Musician. His birth name was Krzysztof Trzcinski. He was one of Poland's leading exponents of jazz, which became an underground phenomenon in several Soviet-satellite countries after the 1956 political "thaw." Since the communists strongly disapproved of that art form, he changed his last name to Komeda to protect his family. His music was influenced by be-bop and the "cool jazz" stylings of the late 1950s, which he initially discovered through records purchased on the black market in Warsaw. Outside of his homeland (and apart from hardcore jazz aficionados) Komeda is best known for his work in the cinema. He wrote scores for over 60 films, including Roman Polanski's "Knife in the Water" (1962), "Cul-de-sac" (1966), "The Fearless Vampire Killers" (1967), and "Rosemary's Baby" (1968). In December 1968, Komeda was critically injured in a skiing accident outside Los Angeles. His wife brought him home to Warsaw, where he died four days short of his 38th birthday.
Musician. His birth name was Krzysztof Trzcinski. He was one of Poland's leading exponents of jazz, which became an underground phenomenon in several Soviet-satellite countries after the 1956 political "thaw." Since the communists strongly disapproved of that art form, he changed his last name to Komeda to protect his family. His music was influenced by be-bop and the "cool jazz" stylings of the late 1950s, which he initially discovered through records purchased on the black market in Warsaw. Outside of his homeland (and apart from hardcore jazz aficionados) Komeda is best known for his work in the cinema. He wrote scores for over 60 films, including Roman Polanski's "Knife in the Water" (1962), "Cul-de-sac" (1966), "The Fearless Vampire Killers" (1967), and "Rosemary's Baby" (1968). In December 1968, Komeda was critically injured in a skiing accident outside Los Angeles. His wife brought him home to Warsaw, where he died four days short of his 38th birthday.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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