Skalpel
Encyclopedia
Skalpel are nu jazz
DJs
and musicians, Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudło, from Wrocław in Poland
. Their musical style is a distinctive blend of hip hop
beats, laced with samples
lifted from the rich seam of Polish jazz
records of the 1960s and 1970s.
for a Polish hip hop magazine, Skalpel discussed samples, obscure breaks and the Polish music scene with him. That led to a combined tour with Skalpel and Vadim's live band, The Russian Percussion, during which they performed with four turntables.
Later that year, Skalpel released a demo CD entitled "Polish Jazz", which gained praise in from the Polish music press, and they were subsequently picked up by the UK
independent record label
, Ninja Tune
.
In 2001, they released the "Virtual Cuts" mixtape, which was composed of two live sessions. Between 2002 and 2004, five of their live DJ mix sets were aired on Ninja Tune's Solid Steel
radio show.
Skalpel aim to resurrect the spirit of 60s and 70s Polish jazz, using samples to re-work it.
Skalpel's 2003 EP, "Sculpture" sold out upon release. It also led to a nomination for the prestigious Polish culture award, the Paszport Polityki
.
Skalpel has released two albums. A self-titled album was released in 2004, followed by the double-album "Konfusion" in 2005.
Nu jazz
Nu jazz is an umbrella term coined in the late 1990s to refer to music that blends jazz elements with other musical styles, such as funk, soul, electronic dance music, and free improvisation...
DJs
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and musicians, Marcin Cichy and Igor Pudło, from Wrocław in 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...
. Their musical style is a distinctive blend of hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
beats, laced with samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
lifted from the rich seam of Polish jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
records of the 1960s and 1970s.
History
In 2000, after interviewing DJ VadimDJ Vadim
DJ Vadim is a prolific DJ and producer, born in Leningrad, USSR , raised in London and currently residing in both New York and Berlin, whose music combines hip hop, soul, reggae and electronica...
for a Polish hip hop magazine, Skalpel discussed samples, obscure breaks and the Polish music scene with him. That led to a combined tour with Skalpel and Vadim's live band, The Russian Percussion, during which they performed with four turntables.
Later that year, Skalpel released a demo CD entitled "Polish Jazz", which gained praise in from the Polish music press, and they were subsequently picked up by the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
, Ninja Tune
Ninja Tune
Ninja Tune is a London-based independent record label started by DJs Matt Black and Jonathan More, better known as Coldcut and managed by Peter Quicke. The label has a strong leaning towards mostly Electronic Music...
.
In 2001, they released the "Virtual Cuts" mixtape, which was composed of two live sessions. Between 2002 and 2004, five of their live DJ mix sets were aired on Ninja Tune's Solid Steel
Solid Steel
Solid Steel is the name of a series of DJ mix albums issued on Ninja Tune independent record label in the UK.Solid Steel also has a radio station webcast and related live concerts which further showcase the DJing talents of such artists....
radio show.
Skalpel aim to resurrect the spirit of 60s and 70s Polish jazz, using samples to re-work it.
"The Polish music scene is very poor at the moment. Nothing really interesting happens. The majority of music on TV and radio is kind of 'World Idol'. Very little individuality - just copies of American music."
Skalpel's 2003 EP, "Sculpture" sold out upon release. It also led to a nomination for the prestigious Polish culture award, the Paszport Polityki
Paszport Polityki
Paszport Polityki is an annual prestigious Polish award presented by the weekly magazine Polityka since 1993.It is presented in six categories: literature, film, theatre, classical music, visual arts and scene. In 2002 a new, seventh category was added: creator of culture.-External links:...
.
Skalpel has released two albums. A self-titled album was released in 2004, followed by the double-album "Konfusion" in 2005.
Discography
- 1999: Virtual Cuts (CDR)
- 2000: Virtual Cuts (MC)
- 2001: Polish Jazz EP
- 2003: Sculpture
- 2004: Skalpel POL #12
- 2005: Break Out (LP, 12")
- 2005: 1958 Breaks POL #25
- 2005: Konfusion POL #17