Jazz Forum Interview

Krzysia Górniak has been paving the way for female instrumentalists on the Polish jazz scene for 30 years. To mark this anniversary, an album is being released featuring her compositions arranged for a jazz trio consisting of Michał Jaros on double bass and Marcin Jahr on drums, along with a string orchestra. This album is included for subscribers of our magazine together with the latest issue.

About the history of the album’s creation, the various stages of our guitarist’s life, as well as her plans, inspirations, and intentions, Krzysia Górniak spoke with Marek Romański at the JAZZ FORUM editorial office:

JAZZ FORUM: With this orchestral album you celebrate 30 years of creative work – how did you calculate this anniversary? What do you consider the beginning of your stage career?

KRZYSIA GÓRNIAK: In 1995, I began my first job with the orchestra of the Roma Musical Theatre, working on the production “The Blue Castle” by Roman Czubat y, directed by Jan Skotnicki. I performed in around a hundred shows. This job gave me a certain perspective; it helped me understand what it means to be a musician in an orchestra, especially a theatre orchestra. I realized that I probably wouldn’t want to do this professionally. I felt that my personality was open to creativity and searching for my own sound, whereas playing in an orchestra primarily involves performing written material and faithfully repeating it. Nevertheless, it was very valuable work and an important experience – I collaborated with two or three conductors, which taught me a lot. Also, simply being surrounded by an orchestra, hearing its sound from within, is an incredible experience – completely different from sitting in the audience.

However, I had started performing publicly earlier, while still a student at the Bednarska school. I was already active in jam sessions and constantly present in the Warsaw scene. It was a time of learning and making connections. I often visited the Akwarium club on Emilii Plater Street. That shaped me – concerts at the Congress Hall, evenings at Akwarium. My first jazz concert was at age 16 at Jazz Jamboree – Michael Brecker was performing. That’s when my journey with jazz began.

JF: How do you feel about turning thirty (years in your career)?

KG: I don’t see this anniversary as a moment of closure – quite the opposite, it’s more of an opening stage. Over the past two years, a lot has happened, and I’ve entered a new phase of my creative activity. This album, which is the reason for our meeting, has also emerged. For me, it sums up nearly thirty years of artistic work and stage presence – it closes one chapter and symbolically opens another.

JF: When and at what point did the idea for recording with such a large instrumental lineup arise?

KG: The idea for this album dates back to 2015. That’s when the album “Tribute To Nat King Cole” was released, recorded with Maciej Miecznikowski and featuring Atom String Quartet, published by DUX. It included new versions of beautiful songs sung by Nat King Cole, in original arrangements for vocals, two guitars, double bass, drums, and strings. We performed several concerts with this material in philharmonic halls – if I recall correctly, with the Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra in Sopot conducted by Wojciech Rajski, the Świętokrzyska Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra in Kielce conducted by Maciej Tarnowski, and the Karol Namysłowski Symphony Orchestra in Zamość conducted by Tadeusz Wicherek. That’s where the idea was born.

Since we needed two additional pieces for two concert sets, director Wojciech Rajski suggested performing my compositions. We chose “Friendship” and “Emotions,” arranged by Artur Jurek, which ultimately also ended up on my latest album.

When I started performing these compositions with orchestras in Sopot, Kielce, and Zamość, I realized they sounded very interesting in this setting and that it would be worth creating such a program – so I could perform with strings. I loved that sound; it was also extremely inspiring for improvisation. It felt like a gentle breeze. I felt as if the orchestra was enveloping me. It’s completely different from playing, for example, in a quartet. In a jazz quartet, we try to achieve that softness using, for instance, a Rhodes. Although I mostly play in a trio these days, when I have a quartet, that softness is introduced by the keyboard instrument.

JF: The orchestra on the album is actually a string quartet that recorded its parts separately using overdubs, creating the impression of a larger ensemble.

KG: That’s possible now. In the studio, you can record and duplicate tracks multiple times. Of course, it doesn’t entirely sound like a real string orchestra. Still, most recordings today are done this way. In a sense, we’re tricking the listener’s ear by building a dense texture. On the other hand, this gives more control over the recording and post-production. Something for something. Though I think in this case it doesn’t matter at all – you can hardly hear the difference. Of course, I’d love to record a live album with an orchestra in the future.

JF: Mixing must have been quite a challenge, coordinating all those tracks?

KG: That’s true. The mixing and mastering were handled by Jeremiasz Hendzel. This is another album we’ve done together. Previously, for many years, I worked with Winicjusz Chróst. “Memories” from 2020 was his last album. Winek passed away before its release. Earlier, Grzesiek Grzyb, whom I had played with for several years, also passed away. A close friend of mine also passed, and that album marked the end of a certain stage in my life.

That’s when I began working with Jeremiasz – he completed the “Memories” album. He’s young, has a modern approach, and an excellent ear. With such an extensive string arrangement, you need strong sound engineering skills but also perfect hearing. He has that, so the work went smoothly. Since then, we’ve made the album “Astrolabe” (2022) and a Christmas album (2021). It turned out the latter has the most streams on Spotify – from early December until the end of January, it was at the top of streaming platforms and playlists. (laughs) In 2025, we also recorded two solo guitar EPs, “Touch” and “Wings,” for the German label G2 Records & Publishing.

JF: You say the selection of pieces on this album is a story about different stages of your life. Could you tell us about them?

KG: Some of the arrangements had been sitting in a drawer for a long time. An important inspiration was Prof. Klaudiusz Baran, former rector of the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, who encouraged me two years ago to complete and record the project, recognizing it as very interesting material that shouldn’t remain unreleased.

Four pieces – “Meditation,” “Moments,” “The Storm Is Looming Ahead,” and “Spring” – were arranged by Andrzej Mikulski, with whom I worked during my time with Maciej Miecznikowski. Two – “Friendship” and “Emotions” – were arranged by Artur Jurek, and the remaining three arrangements were written by Michał Jaros last year.

All compositions on the album “Krzysia Górniak String Orchestra” have their own history in earlier releases.

The album opens with “Meditation,” first released in 2016 on the album “Moments,” though I composed it a year earlier. It’s in D minor, a key I really like. It begins with a duet between guitar and cello, gradually joined by more strings – a slow introduction to the orchestral sound. The rhythm section enters only in the second minute. “Meditation” opens the album by building tension between the guitar and the chamber string orchestra, creating space for reflection and contemplation.

Then we shift to a more dynamic mood with “Sea Salt on My Lips,” from the album “Memories.” Here, the strings strike more strongly on the third beat. There are folk-inspired oberek motifs. It’s inspired by sailing – the salt on my lips leaves no doubt. I love sailing; it’s a great passion of mine.

The third piece, “Talking Rain,” originally appeared on the album “Feelings” (2012). I love this arrangement – Michał Jaros created a masterpiece. His additions to the theme are beautiful, with light polyrhythms. I wrote this piece for my father while he was in hospital after a heart attack. It was October, and it was raining sleet. I wanted to bring him something to listen to, so I recorded the theme on solo guitar. The string version is deeply moving, including the live-recorded improvisations without overdubs.

“Moments” opened the album of the same title. Back then, Grzesiek Grzyb played an amazing fast rhythm on drums, with his signature ride cymbal that lifted everyone.

The version on this album begins with a beautiful string narrative, followed by my jazz trio, developing similarly to the original. It’s more restrained compared to “Sea Salt on My Lips,” “Talking Rain,” or “Meditation.”

In “The Storm Is Looming Ahead,” the string arrangement perfectly conveys the sense of an approaching storm, followed by release and calm.

“Strawberry Kisses,” from “Memories,” is in a 5/4 rhythm. I love improvising in irregular meters, and Michał Jaros wrote string counterpoints evoking carefree summer mornings. It’s light, playful, and full of good humor.

“Spring” features cinematic strings with long background narratives – calm, simple, and reflective.

“Friendship” and “Emotions” date back to 2008 (laughs). In “Friendship,” pizzicato strings create a dialogue with the double bass. The rhythm section of Michał Jaros and Marcin Jahr plays wonderfully. I’ve worked with Marcin for many years, and I’ve known Michał since school – so the title reflects real life. The album structure moves from intense to more relaxed.

JF: You say such a rich ensemble helps you lose yourself and let go of ego. How does that relate to improvisation?

KG: In recent years, I’ve worked a lot on freeing myself from the egoic mind. I realized that consciousness is different from the mind’s constant chatter. In improvisation, the quieter the mind, the better. When the inner voice is silent, expression comes through emotion and intuition. The ego constantly compares and creates dissatisfaction. In the music world, we’re constantly judged – first locally, then globally. It’s easy to fall into doubt or self-admiration. Both are illusions.

JF: But you must have had inspirations.

KG: Of course – I grew up on the “old school”: John Abercrombie, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, and John Scofield. They were my greatest inspirations. I studied their music deeply. Recently, I revisited Abercrombie’s work – it’s beautiful. I also listen to solo guitar, bossa nova, like Bebel Gilberto, and creative Polish jazz. But when I compose, I try to enter my own musical world.

JF: Have you performed this material live?

KG: Not yet. There’s a proposal from Grodzisk Mazowiecki. Once the album is officially released, I’ll send it to orchestras and propose concerts. We’re ready and happy to perform it.

JF: In 2022, you released “Astrolabe,” inspired by Portuguese fado and saudade, featuring vocalist Rui Teles.

KG: I discovered this music thanks to Rui. Our collaboration began in 2017. The album includes original compositions, a bossa nova version of “Sweet Almonds,” Portuguese classics, and “Nascente do Fado.” Rui wrote the lyrics and melody – it’s about his “eastern destiny” in Poland.

He now lives in Masuria, runs a Portuguese food truck, and has a family. We share a love of sailing and water – you can hear the ocean in his soul.

In March, we’re recording a second “Astrolabe” album. One track, “My Indian Summer,” is already online – a warm bossa nova with a music video filmed on a wooden catamaran built by my partner, Paweł Kowalski.

JF: The astrolabe is a navigation tool – also a metaphor for life direction.

KG: Exactly. We all navigate, but how do we set our course? I love water, sailing, diving. I realized this during my studies in Graz, traveling to Croatia, Italy, Greece. Now I sail in Puck Bay, Zegrze Reservoir, and Masuria on a Polynesian wooden boat.

JF: You’ve worked with G2 Records & Publishing and released two solo EPs.

KG: It started at jazzahead! in Bremen. Their representative liked my showcase but suggested a solo guitar album. So I recorded one on classical and acoustic guitar. It brought me back to my first guitar, which I’ve had for 35 years.

JF: How does it feel to play solo and fully acoustic?

KG: It felt natural during recording, but later I realized how demanding it was. The fatigue comes afterward. Sometimes it takes months to recover before starting something new.

JF: How do you see yourself today?

KG: As a creative personality expressing through guitar, composition, and production. I also run the Diuna Foundation. Each album is a closed, coherent chapter. While many jazz musicians play standards, I express myself through my own compositions and improvisations – that’s my personal narrative.

Interview by Marek Romański

Interview in Jazz Forum — see: Krzysia Górniak String Orchestra (full interview)