Rafał Rokicki is a pianist, composer and arranger characterized by beautiful sound, gentle but forceful touch as well as by melodic, visual compositions that can be appreciated by not only by jazz fans but all music lovers.
The recent graduate of Berklee College of Music and a recipient of Jazz Performance Award, RafaÅ‚ started playing classical piano at the age of five. He was born in Poland and from the early childhood was fascinated by Chopin. He always wanted to become a pianist. He studied in various music schools in Åomża, in Warsaw and even in Barcelona before he was awarded a scholarship to Berklee, where was learning until 2008. He studied with such performers like Joanne Brackeen, Laszlo Gardony, Hal Crook, Dave Santoro, Marcello Pellitteri or Ray Santisi. As it was said about him at the Jazz Award Ceremony: "he has developed remarkable skills as a jazz pianist and as a composer and is well on his way to developing his own voice".
Rafał was performing from the very beginning of his musical journey. As a 14-year-old he was sent to perform in the Polish Embassy in Helsinki in Finland. He played various styles, with many musicians; from jazz in Polish and Spanish jazz clubs and on the New Yorkers Festival in Warsaw to pop music as a side man. In 2007 he met Zak Croxall and Thomas Hartman with whom he recorded his first CD titled G.H.R, consisting mostly of the original music written and arranged by Rafał. The album was very warmly received by the audience at the concert in Boston in David Friend Recital Hall as well as by the listeners both in the US and in Poland. Rafał's arrangement of "Softly as In the Morning Sunrise" received the top spot on www.ourstage.com in jazz category in February 2009, while the composition "Going Further" belongs to the favorites of the listeners.
Apart from being a performing, recording musician, session player and a sideman, Rafał writes visual music that constitutes a perfect material for audio-visual synchronization. He recorded a soundtrack to a documentary "AIDS" directed by Chad Minnich as well as he is the author of several commercials. His compositions create a unique mood, which perfectly enhances the visual experience.