Piotr Damasiewicz – trumpet, harmonium, percussions, vocals
Zbigniew Kozera – double bass, guimbri, African harp
Paweł Szpura – drums
Trumpeter and composer Piotr Damasiewicz has a wide range of creative interests: his world is populated by modal and free jazz, 20th-century classical music, sound design and electroacoustic improvisation. He has led ensembles of various formats and collaborated with many notable jazz musicians, including Jason Moran, James Carter, Dave Rempis, Satoko Fujii, Rodrigo Amado, Paal Nilssen-Love, Phil Minton, Lotte Anker, Tomasz Stańko, Maciej Obara and Dominik Wania, to name a few. He released fifteen albums, including four under his own name, two with the veNN collective, and one with with both the Red Trio and Spinifex. He also makes music for theatre and film and collaborates with poets and art galleries. In 2013, he received the Fryderyk Award for the Jazz Debut, as well as the best music award of the Polish Jazz Blog. He also won the award for the best composition named after the famous Krzysztof Komeda.
The project Into the Roots searches for the roots blending avant-garde and tradition. Damasiewicz was initially inspired by folk melodies from the Sucha County in southern Poland. Further impact came from the trio visits to Africa, fascination with local music and the Sahara. The final ingredient is the pastoral atmosphere of the Stavanger Fjords – the bell ringing, sheep bleating and the wind roar of the place where they held their first concert together.