Kombi (band)
Encyclopedia
Kombi was a successful pop rock
music band from Poland
, founded in 1976 in Gdańsk
by Sławomir Łosowski. In the beginning group played mostly rock music
, later their style turned towards synth pop.
The band was known for its characteristic sound, based on state-of-the-art electronic instruments programmed (and often modified) by Łosowski, distinctive vocals and guitar playing by Skawiński and Tkaczyk's bass slapping
style.
Kombi was the first Polish band to use Commodore 64
as a MIDI sequencer
, Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer, Simmons SDS-V electronic drum kit and Yamaha RX-11 drum machine
. They are also the only Polish band to tour the United States
three times, bringing all their equipment with them.
The band split up in 1992 after disagreements about the future direction of the band.
In 2002, Skawiński, Tkaczyk and Pluta re-formed as Kombii
without Łosowski, with new keyboarder Bartosz Wielgosz.
In 2004, Łosowski formed band called 'Łosowski'. He plays with his son, Tomasz Łosowski
(drums) and Zbigniew Fil (vocals)
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
music band from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, founded in 1976 in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
by Sławomir Łosowski. In the beginning group played mostly rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, later their style turned towards synth pop.
The band was known for its characteristic sound, based on state-of-the-art electronic instruments programmed (and often modified) by Łosowski, distinctive vocals and guitar playing by Skawiński and Tkaczyk's bass slapping
Slapping
In music, the term slapping is often used to refer to two different playing techniques used on the double bass and on the bass guitar.-Double bass:...
style.
Kombi was the first Polish band to use Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
as a MIDI sequencer
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
, Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer, Simmons SDS-V electronic drum kit and Yamaha RX-11 drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
. They are also the only Polish band to tour the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
three times, bringing all their equipment with them.
The band split up in 1992 after disagreements about the future direction of the band.
In 2002, Skawiński, Tkaczyk and Pluta re-formed as Kombii
Kombii
Kombii – Polish pop rock band created in the year 2003 by three members of the older band Kombi.-Group:* Grzegorz Skawiński – guitar, vocal* Waldemar Tkaczyk – bass* Adam Tkaczyk – drums* Bartosz Wielgosz – keyboards-History:...
without Łosowski, with new keyboarder Bartosz Wielgosz.
In 2004, Łosowski formed band called 'Łosowski'. He plays with his son, Tomasz Łosowski
Tomasz Łosowski
Tomasz Łosowski , also known as Łosiu is a Polish jazz and session drummer. He played with such musicians and bands like Blenders, ΠR2, Kombi, Marek Raduli, Wojtek Pilichowski, Robert Janson, Renata Dąbkowska, Leszek Możdżer and Marek Biliński.-Selected discography:Łosowski*Niebo, Które Czeka...
(drums) and Zbigniew Fil (vocals)
Discography
- 1979 Muzyka młodej generacji (The music of young generation) (unofficial LP)
- 1980 KombiKombi (album)Kombi is an album of the Polish musical group Kombi released on 1980.-Track listing:#"Kombirock"#"Piękna, szalona"#"Czy już koniec?"#"Leniwe sny"#"Oczekiwanie na odlot"#"Wspomnienia z pleneru"#"Jak ja to wytrzymam"#"Hotel twoich snów"...
- 1981 Królowie życiaKrólowie zyciaKrólowie życia is an album of the Polish musical group Kombi released on 1981.-Track listing:#"Nie mam nic"#"Jesteś wolny"#"Słodka jest noc"#"Smak wina"#"Bez ograniczeń"#"Teleniedziela"#"Ostatnie safari"...
(The Kings of life) - 1984 Nowy rozdział (The New chapter)
- 1985 Kombi 4
- 1986 Live
- 1989 Tabu
- 1990 15 lat (15 years)
- 1992 Ostatni koncert (The last concert)
Most popular songs
- Królowie życia (The Kings of life)
- Kochać cię - za późno (It's too late to love you)
- Słodkiego, miłego życia (Sweet, nice life)
- Black and White - with the most expensive videoclip in 1980's in Poland.
- Nasze Randez - vous (Our Randez - Vous)
- Tabu - obcy ląd (Taboo - foreign land)
Band members
- Sławomir Łosowski – synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, programming - Grzegorz Skawiński – lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocal - Waldemar Tkaczyk – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Jan Pluta – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Jerzy Piotrowski – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....