Wierba & Schmidt Quintet was, according to Jazz Forum’s Jazz Top poll, one of Poland’s best mainstream bands.

Over the six years of its existence it gained solid reputation, winning all major jazz competitions in Poland, as well as the prestigious Getxo Jazz Festival in Spain, where the band also received the Audience Award, and Piotr Schmidt became the Best Soloist.

Black Monolith is the band’s third album, recorded with the celebrated American trombonist Dante Luciani, professor of trombone at University of Miami.

Line-up:

• Piotr Schmidt – trumpet,
• Marcin Kaletka – tenor saxophone,
• Dante Luciani – trombone,
• Michał Wierba – piano,
• Michał Kapczuk – double bass,
• Sebastian Kuchczyński – drums.

The album was recorded on 1 August 2010 at Tokarnia studio in Warsaw. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Jan Smoczyński. Published in April 2011. 

Black Monolith garnered rave reviews and was given top stars by Jazz Forum magazine.

As a whole the album is well composed. The pieces vary in tempo and character, but they are united by style and mood. I won’t go any more into analysing the solos; they are superlative, I can only compare them to the best American jazzmen like Branford Marsalis. I am pleased that the public appreciates this band – such art and professionalism deserve top billing.

Ryszard Borowski