MIKE PARKER TRIO (USA/PL)

Mike Parker — double bass, compositions Wojciech Lichtański — alto saxophone Maksymilian Olszewski — drums

The Mike Parker Trio, founded in 2024, marks a new chapter building on Parker’s many years of experience as a bandleader on the international scene. The trio brings together long-standing musical collaborators and emphasises original compositions, collective interaction and the energy of live performance.  JazzPRESS magazine described Parker’s music as “a brilliant symbiosis of all musical genres… original, fresh, unpredictable and deeply rooted in group improvisation, with a distinctive sense of humour to boot”. The All About Jazz website wrote: “For a purely acoustic jazz ensemble, this band has electrifying energy... Parker and his bandmates create music that is meaningful and inspiring.” A native of New York, Mike Parker began his professional career at the age of 17, performing in New York clubs where he played funk and rock. He studied evolutionary psychology and music at Skidmore College, where he worked closely with double bassists Scott Colley, Reid Anderson and Reuben Rogers and performed with artists such as John Scofield and Chris Potter. His time studying at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam had a profound influence on his approach to composition and improvisation, which blends modern jazz and post-bop with influences from rock, classical music and hip-hop. Since 2011, Parker has been active as a performing musician in both Europe and the United States. In 2014, he founded Mike Parker’s Trio Theory, which over the course of ten years has given hundreds of concerts and festival performances in more than fifteen countries. During this period, he released several albums of his own compositions and became a prominent figure on the European jazz scene, performing at festivals including Jazz Ascona (Switzerland), XJAZZ Festival (Germany), the Prague International Jazz Festival (Czech Republic) and the Mondriaan Jazz Festival (the Netherlands), as well as at concerts throughout Central, Eastern and Northern Europe.

Wojciech Lichtański is one of the leading alto saxophonists of his generation in Poland. He is known for his mature tone, refined technique and expressive improvisation. He is a prize-winner at major jazz competitions, including Bielsko Zadymka Jazzowa and Jazz nad Odrou. He works both as a bandleader and as a sideman, performing at festivals in Poland and abroad. He is also a composer and, in 2021, completed his PhD in musical performance.

Maksymilian Olszewskiis a highly acclaimed drummer with extensive experience on the European jazz scene. He has won numerous awards at major jazz competitions and festivals and performs regularly throughout Europe and internationally. Alongside his jazz work, he has a strong background in classical music, which is reflected in his dynamic and flexible approach.