KRZYSZTOF ZAWADZKI drummer, composer, manager, and the leader of the most popular polish fussion band WALK AWAY.
Born on 6th January 1959 in Warsaw, he began his musical education on the First Degree School of Music with accordion as a leading instrument. In the age of 16 he has changed his disliked instrument for drums and began Second Degree of musical education.
When he was 17 he started his professional career by the proposition of playing with Krzysztof Sadowski jazz organist, and with the master of the saxophone Tomasz Szukalski, after three years of that cooperation, KRZYSZTOF ZAWADZKI started playing with Janusz Muniak Quartet. For the next 3 years they played together, performed in Poland & Europe, and recorded LP. at the same time he started playing with Alex Band and went with them on a tour (Soviet Union & Czechoslovakia), and performed on Opole and Sopot Pop Festivals.
In 1980 he graduated from Music School with a distinction and 2 years later he started education at Music Academy in Katowice at Jazz department. He left Janusz Muniak's band the same year and he has created his own called WALK AWAY.
After 2 months of rehearsals, WALK AWAY performed on festival Jazz nad Odra winning the Grand Prix. That was the moment when KRZYSZTOF ZAWADZKI'S band started to succed: 2nd prize on the national competition in jazz composing, main prize on the festival Pomorska Jesien Jazzowa, participation in Jazz Jamboree Festival, first recording, and the title of the New Hope in Jazz Forum Magazine. That was the 1st half year of the WALK AWAY activity.
In 1986 KRZYSZTOF ZAWADZKI'S band achieved 2nd place as a jazz band in Jazz Forum Magazine rank and since 1987, for 15 years, occupies first place in the same rank. In 1987 WALK AWAY started cooperation with the head polish jazz violinist Michal Urbaniak and with the vocalist Urszula Dudziak during 7 years of cooperation with Urszula Dudziak 4 records were being recorded. At the same time they've been touring all over Europe, even as a support for Miles Davis.
Since 1995 KRZYSZTOF ZAWADZKI has been cooperating with outstanding musicians from USA such as:Mike Stern, Mike Mainieri, Randy Brecker, Hiram Bullock, Bob Berg, Mino Cinelu, Frank Gambale, Eric Marienthal, Matthew Garrison, Jeff Andrews, Adam Holzman, Dave Fuze Fiuczynski, Joey Calderazzo, David Kikoski, Bill Evans, Dean Brown, Victor Bailey, Mitch Stein, Steve Logan, David Gilmore, Jim Beard, Bob Malach, Henry McCullough, Mark Whitfield, Jon Herington, Jean Getter, Benny Maupin, David Samuels. Even though KRZYSZTOF ZAWADZKI is a leader of his own band, he does not avoid contacts with other bands and often participates as a sideman in studio recordings. As the leader of WALK AWAY and a session player he has recorded over 80 records.
