Jazz pianist, producer and composer Leszek Możdżer was born Lesław Henryk Możdżer on March 23, 1971, in Gdańsk, Poland. He is recognized as being one of Poland’s greatest modern pianists. Beginning piano lessons at the age of five, he eventually earned his diploma in 1996 from the Stanisław Moniusko Academy of Music. Leszek Możdżer didn’t become interested in jazz until he was 18 during his final year of school when he joined clarinetist Emil Kowalewski’s band. His professional career began in 1991 when he joined the band Miłość. After winning several competitions, he began showing up on Jazz Forum’s year-end ‘best of’ lists throughout the 1990s and beyond. He released Chopin - Impresje, his debut as a leader, in 1994. His vast catalog includes critically successful releases such as Piano (2004), Piano Live (2004), Impressions on Chopin (2010), and the Number 1 album Komeda (2011). Leszek Możdżer has collaborated with many Polish artists including Zbigniew Preisner, Jan Kaczmarek, Tomasz Stańko, Janusz Muniak, Michał Urbaniak, and Piotr Wojtasik. He’s also worked with international artists including Pat Metheny, Joe Lovano, Archie Shepp, Lester Bowie, David Gilmour, Marcus Miller, John Scofield, and Eddie Daniels. Leszek Możdżer’s opera Immanuel Kant premiered at the Wroclaw Opera in 2017. In 2024, he collaborated with violinist Adam Bałdych on the album Passaglia, featuring pieces from Josquin Desprez to Erik Satie.
