmidt Quintet, which is presenting “Komeda’s Songs Without Words,” the trumpeter’s latest and highly successful album project.
Last modified: August 12, 2026
