Rooted in a strong tradition and animated by incredible open-mindedness, Polish jazz comes into the spotlight between 12 and 14 November at Opus Jazz Club’s Polska Jazz festival. Organised jointly by BMC and the Polish Institute in Budapest, the concerts showcase the greats as well as the new generation of Polish jazz.

On the opening day of the festival, we can hear the O.N.E. Quartet, whose name is a clever double entendre: in Polish, “one” (pronounced oh-neh) means “they” in the feminine plural – an apt nod to the all-female lineup –, while in English, of course, it signifies unity. Both meanings reflect the band’s egalitarian, leaderless approach and cohesive group sound. Grounded in the spirit of democracy and collective improvisation, their original compositions blur the lines between modal jazz lyricism and the raw energy of free improvisation. It’s a dialogue between contrasting temperaments, influences, and sensibilities – where modern jazz meets tradition, lyricism collides with humor and structure gives way to spontaneity.

Ninja Episkopat is a band formed in March 2021, blending influences from popular music, electronic music, and jazz. The band consists of three artists with extensive stage and creative experience who together have developed an uncompromising and intense sound. On 13 November, the band delivers an explosive mix of electronics, jazz improvisation, and punk energy, moving between chaos and precision, creating a live performance filled with tension, expression, and unexpected twists. In October 2026, they will release their third conceptual album, Ubryk, via 33 Records.

After many different musical adventures, the Berlin-based Polish piano virtuoso Marcin Masecki is returning to jazz. His previous jazz album, a unique ragtime recording (Ragtime, BMC Records, 2018) aroused great international interest. This time he pays tribute to one of the giants of jazz, Thelonious Monk with a new trio. The experience of Monk’s music has left an enduring mark on the Polish pianist. Like Monk, the binarity of composition and improvisation does not interest him at all, and for Masecki too, composition is coagulated improvisation, while improvisation is described as “instant composing”. For Masecki, the space in between is absolute freedom, to which he will introduce the audience on the closing day of the festival.

Tickets for the three concerts are available on the spot, online at bmc.jegy.hu, and at InterTicket Jegypont partners across Hungary.