Krzysztof Komeda Quintet

The Profile

Polish jazz ensemble led by pianist-composer Krzysztof Komeda (Krzysztof Trzciński, 1931–1969). The group helped define modern European jazz and recorded the landmark album Astigmatic (1966), featuring collaborators such as trumpeter Tomasz Stańko.

Komeda is widely known for influential film scores, including collaborations with Roman Polanski (Knife in the Water, Rosemary’s Baby) and Jerzy Skolimowski (Le départ). The Quintet’s Astigmatic is regarded as a cornerstone of European jazz.

Asterisco’s review dives into Astigmatic (1966) as a cinematic, hypnotic cornerstone of European jazz. It links Komeda’s music to Polish cinema and highlights the quintet’s restless, filmic momentum. Tomasz Stańko’s trumpet and Komeda’s ‘after-bop’ drive dominate the praise. Verdict: a 5/5 ‘movie for the ears.’