BIO
Groovosophers Story
The Groovosophers band was formed in Krakow in March 2023, continuing the tradition of the Goddard Quartet/Quintet band, founded in 1997 at jazz workshops in Chodziez (first lineup: Filip Goddard Wyrwa - guitar, Tomasz Karaszewski - saxophone, Blazej Chochorowski - bass, Sebastian Perlowski). Goddard Quartet band recorded three demo albums and participated in the recording of an album by vocalist Robert Gałuszczynski, Patrycja Gola and Irena Kijewska, performed in clubs in many Polish cities and at the Jazz nad Odra festival in 1998 as well as was awarded with first place in the instrumental bands category at the festival in Proszowice in 1999).
At a concert of the Hammond Quartet in January 2023, Filip Wyrwa met with Grzegorz Madej (with whom he had the pleasure of performing in 2019 and 2021) and they spoke about playing together. One phone call later, Tomasz Karaszewski on saxophones joined the band (a graduate of the Faculty of Jazz and Popular Music of the Academy of Music in Katowice). Filip Wyrwa also called Filip Kuźminski, with whom he played in the Xposure band between 2013-2017. The last unknown was the drummer's stool. At the Czarno Białe Ślady (part of the Polish cult Republika’s band past members tour) concert in Kraków, he told Grzegorz Bauer about the idea of returning to playing jazz/fusion music. Filip and Grzegorz Bauer played together between‑ 2009-2012 in Twelve Moons, and in 2021 they recorded an album Light Entanglement Machine with keyboardist Przemek Piekarz (the album was honored with the award for the best progressive phonographic release of 2021 by a Polish artist).
In November 2023, Filip Kuzminski was replaced on bass guitar by Marcin Essen (known, among others, from Another Pink Floyd).
After 20 years and 11 days since the last concert of the Goddard Quartet, we move to 2023, in which, under a new banner and with a renewed line-up (with Hammond organ!), the Groovosophers band started working on original compositions, also known from the repertoire of the Goddard band and jazz and fusion music standards in original arrangements (from the repertoire of artists such as John Scofield, Chick Corea, John Coltrane, Pat Metheny and Jimmy Smith).
In November 2024, Groovosophers recorded their debut album, which was released on March 22nd, 2025 by 4Groove Records. The album features eight original compositions and a drum and bass arrangement of John Scofield's ‘I'll Take Les’ tune. They invited distinguished artists to participate in the recording: trumpeter Satish Robertson (USA), known for his work with artists such as: The James Carter Quintet (with whom they embarked on a European tour in 2025) and percussionist Patryk Zakrzewski, acclaimed for his collaborations with icons such as Ula Dudziak and Mika Urbaniak.
The album is available on CD and on all streaming platforms: https://shorturl.at/5B6Ek
Key performances and tours:
APR 2024: concert at the Improvisation Jazz Club with guest appearance by jazz legend Leszek Żądło.
SEP 2024: headline performance at the 7th Hammond Festival at the Hammond Museum in Kielce.
JUL 2025: concert at 11th Galician Jazz Meetings in Muszyna (along Myrczek & Schmidt Quintet ft. K. Herdzin).
AUG 2025: an international tour with Satish Robertson and Patryk Zakrzewski.
In 11 days, the band played 10 concerts in 7 countries, performing at four prestigious festivals:
• 30th Summer Jazz Festival in Krakow
• 15th Free Form Music Festival on the island of Murter in Croatia
• 25th Zelenkovac Jazz Festival in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• JazzFest SK in Trenčín, Slovakia, where they shared the stage with Irek Głyk trio ft. Kinga Głyk and Joaquin Sosa.
The tour also included clubs in Krakow, Sosnowiec, Brno, Vienna, Budapest, and the legendary Hogo Fogo club in Banská Bystrica.
NOV 2025: A sold-out mini tour of Poland with Satish Robertson, including performances at 7th Sacz Jazz Festival in Stary Sacz (along Anna Maria Jopek and Piotr Wojtasik Quintet), Zajezdnia Kultury in Pleszew, and the Globus Music Club and Harris Piano Jazz Bar.
The last concert of the November 2025 tour was recorded and a live double album is being released in 2026 that is co-produced by Zajezdnia Kultury, Pleszew. Album's schedule:
31.05.2026 - 1st single on streaming platforms:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/groovosophers/squad-up-feat-satish-robertson
01.07.2026 - Live at Zajezdnia Kultury album available on streaming platforms:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/groovosophers/live-at-zajezdnia-kultury
15.07.2026 - double vinyl release date
Groovosophers are:
Tomasz Karaszewski – saxophones (Goddard, Funk Out, J Art, Placebo)
Filip Goddard Wyrwa – guitars (Goddard, Twelve Moons, Xposure, Hipgnosis)
Grzegorz Madej – Hammond organ (Grzegorz Madej Hammond Quartet, Maciej Kłeczek, Janusz Baran Band)
Marcin Essen – bass guitar (Another Pink Floyd, Another Queen)
Grzegorz Bauer – drums (Twelve Moons, Another Pink Floyd, Sokół Orchestra, Agnieszka Chrzanowska)