Irek Wojtczak – saxophone player, improviser, composer, arranger, and educator.

Based in Sopot, Poland, he has carved out a place for himself on the Polish music scene both as a leader and a sideman. Critics have called Wojtczak an artist that is unpredictable and difficult to categorize.

In 2017, Wojtczak’s quintet toured with the legendary saxophonist David Murray. He participated in a special project known as the Polish Brass Ensemble featuring Dave Douglas. He performed with, among others, Fonda/Stevens Group, Jim Black and Chris Speed, Herb Robertson, Jamie Baum Septet, and Mitch & Mitch. He’s recorded and performed with, among others, Fonda/Stevens Group, Tymański Yass Ensemble, Contemporary Noise Sextet, Tom Trio, Sundial.

Co-creator of Groovekojad (Fryderyk award for the album Smacznego), Tomek Sowiński Collective Improvisation Group, Freeyo, Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet, PRL-Quintet, and the Możdżer-Tymański Project Chopin.

Wojtczak is a longtime promoter of Polish folk music which was an inspiration for three of his albums: Direct Memory Access, Play It Again, and Folk Five. The latter was praised by critics of the leading American jazz magazines, such as Karl Ackermann, C. Michael Bailey, Budd Kopman and Ken Waxman.

The song from the album Irek Wojtczak Folk Five appeared in a sampler attached to the British music magazine The Wire (November 2015).

Co-creator of SHMIB – Simultaneous Hybrid of Musical Improvisation and Bioart (2016).