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Maciek Pysz

Guitarist and Composer

About Me

A quiet virtuoso who has developed into one of the most distinctive guitarists around” Ian Mann, The Jazz Mann. Born in 1982 in Poland, guitarist and composer Maciek Pysz has been playing guitar since the age of 11, it was all he ever wanted to do and he is self-taught. He has been inspired by musicians such as Ralph Towner, Sylvain Luc, Pat Metheny, Joe Pass, John McLaughlin, Bireli Lagrene, Chick Corea, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Richard Galliano, Enrico Pieranuzi, Paolo Fresu and Michel Petrucciani to name a few. Pysz mainly plays Godin acoustic and classical guitars. His influences come from Tango, Flamenco, Latin, Jazz, Brazilian and Classical music but his sound is his own, and his compositions show “genuine improvisational flair enveloping the excellent tunes. The tunes speak to you.” (Critic Stephen Graham, Marlbank, July 2013). As a performer, he creates a warm, sensual, energising atmosphere which is appreciated by audiences around the world. ​ He moved to London in 2003 where he was based until 2014. Later Maciek shared his time between Italy (Milan) and London, and after Paris and London. Maciek also lived in the South of France. He currently lives in Paris. After arriving in London as a young guitarist he quickly established himself as an up-and-coming artist and toured the UK, USA and Europe with his own projects and as a sideman to other artists. He established his project, the Maciek Pysz Trio, in 2008 and recorded his first EP “Discoveries” the same year. More touring and collaborations followed including a Quartet version of the project with the addition of accordionist/pianist Maurizio Minardi and bass/harmonica player Patrick Bettison. In 2010, he established his trio with drummer Asaf Sirkis and bassist Yuri Goloubev. He appeared on TV and performed in the Blue Note Jazz Club in Poznan, Poland in 2011. ​ In February 2013 he recorded his debut album “Insight” with his trio at Artesuono Studio in Udine, Italy with acclaimed ECM sound engineer Stefano Amerio. The album was released in May 2013 on 33 Jazz Records and received excellent reviews. In the summer of 2013 he toured the South of France with a project with French drummer Romain Dravet and harmonica player Adam Glasser. Later that year Maciek appeared with his trio at London Jazz Festival and Ceuta Jazz Festival. ​ In the spring of 2014, Maciek completed a 15 date tour of the UK with his Trio. The tour was funded by the UK's Jazz Services National Touring Support Scheme. The tour included a concert at London's Pizza Express Jazz Club which featured a guest appearance by Grammy award-winning, British saxophonist, Tim Garland. ​ He appeared on Monika Lidke’s album “If I was to describe you” which also featured bass player Janek Gwizdala and singer Basia Trzetrzelewska. In 2014 he made a number of appearances at festivals in the South of France, including La Colle-sur-Loup Jazz Festival with French violinist Francois Arnaud, with whom he continues to work occasionally. ​ Maciek recorded his second studio album “A Journey” in December 2014, once more at Artesuono Studio in Italy, engineered by Stefano Amerio. The album features bandoneon and piano player Daniele Di Bonaventura as well as his long-established trio with Yuri Goloubev on double bass and Asaf Sirkis on drums. The album was released on Dot Time Records in October 2015, and received several 4 star reviews. The trio toured the UK on a 19 date tour supported by Arts Council England, including the album launch at The Forge during the London Jazz Festival, which featured a guest performance by Daniele di Bonaventura. ​ In early 2016, Maciek formed a duo with pianist Ivo Neame to play their own compositions and arrangements of the music by Hermeto Pascoal, and the duo toured in 2016 with performances at major arts centres and an appearance at London Jazz Festival. That year he also toured with his Quartet and Drumless Quartet with cello, supported by two further ACE Grants for the Arts. ​ In May 2017 Maciek released a new album “London Stories” [33Jazz] with Italian guitarist Gianluca Corona. The album, recorded at the Eastcote Studios in London in 2014, has received excellent reviews including one from Lance Liddle “There won't be many, if any, better guitar albums either side of the Atlantic this year.” ***** ​ A collaboration with ECM artist Daniele di Bonaventura which began with the latter’s appearance on “A Journey” has blossomed into a partnership which has resulted in festival appearances as a duo in Poland and Italy, and the album “Coming Home” which was released in October 2017 on an Italian label Caligola Records. ​ Maciek continues to maintain his strong links with Europe with Inwardness, a project based in Nice with Davy Sur on drums and David Amar on vocals and sax which will see its first release on a German label Ozella Music in April 2018. He is also working with a new trio project in Paris featuring Alex Stuart on guitar and Antoine Banville on drums. Maciek has also recorded a solo album in 2017 duo to be released in late 2018. His latest projects included the Maciek Pysz New Quartet. He is endorsed by GLB Sound Amplification Lutherie and AER Amps.