Vitold Rek

Vitold Rek (* October 18, 1955 in Rzeszów, Poland as Witold E. Szczurek) is a double bassist, composer and music educator. He studied classical double bass at the Academy of Music in Kraków when Krzysztof Penderecki was rector there. His playing "unites jazz influences with classical and East European folk elements", with a focus on live performance and composition.

Career Rek's festival appearances include Montreux Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz (The Hague), Willisau Jazz Festival, Berlin Jazz Festival, ISB Double Bass Convention USA, Mexico Jazz Festival, Banlieus Bleues Festival in Paris and the Jazz Jamboree in Warsaw among many others. Concerts have taken him also to Mozambique, Cuba and Mexico. He has performed in the Purcell Room in London and in the Paris Olympia.

Charlie Mariano, John Tchicai, Albert Mangelsdorff, Karl Berger, Vladislav Sendecki, Tomasz Stanko, Günter Baby Sommer, Dom Um Romao, Peter Giger, Emil Mangelsdorff, Gerd Dudek, Heinz Sauer, Ralf Hübner, Bob Degen, Christof Lauer, Makaya Ntshoko and Shlomo Carlebach have featured among his key musical partners. He collaborates with the Frankfurt Radio HR Jazz Ensemble.

Vitold also enjoys his work with German writers, combining spoken poetry with his own solo performance. He works closely with the poet Johann P. Tammen and other partners have included Volker Braun, Oskar Ansull, Sarah Kirsch and Kito Lorenc.

He teaches jazz double bass and coaches ensembles at both the Hochschule für Musik, Mainz and the Hochschule für Musik, Frankfurt.

In 2008 Vitold Rek was honored twice: with Tomasz Stanko’s 5-CD album "1970-1975-1984-1986-1988" - Platinum Prize in Poland - and with Emil Mangelsdorff’s CD "Blues Forever" - Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik 2008 in Germany.

In November 2008 Vitold Rek performed as soloist the premiere of Jazz Concerto Grosso (composed by Piotr Wrobel) for double bass, flute (soloist Jadwiga Kotnowska) and symphony orchestra during the Polish Chamber Music Festival in Warsaw.

Discography

Flyin’ Lady - Jan Pt. Wroblewski Quartet (Muza Pl.); 1978 Live at Aquarium - Sunship (Poljazz Pl.); 1979 Follow us - Sunship (Muza Pl.); 1979 Tomasz Stanko - Tomasz Stanko (Poljazz Pl.); 1982 Musik '81 - Tomasz Stanko (Muza Pl.); 1982 C.O.C.X. - Tomasz Stanko (Pronit Pl.); 1983 Lady Go - Tomasz Stanko (Muza Pl.); 1984 Freelectronic - Tomasz Stanko (Poljazz Pl.); 1986 Peyotl - Tomasz Stanko (Poljazz Pl.); recorded 1986 Freelectronic: The Montreux Performance - Tomasz Stanko (ITM 0023); 1987 Basspace - Vitold Rek Basspace (Poljazz Pl.); 1984 Basspace 555555 - Vitold Rek Basspace (Muza Pl.); 1985 The Spark - Solo (Poljazz Pl.); 1986 Condemned To Life - V.R. mit Olga Szwajgier (Muza Pl.); 1987 Family Jewels - Family of Percussion & Friends (Jazz Network 66.667); 1988 Acoustic - Stan Soyka (Zic-Zac PL.); 1991 Satisfaction - John Tchicai, Vitold Rek (Enja CD 7033-2); 1991 POPendingEYE - Alfred 23 Harth's Quasar Quartet (Free Flow Music 0493); 1993 Art Of The Duo Vol.1 John Tchicai, Vitold Rek (Enja 8008-2); 1993 Jazz - with Peter Giger and Gerd Dudek B+W 029 GB); 1993 Mozambique Meets Europe - Family of Percussion & Friends (B+W031 GB); 1993 Elvira Plenar-Vitold Rek - with Elvira Plenar (Bellaphon CDLR 45089); 1994 Mondspinner - with Christof Lauer & Ralf Hübner (Free Flow Music 0796); 1996 On Remote Patrol - with Michael Baird (SWP 004); 1996 Das Erik Satie Projekt - Fritz Hartschuh Quartet (Konnex KCD 5086); 1998 East West Wind - Live at the St. Ingbert Jazz Festival 1997, Germany (TMP 501) Bassifiddle alla polacca - Vitold Rek Solo - double bass, vocals (TMP 503); 1997 & 1998 John Tchicai, Vitold Rek, Karl Berger - 2 x 2 (TMP 505; 1991, 1992 & 2000; The Polish Folk Explosion - Kapela Resoviana feat. Albert Mangelsdorff, Charlie Mariano, John Tchicai, Vitold Rek, Gilbert Matthews (TMP 507; 2001 Johann P. Tammen & Vitold Rek - Die Erde, das singende Brot (TMP CD 401); 2002 Charlie Mariano & Vitold Rek - opus absolutum (TMP CD 509; 2003 Charlie Mariano & Vitold Rek feat. Peter Reiter - Cathedral vol. 1 (TMP CD 611); 2005 East West Wind - Home featuring Jaroslaw Bester & Ramesh Shotham (TMP CD 515); 2007 Emil Mangelsdorff Quartet "Blues Forever" (Bellaphon CDLR 714427) Hessischer Rundfunk Jazzensemble "Unauffällige Festansage" with Albert Mangelsdorff, Christof Lauer, Ralf Hübner, Heinz Sauer, Emil Mangelsdorff, Joki Freund (Jazzwerkstatt 2008) Tomasz Stanko "1970-1975-1984-1986-1988" (Metal Mind Productions); 2008