Darek Oleszkiewicz (born February 20, 1963), also known as Darek Oles, is a jazz bassist, composer, arranger, and educator.

Darek Oleszkiewicz
Background information
Also known asDarek Oles
Born (1963-02-20) February 20, 1963 (age 61)
Wrocław, Poland
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, arranger, educator
InstrumentDouble bass
Years active1980s–present
LabelsCryptogramophone

Biography

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Oleszkiewicz was born in Wrocław, Poland, on February 20, 1963.[1] He lived in Kraków in the early 1980s, then moved to Los Angeles in 1987 or 1988[2][3] and attended California Institute of the Arts from 1989 on a full scholarship.[3] While studying at Cal Arts he was a protégé of Charlie Haden.[4] In the early 1990s and 2000s he built a reputation on the West Coast of the United States.[5] He co-founded the Los Angeles Jazz Quartet in 1993, with saxophonist Chuck Manning, guitarist Larry Koonse, and drummer Kevin Tullius.[2] They recorded for Naxos Records and Not Two Records.[2]

Oleszkiewicz's first album as sole leader was Like a Dream,[6] which consisted largely of his own compositions.[5] It included quartet and trio tracks, and duets with pianist Brad Mehldau.[6] He had earlier played on Mehldau's Largo.[7] Oleszkiewicz was featured prominently with Koonse on the 2006 album Storybook.[8]

In 2010 Oleszkiewicz was a co-leader with Peter Erskine, Bob Mintzer, and Alan Pasqua on the album Standards 2: Movie Music.[9] Oleszkiewicz was co-leader with Adam Czerwniński for the album Raindance.[10]

Oleszkiewicz is a faculty member at California Institute of the Arts,[11] and the University of Southern California,[1] He continues to record, including on trombonist Bob McChesney's Chez Sez in 2015,[12] and with other USC faculty members, including on Kait Dunton's Mountain Suite in the same year.[13] He was part of the Peter Erskine Trio that was nominated for the 2022 Best Jazz Instrumental Album Grammy Award for Live in Italy.[14][15]

Playing style

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On his debut as leader, Oleszkiewicz's style was described as containing "the inevitable lineage to Scott LaFaro and Bill Evans, [...and] combines a certain economy of style that is reminiscent of Charlie Haden".[5] The woodiness of his tone was also compared with Haden's, with the addition of "a certain Gary Peacock-like edge to it".[5]

Discography

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As a leader or co-leader

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  • Moods In Freedom, a solo bass project exploring open structure improvisation and composition
  • Inspiration, a solo bass project exploring the music of Chopin, Bach and Beethoven
  • The Promise, a solo bass tribute to John Coltrane
  • Blues for Charlie, a solo bass tribute to Charlie Haden
  • Expectation, with Los Angeles Jazz Ensemble (Kind of Blue)
  • Like a Dream (Cryptogramophone) featuring Brad Mehldau
  • Raindance (ACR 2006), co-led with Adam Czerwniński
  • Pictures (ACR 2009), co-led with Adam Czerwniński
  • Storybook (Jazz Compass), co-led with Larry Koonse
  • Standards 2: Movie Music (Fuzzy Music), co-led with Peter Erskine, Bob Mintzer and Alan Pasqua
  • Live At Jazz Nad Odrą (L.A. Jazz Quartet Music), with Los Angeles Jazz Quartet
  • Conversation Piece (Naxos Jazz), with Los Angeles Jazz Quartet
  • Look to the East (Naxos Jazz), with Los Angeles Jazz Quartet
  • Family Song (Not Two), with Los Angeles Jazz Quartet
  • Astarte (GOWI), with Los Angeles Jazz Quartet
  • Traveling Birds Quintet (Polonia), with Traveling Birds Quintet
  • Return to the Nest (Polonia), with Traveling Birds Quintet

As sideman

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With Peter Erskine and Alan Pasqua

  • Live In Italy (2022)

With Peter Erskine, George Garzone and Alan Pasqua

  • Three Nights In L.A. (2019)

With Kei Akagi

  • Aqua Puzzle (2018)

With Bill Cunliffe

  • Live at Bernies (2001)

With Kait Dunton

  • Mountain Suite (2012)

With Yelena Eckemoff

  • Flying Steps (2010)

With Peter Erskine

  • The Interlochen Concert (2009)

With Terry Gibbs

  • Wham (1999)

With Anna Maria Jopek

  • Upojenie (2003)
  • Barefoot (2002)
  • Bosa (2000)

With Larry Koonse

  • Storybook (2006)

With Charles Lloyd

With Bennie Maupin

With Bob McChesney

  • Chez Sez (2015)

With Brad Mehldau

With Josh Nelson

With Sara Niemietz

With Jack Nimitz

  • Live at Capozzoli's (1997)

With Alan Pasqua

  • My New Old Friend (2005)
  • Northern Lights (2018)

With Bobby Shew

  • Play the Music of Reed Kotler (2001)

With David Sills

  • Big (2002)

With Kuba Stankiewicz and Peter Erskine

  • Music Of Henryk Wars (2017)
  • Music Of Bronislaw Kaper (2016)
  • Music Of Victor Young (2015)

With Gavin Templeton

  • Asterperious Special (2012)

With Ben Wendel

  • Simple Song (2009)

With Mike Wofford

  • Time Cafe (2001)

With Aga Zaryan

  • Remembering Nina And Abbey (2013)
  • A Book of Luminous Things (2011)
  • Live At Palladium (2008)
  • Picking Up The Pieces (2006)
  • My Lullaby (2002)

Main source:[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Darek Oles". USC Thornton School of Music. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Kohlhaase, Bill (November 27, 1998). "L.A. Jazz Quartet Plays on Polish Connection". Los Angeles Times.
  3. ^ a b "Darek Oles". CalArts School of Music. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  4. ^ Heimbauer, Gary (December 2010) "Bob Mamet". Jazz Inside. p. 44.
  5. ^ a b c d Kelman, John (September 19, 2004) "Darek Oleszkiewicz: Like a Dream". AllAboutJazz.
  6. ^ a b Dryden, Ken "Darek Oleszkiewicz – Like a Dream". AllMusic. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  7. ^ Cook & Morton 2008, p. 989.
  8. ^ Cook & Morton 2008, p. 841.
  9. ^ Nemeyer, Eric (May 2010) "Peter Erskine". Jazz Inside. p. 33.
  10. ^ "Adam Czerwniński & Darek Oleszkiewicz 'Raindance'". Allegro Records. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  11. ^ "Darek Oles" Archived 2017-01-01 at the Wayback Machine. California Institute of the Arts. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  12. ^ Woodard, Josef (June 2015) "Bob McChesney – Stepping into the Spotlight". Down Beat. p. 23.
  13. ^ O'Connell, Sean J. (December 2015) "Kait Dunton – Intricate Trio Sounds". Down Beat. p. 24.
  14. ^ Worsley, Jim (December 16, 2022). "Alan Pasqua, Peter Erskine, Darek Oles: Live in Italy". All About Jazz. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  15. ^ "65th Annual Grammy Awards Winners & Nominees". grammy.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  16. ^ Cook & Morton 2008.
Bibliography