Presenting Kasia Kawalek

#jazznewbloodALIVE2017 is back at the EFG London Jazz Festival happening

in our London little paradise venue - IKLECTICK (best kept secret) on NOV 18 & 19 3pm-6pm.

Kasia Kawalek is a passionate young women from Poland in Love with London and Jazz, she´s our first premiere and we are excited to be the first ones to hear what she´s been cooking with her band.

Catch them on NOV 18- TICKETS

Tell me about the set you are presenting at #jazznewbloodALIVE2017 and the musicians playing in your band.

The songs that we’re presenting are my compositions. I try to write songs that would express my feelings and concerns. I think that each of them is musically different. It’s a blend of jazz & soul with some pop-ish bits. My quintet consists of some of the finest young jazz musician; Benjamin Appiah (drums), Lorenz Okello-Osengor (piano), Mark Mollison (bass) and Izzy Stephens (guitar). Each of them is involved in many different projects that brings variety to our music. They really inspire me.

You first started your artistic path as a child singer in a Musical Theatre Play in your home country Poland, was that the reason why you choose London to study music?

To be honest, the idea of moving to London appeared in my head in high school. In the beginning, I really wanted to study jazz but then I realised that I’m also interested in the business part of the game so I decided to study Music Business at Middlesex University.

When did you got interested in Jazz? and tell us a bit about your experience with jazz education in London.

When I was 12, my mom decided to find me a new vocal coach. The teacher happened to be a jazz vocalist and that was the time when I started listening to jazz. A year later I took part in the International Jazz Workshop (being the youngest participant) and within 10 days I completely fall for jazz.

Now I do attend NYJO vocal class and I’m a part of Tomorrow’s Warriors Female Collective.

Going to jam sessions and concerts is also a great and pleasant way to learn jazz.

Your sound is original, what singers inspire you?

The list of the singers that inspire me is really long. I grew up listening to Erykah Badu, Amy Winehouse and Ella Fitzgerald. I’m totally obsessed with the charming Blossom Dearie, as well as Chet Baker’s voice. I also love Lauryn Hill, Diana Krall, Stevie Wonder and Jill Scott. My latest favourite singer is Jordan Rakei. There are also few polish artists that have been inspiring me since my early teens, such as Andrzej Zaucha, Paulina Przybysz, Ania Serafinska and Kabaret Starszych Panow.

When did you start playing the flute?

I started playing flute at the age of 10. I was playing in the youth orchestra for 6 years and then I decided to stop. When I moved to London I suddenly felt a lack of it so I joined Tomorrow’s Warriors Female Collective where I’m trying to improve the skills I used to have…it takes time tho… ;)

What are you listening at the moment?

Recently, I’ve been listening to Jordan Rakei’s new EP as well as the new EP from London-based Ezra Collective (that I’m a bit obsessed with). There’s an R&B singer called Ravyn Lenae that also amazed me a couple of months ago.