Jazz at the Museum is a concert series that’s been organised by Jerzy Wojciechowski in Ostrów Wielkopolski for more than 30 years. As in previous years, this autumn edition once again brought to Poland a number of outstanding jazz personalities.
Al Di Meola. 50 Years on the Road – 158th Jazz at the Museum
On 29 October 2025 Al Di Meola appeared on the stage of the Ostrów Cultural Center. An artist most often described as a virtuoso, a giant or a pioneer, on this particular evening he became above all a guide – leading the audience through time, places and the evolution of his musical identity. This anniversary tour, marking 50 years on stage, was presented through the intimate format of the Al Di Meola Acoustic Trio. Alongside the master were guitarist Peo Alfonsi and percussionist Sergio Martínez.
The repertoire was rooted primarily in Di Meola’s recent double album Twentyfour, yet it also reached broadly into his artistic past. Subtle phrases recalled Paco de Lucía, musical nods to The Beatles appeared, and narrative threads led toward Chick Corea and the years with Return to Forever. It was not nostalgia that prevailed, but a clear awareness of the journey.
The culmination came during the encores. First came the delicate, pastel Sometime Ago which was followed by Mediterranean Sundance / Rio Ancho – the medley immortalised on the live album Friday Night In San Francisco. A word must also be said about the subtle visual dimension – projections of landscapes, private photographs and places meaningful to the artist. They lent the music the atmosphere of a personal family story. It was not a spectacle, but an intimate statement – a confession Al Di Meola chose to share.
Yellowjackets. A Dialogue of Four Elements – 159th Jazz at the Museum
Just one day later, 30 October 2025, the Ostrów Cultural Center once again filled with jazz – this time in a dense, pulsating electric form. On stage were the Yellowjackets, one of the most significant of American jazz-fusion groups; they’ve performed continuously across the world for over four decades. Their music – precise, intelligent, yet approachable – has for decades served as a model for generations of instrumentalists.
The lineup in Ostrów featured Bob Mintzer (tenor and soprano saxophones and EWI), Russell Ferrante (piano and keyboards), Will Kennedy (drums) and Dane Alderson (bass guitar). The musicians formed a quartet whose members understood one another without words. Every gesture, entrance and phrase arose from listening – reminding us that true jazz communication is not a matter of technique, but sensitivity.
The programme featured the ensemble’s well-known compositions – marked by Ferrante’s distinctive “yellow-jazz” harmonic language and Mintzer’s broad, warm horn tone – as well as newer works resonating with the boldness of subsequent decades. There were moments that felt almost orchestral, full of rich textures, and passages in which the music reduced itself to a dialogue between just two voices – saxophone and piano – like a conversation spoken quietly, close to the ear.
The encore did not aim for a brilliant climax but brought calm instead. It was not a finale that emphasised the band’s power, but one that highlighted their sense of form. The silence after the last sound lingered just a moment longer – and that moment best captured the evening.
If the previous night with Al Di Meola offered music that was personal, intimate and warm, then the Yellowjackets concert served as its counterpoint – with scale, precision and the shared fabric of ensemble playing. Together, the two evenings in Ostrów Wielkopolski formed two chapters of a single story: of jazz as a living language, constantly seeking new ways to connect with those who choose to listen.
Text and photos: Szymon Ratajczyk (ratajczyk.art)
Editor in Poland: Damian Kacprzak
