SBB (band)

SBB (first known as Silesian Blues Band, later as Szukaj, Burz, Buduj – Polish for "Search, Break up, Build") is a Polish progressive rock band formed in 1971 in Siemianowice, Upper Silesia. It consisted of multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Józef Skrzek, guitarist Apostolis Anthimos, the drummer Jerzy Piotrowski and sound engineer Grzegorz Maniecki. It was one of the most popular super-groups in Poland and Europe in the 1970s.

SBB
SBB in concert, 2013
SBB in concert, 2013
Background information
Also known asSilesian Blues Band; Szukaj, Burz, Buduj
OriginSiemianowice, Poland
GenresJazz rock, blues rock, progressive rock, art rock, jazz fusion
Years active1971–present
LabelsCBS, Polskie Nagrania Muza, Supraphon, Spiegelei-Intercord, Omnibus, Wifon, Amiga, Jazz 'n' Java, Metal Mind Productions, Polskie Radio
MembersJózef Skrzek
Apostolis Anthimos
Jerzy Piotrowski
Past membersPaul Wertico

The band was among the forerunners of progressive rock and jazz-rock and attracted many influential jazz musicians, who often performed with the band. The trumpeter Andrzej Przybielski and the saxophonist & bass clarinetist Tomasz Szukalski developed a long lasting relation with SBB.

History

Niemen (1971–1973)

From 1971 until late 1973, SBB performed as Czesław Niemen's backing band, Grupa Niemen. During this time, performed at the Rock & Jazz Now! opening show for the Olympic Games in Munich, organized by Joachim-Ernst Berendt and featuring Charles Mingus, John McLaughlin & Mahavishnu Orchestra. They also toured accompanying Jack Bruce. SBB's cooperation with Niemen is presented on 5 albums. In Munich they recorded two LP's for CBS Records International, which started a long lasting friendship and cooperation with Reinhold Mack. Reinhold's son Julian Mack would later perform on 2005 SBB's album New Century.

Classic run (1974–1980)

In 1974, the newly formed SBB recorded a live album of their convert at Warsaw's Klub Stodoła on April 18-19, 1974.[1] When the album was eventually released, it became a wild commercial success, reaching a price on the black market four times higher than the retail price.[2]

The group regularly toured Czechoslovakia, East and West Germany, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium, where in 1978 SBB won the OIRT award - the Gouden Zeezwaluw (Golden Seaswallow).[3]

The band split up in 1980, exactly 13 months before the onset of the martial law in Poland. Józef Skrzek, Tomasz Szukalski and the band's technical crew continued as Józef Skrzek - Tomasz Szukalski Duo and Józef Skrzek Formation taking part in the prophetic movie The War of the Worlds: Next Century produced 11 months before the introduction of the martial law in Poland. After the onset of martial law Apostolis Anthimos joined the jazz trumpeter Tomasz Stańko and the Greek band of George Dalaras, Jerzy Piotrowski joined or supported various bands, e.g. Kombi, Young Power, Krzak, Martyna Jakubowicz and Stanisław Sojka and Józef Skrzek performed mainly organ music at sacral buildings.

Reunions (1991–present)

SBB was briefly re-activated in 1991, 1993, 1998 and finally in 2000. After reactivation SBB also briefly toured the United States (1994, drummer Jerzy Piotrowski stayed in the USA) and Russia and in 2006 performed as a highlight at the Baja Prog festival in Mexicali, Mexico (with the drummer Paul Wertico). From 2016 Michał Urbaniak started to support the band.

Members

Discography

Title Album details Peak chart positions
POL
[4]
SBB (1)
  • Recorded: April 18–19, 1974[5]
  • Label: Polskie Nagrania Muza
Nowy horyzont (2)
  • Released: May 20, 1975[6]
  • Label: Polskie Nagrania Muza
Pamięć (3)
  • Released: September 27, 1976[7]
  • Label: Polskie Nagrania Muza
Ze słowem biegnę do ciebie
  • Released: April 18, 1977[8]
  • Label: Polskie Nagrania Muza
SBB (Wołanie o brzęk szkła / Touha po zvonění střepů / Slovenian Girls)
  • Released: 1977
  • Label: Supraphon
Jerzyk
  • Released: 1977
  • Label: Wifon
SBB (Amiga)
  • Released: 1978
  • Label: Amiga
Follow My Dream
  • Released: May 22, 1978[9]
  • Label: Spiegelei-Intercord
Welcome
  • Released: March 19, 1979[10]
  • Label: Wifon, Spiegelei-Intercord
Memento z banalnym tryptykiem
  • Released: February 16, 1981[11]
  • Label: Polskie Nagrania Muza
Nastroje
  • Released: October 7, 2002[12]
  • Label: Jazz’N’Java Records
New Century
  • Released: September 19, 2005[13]
  • Label: Metal Mind Productions
17
The Rock
  • Released: October 29, 2007[14]
  • Label: Metal Mind Productions
30
Iron Curtain
  • Released: January 26, 2009[15]
  • Label: Metal Mind Productions
17
Blue Trance
  • Released: October 25, 2010[16]
  • Label: Metal Mind Productions
50
SBB
  • Released: March 19, 2012[17]
  • Label: Metal Mind Productions
26
SBB & Michał Urbaniak
  • Released: October 2, 2015[18]
  • Label: Agencja Muzyczna Polskiego Radia
Za linią horyzontu
  • Released: September 23, 2016[19]
  • Label: Agencja Muzyczna Polskiego Radia
22
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

References

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