Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet return with new single ‘Kalaczakra’
Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet | Credit: Micha Korta
Today, European jazz luminaries Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet return with a new single titled ‘Kalaczakra’. Built around a hook-led horn motif, powerful bass line, and free-flowing, pulsing drums, the track blends Polish and free-form jazz traditions with a raw, bold and uplifting edge. The new single offers the first glimpse of their forthcoming double album ‘Live Spirit I’, recorded live at Warsaw’s iconic Witold Lutosławski Concert Studio. The release features four brand-new compositions alongside electrifying new takes on WMQ classics, including a 20-minute version of ‘Polka’, the title track from their best-selling record.
Listen to ‘Kalaczakra’ & pre-order the album here
Speaking on the single, Mazolewski says “Kalaczakra is our latest composition, conceived just before this series of concerts. Driven by a fast, irregular drum’n’bass rhythm, the piece pulls us into a looped ostinato—like being caught in an uneven wheel of time. In Hindu philosophy, Kalachakra means “wheel of time.” In the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition, Kalachakra is a powerful spiritual practice aimed at attaining enlightenment. It presents a rich and intricate body of knowledge encompassing cosmology, astrology, medicine, and uniquely tantric methods of meditation.
Through initiation and disciplined practice, Kalachakra opens access to the subtlest levels of consciousness, allowing us to perceive reality as it truly is. With clarity and focus, it dissolves illusion and instinctive confusion, freeing us from the inner and outer cycles of time. According to tradition, this profound teaching was first transmitted by the Buddha to the king of the mythical land of Shambhala.”
This is WMQ at its core: deeply rooted in Polish jazz tradition, elevated by the spiritual depth and uninhibited virtuosity of improvisation, and shaped by a distinctly modern sensibility and urban energy. ‘Live Spirit I’ is not just a celebration of the group’s unmistakable sound - it’s a vehement reflection of their ongoing evolution. The album was recorded during the international tour for their critically acclaimed studio release ‘Beautiful People’. Alongside the Warsaw concert, the quintet performed dozens of shows worldwide - selling out London’s Jazz Café, appearing at We Out Here Festival, and earning ovations in Chile, Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico.
Going on to speak about the album, Mazolewski says, “Jazz, to me, is music that reconciles opposites—free spirit and formal discipline, lyrical subtlety and raw emotion, individual charisma and euphoric unity. WMQ’s music is my response to an anxious world. I want our sound to offer people a sense of relief, an escape from everyday chaos, and a way to connect with something bigger - and better - within ourselves.”
As both a virtuoso bassist and composer, Mazolewski seamlessly blends traditional jazz with contemporary influences, creating a sound that is both hypnotic and emotionally charged. His 2014 album ‘Polka’ was named one of the five best jazz records of the year by DownBeat and earned high praise from Stereogum, BBC Radio 6 Music, Jazz FM, Jazzwise, UK Jazz News, Worldwide FM, CLASH, Record Collector, The Wire, and more. The follow-up, ‘When Angels Fall’ - featuring re-imaginings of Krzysztof Komeda’s compositions - was also widely acclaimed.
Mazolewski’s creative reach extends beyond WMQ, including his experimental Tryp Tych Trio project with Tamar Osborn and Sarathy Korwar, and collaborations with artists such as Pete Wareham, Tomasz Stańko, Urszula Dudziak John Zorn, Tim Berne and Dennis González.
His latest studio project ‘Beautiful People’ - released in collaboration with !K7 -showcases a bold immersion in spiritual jazz traditions, while remaining deeply rooted in Slavic culture and sharply attuned to the pulse of the present. His latest single, the album’s title track, has accumulated over 420,000 streams on YouTube and Spotify to date. In total, Wojtek Mazolewski has surpassed 6 million views on YouTube and over 8 million streams on Spotify.
‘Live Spirit I’ captures WMQ in peak form: a tightly unified collective that shifts effortlessly from meditative focus to ecstatic improvisational flights, powered by the energy of a live audience. Mazolewski’s compositions flourish in this setting, revealing a potent mix of vitality and groove—qualities that have kept jazz relevant across generations and continue to attract new listeners.
Tracklisting:
1A Live Spirit
2A New Energy
3A Kalaczakra
4B Exist
5B Air
6B Sun
7B Taste of Music
8C Polka
9D Beautiful People
10D Art
11D Beautiful Hands
12D We Love You
Follow Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet:
Spotify
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook
