Polish Jazz: From Chopin to Electronics – A Concert Feast at Expo 2025
14 performers, more than 50 musicians, nearly two weeks of concerts by world-class stars and young talents – this is how Poland tells its story in the language of jazz at Expo 2025.
14 performers, more than 50 musicians, nearly two weeks of concerts by world-class stars and young talents – this is how Poland tells its story in the language of jazz at Expo 2025.
Jazz lovers can expect major artistic events at Expo 2025 with outstanding Polish musicians.
On August 30 and 31, during the Fryderyk Chopin Week, four concerts will feature jazz interpretations of works by the great Polish composer.
From September 4 to 10, in Osaka’s clubs and Poland Pavilion, and then from September 11 to 13 in Tokyo, Poland’s young jazz scene will perform under the banner: Jazz from Poland in Japan 2025.
Polish jazz has long attracted interest in Japan, where it is valued as music of freedom, emotion, and artistic mastery. Japan – a country of exceptional musical sensitivity – is a natural partner for Polish jazz musicians, open to dialogue and new sounds.
The cultural program of Poland at the World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai provides a unique opportunity to popularize contemporary jazz from the Vistula River in the Land of the Rising Sun.
4 Jazz Concerts During Chopin Week
The Fryderyk Chopin Institute is organizing a series of performances by Polish artists in Osaka. The repertoire will feature jazz interpretations of Chopin’s works. Concerts will be held on August 30 and 31 as part of Chopin Week.
LIS + Phew: A Polish-Japanese Electronic Project in the Heart of Osaka
The trio LIS, led by pianist Jan Smoczyński – one of the most important Polish music producers – presents innovative electronic, experimental, and minimalist sounds, alongside saxophonist Łukasz Poprawski and drummer Michał Miśkiewicz.
For the concert based on Chopin’s works, LIS will collaborate with Japanese vocalist Phew, rooted in the post-punk movement and now active in experimental and avant-garde music.
LIS + Phew will perform on August 30 at 8:00 PM at Space 14 Concert Hall in Osaka.
Leading Polish Jazz Bands Play Chopin
Other top Polish jazz groups will present original jazz interpretations of Chopin’s works, including world-class stars:
- Artur Dutkiewicz Trio – blending modern jazz energy with the spirit of Chopin and the rhythm of Polish folk dances (August 30, 6:00 PM).
- RGG Trio – the last live band of Polish jazz legend Tomasz Stańko, with the program Soundscapes of Chopin, combining classical music with ambient and improvisation (August 31, 5:00 PM).
- Andrzej Jagodziński Trio – a world-renowned group featuring bassist Adam Cegielski and legendary drummer Czesław “Mały” Bartkowski, presenting masterful jazz renditions of Bach and Chopin (August 31, 7:00 PM).
All three concerts will also take place at Space 14 Concert Hall in Osaka.
Festival Jazz from Poland in Japan 2025
The concerts under Jazz from Poland in Japan 2025 are an unprecedented showcase of the Polish jazz scene during the Poland. Culture Week at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. Over seven days, 10 projects with 25 artists will be presented in more than 30 concerts.
Performances will be held at three prestigious Osaka clubs: Blue Yard (affiliated with Tokyo’s Blue Note), Space 14, and Umeda Club Quattro. A highlight will be the premiere of a Concert Suite composed especially for this occasion by acclaimed young pianist and composer Nikola Kołodziejczyk, featuring all invited Polish musicians.
In addition, daily 30-minute recitals (solo, duo, trio) will be staged at Poland Pavilion.
After Osaka, thanks to the support of the Polish Institute in Tokyo, concerts will also take place in Japan’s capital from September 11 to 13.
Concerts in Blue Yard Club in Osaka:
Sept 4, 7:00 PM
- Sub Silento – an intimate duo balancing improvisation and chamber jazz.
- Babooshki – jazz interpretations of folk melodies performed bilingually by Polish and Ukrainian vocalists.
Sept 5, 7:00 PM
- Aga Derlak Trio – Fryderyk Award-winning pianist blending jazz with Latin American folklore and classical music.
- Dominik Wania – Poland’s leading jazz pianist, known for collaborations with Stańko, Marcus Miller, and Leszek Możdżer
Sept 6, 7:30 PM
- Maciej Obara Quartet – lyrical yet explosive alto saxophone jazz, including interpretations of Górecki.
Jazz Suite at Space 14 Concert Hall in Osaka:
Sept 7, 3:00 PM
- Nikola Kołodziejczyk – Polish jazz pianist, composer, and conductor – will present a jazz concert suite composed especially for Expo. The stage will feature a unique ensemble of musicians, comprising all the artists participating in the festival.
Concerts at Umeda Club Quattro in Osaka:
Sept 9, 7:00 PM
- Tomasz Hiwa Quintet – fusing avant-garde jazz, hip-hop, afrobeat, gospel, electronic, classical, and rock.
- EABS (Electro-Acoustic Beat Sessions) – a Wrocław quintet blending jazz with hip-hop.
Sept 10, 7:00 PM
- Paulina Przybysz – acclaimed Polish singer performing jazz standards in modern versions
- Hoshii – saxophonist Kuba Więcek’s latest project mixing jazz, hip-hop beats, and alternative sounds.
Festiwal Jazz from Poland in Japan 2025 in Tokyo:
- Sept 11, 8:00 & 9:00 PM – EABS Quintet at Brooklyn Parlor.
- Sept 12, 7:30 PM – Hoshii Quartet at Mame Romantic.
- Sept 13, 7:00 & 8:00 PM – Paulina Przybysz (voice) & Grzegorz Tarwid (piano) at Cafe, Dining & Bar 104.5.
Polish Jazz Wins Hearts in Japan
Audiences in Osaka and Tokyo will experience the full spectrum of Poland’s improvisational scene: world-class jazz pianists, top festival performers, groundbreaking bands that redefined Polish jazz, and captivating voices rooted in Slavic tradition yet reaching into neosoul and hip-hop.
– Komeda, Stańko, Namysłowski, and Trzaskowski are names well-known to Japanese jazz fans, who value their unique sound and musical language. Our – -Expo 2025 project is a rare chance to discover what’s happening in today’s Polish jazz scene, which in Japan is regarded as a symbol of artistic independence and creative depth – says Marta Karsz-Ashida, Polish culture promoter in Japan and project coordinator.
– The Japanese audience will have an extraordinary opportunity to hear Polish jazz musicians – creative, forward-thinking, always evolving. The centerpiece will be a performance by an orchestra composed of all participating artists, led by Nikola Kołodziejczyk, who has written a special jazz suite for this ensemble. Alongside this, there will be smaller concerts and spontaneous collaborations. At Expo, we want to present what is truly ours, original, authentic – something that inspires admiration, sometimes even surprise. Above all, we want to move people with authenticity – emphasizes pianist Aga Derlak.
The Jazz from Poland in Japan 2025 Festival will showcase a new talented generation that blends Poland’s jazz tradition with bold experimentation and modern sound. It will also be a fascinating musical journey at the crossroads of two distinct yet kindred cultures: Polish and Japanese.
