December 16, 2007 Mietek Plays a Slavic Jazzy Medley
Mietek Glinkowski joined me in the WCOM radio studio to tell stories of his joy of the holidays, and Slavic jazz interpretations of classical music. Mietek shared his brilliant playing of the vitar, which is a blend between a violin and a guitar. Mietek is of Polish descent and travels the world for work and pleasure. He loves to pull together an impromptu jazz jam at any time and any place. You can hear him at different clubs in the Triangle area of North Carolina.

Of special interest this evening, Mietek first played the song on his vitar, How Insensitive, by Jobim. Thematically, the song pulls on the sounds of Chopin's Prelude in E minor. Mietek followed his playing the song, How Insensitive, with a beautiful jazz interpretation of Chopin's Prelude in E minor, played by the great Polish piano player, Andrzej Jagodzinski. Then we played a third version of Chopin's Prelude in E minor as performed by the Novi Singers.

From the CDs Mietek brought with him we played the following:
Novi Singers; “NOVI Sing Chopin” CD, Prelude in E minor Op. 28 No.4
Andrzej Jagodzinski Trio; ”Chopin” CD, Prelude in E minor
Zbigniew Seifert; “Solo Violin” CD, (1976), Evening Psalm
Zbigniew Seifert; “Man of the Light” CD, (1978), Stillness
Zbigniew Seifert; “Zbigniew Seifert” CD (1977), Way To Oasis

Mietek played:
A Child Was Born
How Insensitive
R. Schumann’s Kinderscenen, No. 6 “Traumerie”
Krzysztof Komeda; "Szara Koleda“ (Gray Carol)

I am always delighted to have Mietek on my show and look forward to having him back again. Unfortunately our Italian jazz friends, Fabio and Paulo, will not be able to join us this year since their travels will not take them through North Carolina. But Mietek promises to gather other musicians of an international flavor and bring them on my show - may it be so!

Please join me via the internet from anywhere in the world each Sunday night from 7:00 - 9:00 EST to hear the unique sounds of NC Jazz musicians. You can hear us by going to the WCOM website at www.communityradio.coop or if you're in the Carrboro - Chapel Hill area, you can listen to us at 103.5 FM. We're low power but we're still the 100 Watts of Wonder and are definitely community powered.

Will Okun's latest blog post in the NY Times is about the Chicago photographer, Worsom, and his work with Will's students from Westside Alternative School.