Anna Maria Jopek and Gregoire Maret made guest appearance on Makoto Ozone’s new album – “Road to Chopin”.
The album will appear on Polish music market on 16 April- almost simultaneously with its Japanese premiere. The album “Road to Chopin” came into existence in November 2009 and consists of 12 pieces of music in jazz arrangements. Ozone is one of the most outstanding Japanese jazz pianists, who’s been involved in original projects for years. This artist made records and was performing with, among others, Chick Corea, Gary Burton, Branford Marsalis and Pat Metheny.
Anna Maria Jopek together with the phenomenal mouth organ player Gregoire Maret were invited by Ozone to cooperate with him on the newest album. Makoto Ozone met Anna Maria Jopek during her concerts in the famous club called Blue Note in Tokyo last spring where the idea of Chopin’s inspiration was born. The recording sessions in the studio in Warsaw was led by the recognized American sound director and producer Joe Ferl (known for cooperation with such artists as John Mayer, Joss Stone, Christian McBride, Bill Frisell or John Scofield).
The album’s concert premiere will be held in May in Tokyo during the capital city’s most important festival “La Folle Journee” dedicated to Frederic Chopin on the occasion of the composer’s 200th birthday (more details...). Anna Maria Jopek is going to make her first public appearance there alongside the Japanese virtuoso.
Anna Maria Jopek is going to perform twice during this year’s Spring Jazz Festival – Zakopane 2010. On Friday 14 May Anna Maria Jopek is going to take part in Nigel Kennedy’s special project devoted to Frederic Chopin’s works whereas the day after that at 9 p.m. she will give her recital with the band. Both performances will be held in the “Sokół“ cinema in Zakopane. Spring Jazz Festival’s concerts will only provide the foretaste before the May performances in London where Ania is going to appear on stage together with Nigel and his guests (Nigel Kennedy’s Chopin Super Group) in Royal Festival Hall on 31 May (3 p.m.). Earlier that day Anna Maria Jopek together with her band will be a guest on Queen Elizabeth Hall’s stage (1p.m.) where she’s going to present her own work.
We cordially invite you to join these events. More information is available in concerts’ section.
Recently, Anna Maria Jopek has taken part in Makoto Ozone’s recording sessions at Studio S1 in Warsaw. The Japanese artist is known for being the most remarkable jazz pianist in Japan.
The project, based on Chopin’s music, has been carried trough by Joe Ferla, the legendary sound director, who has cooperated with such artists like: Barbara Streisand, John Scofield, Clint Eastwood, David Sanborn, Pat Metheny and many more. One of Makoto Ozone’s guest is Gregoire Maret, the harmonica virtuoso, who has worked with Pat Metheny Group, Cassandra Wilson and Marek Napiorkowski. During these recording sessions Anna Maria Jopek has arranged and performed two songs. The album will have its premiere in spring 2010. On the photo: the representative of Universal Music Japan, Makoto Ozone, Joe Ferla and AMJ. Studio S1, Warsaw, 12.11.2009
The music of Portugal should not only be identified as legendary Fado - this "blues of the edge of Europe". It is also one and only melting-pot of various influences and traditions. In one of the most beautiful and most poetical cities in the world - Lisbon - can be heard the music of many different countries which have been connected with Portugal for ages. Today the time of colonization is the history, but the artists from Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau or Cape Verde treat Lisbon as their mother land. Their music, though, represents the soul of past and old countries. And this, what happens in exploring many cultures, seems to be the most interesting.
For many years, the permeation of different threads has interested BMW Jazz Club the most and it became their feather in the cap. This year, on LISBON STORIES concerts, we will have the honour to welcome a few marvellous artists from Lisbon.
This year, BMW Jazz Club prepared three concerts in three cities!
7.12.2009 WARSZAWA - KLUB PALLADIUM
8.12.2009 GDAŃSK - KLUB PARLAMENT
9.12.2009 POZNAŃ- Centrum Kongresowo-Dydaktyczne UM
On the stage will perform:
ANNA MARIA JOPEK
YAMI
BETO BETUK
Additionally, in Warsaw will perform the extra guest TITO PARIS
8.12.2009 GDAŃSK - KLUB PARLAMENT
9.12.2009 POZNAŃ- Centrum Kongresowo-Dydaktyczne UM
On the stage will perform:
ANNA MARIA JOPEK
YAMI
BETO BETUK
Additionally, in Warsaw will perform the extra guest TITO PARIS
... will sing together Youssou N' Dour's great hit 7 Seconds during The Gala Concert of the 5th Cross-Culture Warsaw Festival.
13th September (Sunday); Warsaw (Polska), Congress Hall, 19:00
CONCERTS IN RUSSIA AND GERMANY Two extra shows are added to Anna Maria Jopek’s “World Tour”. She is going to perform in Saint Petersburg (25.04.) and in Düsseldorf (25.05.) during Düsseldorfer Jazz Rally. Details can be found in concerts schedule. We hope you will enjoy her performances!
After a set of successful concerts in Europe Anna Maria Jopek is going to visit Asia. She will give several concerts during her tour (read details). Anna's concerts will take place in several exotic places such as Bali, Jakarta, Surabay (Indonesia) and Singapore. The fans will also have the chance to listen to her performance in Japan. There in Blue Note in Tokyo several special concerts are planned to take place. On her tour, Anna will be supported by Marek Napiórkowski, Robert Kubiszyn and Paweł Dobrowolski. All those gigs will promote the Asiatic premiere of the 'ID' album.
The details of the tour schedule can be found in CONCERT section on our website. We also wish to encourage the fans to read a few words Anna aimed at the Japanese audience.
ID - international version15th May - ID RELEASED IN JAPAN
read more on Japanese Universal Music website:
www.universal-music.co.jp/jazz/artist/anna_maria/
Anna Maria Jopek’s project called "ID" features a collection of true giants from across the music world. Once more she brings together some of the most divergent musical stylists into one harmonious whole to create more spellbinding, often unclassifiable music.
Read about ID (following articles are in pdf):
- Anna Maria Jopek : ID – the art of coexistance
- Anna Maria Jopek ID (short text 1)
- Anna Maria Jopek ID (text in Germian - ID: Das neue Projekt von Anna Maria Jopek)
After the success of ID album, which in two weeks became the Platinum Record, was released in many countries in the world and up to now has been sold in 50.000 copies, Anna Maria Jopek is ready for a new challenge. It is brave, sometimes radical concert album, recorded with world-famous guests.
PAT METHENY & ANNA MARIA JOPEK