Gary Gwadera is a solo project of Piotr Gwadera – composer, improviser, drummer and anthropologist – dreamer from the city of Łódź in Poland. Known for his versatility and unique artistic voice, Gwadera effortlessly adds surprising character to any musical context, whether it’s rock, punk, electronic, experiment, jazz or free improvisation. In recent years, he has become a leading drummer on the nationwide Polish rural traditional music scene, where he’s famous for his “outstanding freedom in using triple rhythms in jaz* playing.” As a true sound connoisseur, he is passionate about vintage drums, cymbals and analog media – VHS tapes and magnetic recordings of all kinds. Stylistically, Gary Gwadera explores innovative connections between tradition and modernity. His breakthrough album “Far, far in Chicago. Footberk Suite” (2024) is a “musical journey through time and space, where the Polish oberek and Chicago footwork find a common ground in dynamic, triple rhythms.” The “footberk” concept arose from the observation that “the syncopated mazurka rhythms can sound just as contemporary and bold as the beats created for Chicago dancers.”
Gwadera is the winner of second prize “for magnetic personality, musical imagination and unique combination of roots and avant-garde elements” and „Golden Fiddle” for the best instrumentalist „for his virtuoso approach to mazurka rhythms on an unusual (percussion) instrument” at the Polish Radio Folk Music Competition – New Tradition 2024. Media describe his work as “stunning and captivating” (Nowa Muzyka), where “inspirations from oberek and footwork intertwine to such an extent that sometimes it’s hard to tell whether you’re driving through a Polish village or you’re on a dance floor in the Windy City” (The Quietus).
* jaz (pol, “Dżaz”) not jazz. A minimalistic drum set that appeared in Europe after WWI along with American jazz artists. It became popular in the Polish rural music scene after WWII.