Adam Makowicz

Adam Makowicz (born Adam Matyszkowicz; 18 August 1940) is a Polish pianist and composer living in New York. He performs jazz and classical piano pieces, as well as his own compositions.

Biography

Adam Makowicz was born into a family of ethnic Poles in Hnojník (Cieszyn Silesia, now in the Czech Republic), in an area annexed by Nazi Germany at the beginning of World War II. After the war, he was raised in Poland. He studied classical music at the Chopin Conservatory of Music in Kraków.

Makowicz has been building bridges between cultures by his numerous concerts performance and recordings of cross-cultural and cross-style compositions. He performed and recorded music by Chopin and Gershwin with the Warsaw Philharmonic, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony in Washington, London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and other internationally recognized companies. In 1999, in commemoration of 150th anniversary of Chopin's death, Adam Makowicz played his piano tribute to Chopin at the French embassy in Washington. His interpretations of classical pieces by Chopin and Gershwin are marked by finesse, inventiveness, and extraordinary technical virtuosity.

Instruments Bösendorfer pianos – some live performances in the 1990s and 2000s, some recordings Steinway & Sons pianos – most stage performances with symphony orchestras, and solo from 1950s through the 2000s, some recordings Baldwin pianos – some performances in the USA C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik pianos – live performances and some recordings in Europe Bluthner pianos – some performances in Europe Fazioli pianos – some performances Rhodes electric piano – live recording in Europe Yamaha pianos – some performances and studio recordings Grand Malmsjö piano – Blue Sapphires LP recording

Selected discography As Leader 1972 Newborn Light (Cameo) with Urszula Dudziak 1973 Unit (Muza) 1975 Live Embers (Muza) 1977 Piano Vista Unlimited (Helicon) 1978 Adam (Columbia) 1978 Winter Flowers (Supraphon) 1981 From My Window (Choice Records) 1982 Classic Jazz Duets (Stash Records) with George Mraz (b) 1983 The Name Is Makowicz (Sheffield Lab) with Phil Woods (as) 1986 Moonray (RCA) 1987 Naughty Baby (RCA) 1987 Interface (Sonet) 1989 Swiss Encounter (East-West with James Morrison 1992 Plays Irving Berlin (VWC Records) 1992 Adam Makowicz at Maybeck Recital Hall Berkeley (Concord) solo Cole Porter 1993 The Music Of Jerome Kern (Concord) with George Mraz (b) Alan Dawson (dm) 1993 The Solo Album - Adam in Stockholm (Verve) 1994 Concord Duo Series Vol. 5 Live (Concord) with George Mraz (b) 1994 My Favorite Things: The Music of Richard Rodgers (Concord) 1997 A Tribute To Art Tatum (VWC Records) 1997 A Handful of Stars (Chiaroscuro Records) 1998 Gershwin (Agencja) 2000 Reflections On Chopin (AM Records) 2000 Plays Duke Ellington (Showcase Records) 2003 Songs For Manhattan (AM Records) 2004 At The Carnegie Hall (Pomaton EMI) with Leszek Mozdzer 2005 From My Field (AM Records) 2007 Indigo Bliss (Universal Music) 2008 Makowicz & Orkiestra Filharmonii Częstochowskiej, dyr. Jerzy Salwarowski (Warner Music Poland) 2010 Brillante – The Adam Makowicz Chopin Project (A.M. Global Arts Management) 2014 Jazzovia Presents Makowicz Plays Kobylinski (Jazzovia) 2018 Swinging Ivories (AM piano) 2023 Welcome Back, Adam (AM piano) 2023 Blue Sapphires (AM Piano) 2025 Makowicz & Medyna – New York Flavors (For Tune)