Hammond-organist, vocalist and songwriter actively engaged in the jazz, fusion and funk music scenes since 1996. Has collaborated with such artists as Derek Austin, Malcolm Mortimore, Herbie Flowers, Big Jim Sullivan, Mike Piggott, Mike Hatchard, George Ricci, Tina May, Samy Bishai, Viktor Obsust, Tadeusz Nalepa, Kasia Cerekwicka, Katarzyna Zielińska and Chłodny Tata.
Graphic designer and art director, with specialism in brand identity design and visualizing other artists• musical projects. Has an expertise in graphic design for web & print, exhibition design from a concept through to a physical exhibition, photography, typography, sketching, drafting, and computer operating systems and networks. As a versatile 21st century visual artist he is a dedicated advocate of clean design with charm, punch, and a unique taste for the classical, elegant and classy.
b. 1979, Warsaw, Poland.
Born into a family with parents who encouraged musical evenings at their home, Tadek Pękacz began his classical music education on violin and piano at age 7. While in elementary music school, in 1991 he became a principal classical violin player in Warsaw's Lutheran church youth music quartet, and a principal fiddle player in Polish folk dance and music ensemble Jaromiry, with whom he subsequently performed on Festival of Cultures, Friedrichshafen, Germany (1992), International Folklore Festival, Zielona Góra, Poland (1993) and XXII Volkstanzfestival, Balingen, Germany (1994). In 1995 he began studies at Christian Musicians' Association' Private Classical Music College 'Missio Musica' in Warsaw, and soon extended his classical music programme with jazz saxophone and rhythm'n'blues Hammond organ. Between 1995 and 1998 he played principal classical violin in Polish YMCA baroque string quartet Mozarteum Camerata, co-principal classical violin in Christian Musicians' Association' Symphony Orchestra, jazz alto saxophone in Polish Jazz Radio Big Band, and Hammond organ and Wurlitzer electric piano in rock/R&B groups Liga Przyzwoitości (1997) and Piaseczyńska (1998-99). At that time, he also extensively studied Graphic Design and Exhibition Design at Private Lyceum of Visual Arts in Warsaw, where he opened his own studio focused primarily on advertising and corporate photography. His work would later evolve to include portraiture, brand identity, and visualizing other artists' musical projects.
In August 1998 Tadek was awarded scholarship to attend Herbie Flowers' masterclass music workshops 'Rockshop' in Dartington Hall, UK, where he indulged himself in a spectacular jam sessions with an elité of British jazz and fusion musicians, including Derek Austin, Malcolm Mortimore, Big Jim Sullivan, Mike Piggott, Mike Hatchard, George Ricci, Tina May, Samy Bishai and Viktor Obsust, and performed live with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and The Funkateers. In November 1999 he switched from Piękny Melanż to BNA/Cabbatis Records and formed Ascetic & Refugees of the Groove, a 10-piece concert showband combining the soul/jazz Hammond organ sound with some fine jazz/funk and Latin beats. The group became a regular staple at Warsaw club circuit, playing weekly at Akwarium, Piekarnia, Lokomotywa, Remont, Babylon, Centralny Dom Qltury, Skarpa and Paragraf 51, while their three subsequent singles, "Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back", "Soul on Fire" and "I'm Alright" (all taken from their 2000's Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back!), received a massive airplay on Virgin 365 Radio, Radiostacja and Radio Jazz, and entered Polish Top 40. Tadek's influences were even further allowed to come to the foreground in July 2001, as he was invited by "the Godfather of Polish blues music", Tadeusz Nalepa, to join his road band and contribute his trademark Hammond B3 organ to Nalepa's final album Sumienie (February 2002). Cunning Diversion (June 2002) provided three successful singles, "You've Got Everything I Need" (#15 on Polish charts), "It's Hard to Forget the Woman" (#17) and the title track (#42), but Ascetic & Refugees of the Groove's successive releases, Frenzy! (December 2002), Wasteland Traffic (March 2003) and Plant Me Higher (May 2004), reflected a waning power.
In June 2003 Tadek graduated from Music Technology & Sound Engineering at London Music School, UK, and has since been actively engaged in the jazz, fusion and improvisation music scenes. He has collaborated with Jacek Wąsowski (ex-Maryla Rodowicz, Chili My, Elektryczne Gitary), Katarzyna Zielińska, Chocolate Spoon, Dobre Jazdy, Strona B, The Elements, Kasia Cerekwicka, Balkan Sevdah, Cztery Grzywny, Progresja 70, Blues Adventure and Chłodny Tata. Apart from his career in music, since 1996 he is a contributing graphic designer and art director to notable Polish and British audit, translations and public relations companies. In 2013 he began working on his own documentary R&B/jazz/funk music project, Nordiac.
• Designed logo, brand identity and two publication layouts for Sideway Nature World of Motorsports, Warsaw.
• Designed brand identity and three promo posters for ViaModa Industrial, Warsaw.
• Contributed sessions to Progresja 70's 1920, as a Hammond-organist.
• Designed four press advertisements for Frith Street Gallery, London, UK.
• Designed three concert posters for pastiche retro-disco outfit, Chłodny Tata, Sopot, Poland.
• Designed brand identity for Bartosz Biechowski's Maritime & Commercial Law Office, Gdynia, Poland.
• Re-designed logo and brand identity for ABAT Printing Services, Wejherowo, Poland.
• Designed logo, brand identity, a website and CD cover for pastiche retro-disco outfit, Chłodny Tata, Sopot, Poland.
• Designed logo and brand identity for Flamand Karwia, Warsaw, Poland.
• Designed four publication covers of "Cairo 360" monthly bulletin for Condé Nast Publications, London, UK.
• Designed logo and brand identity for Balt-Tur Jastrzębia wellness & spa hotel, Jastrzębia Góra, Poland.
• Became a member of pastiche retro-disco outfit, Chłodny Tata.
• Designed two PKI logos and a website for Trusted Information Consulting, Warsaw.
• Became a regular staple at Molly Malone's Blues Jam Sessions, Warsaw.
• Designed CD cover for Ascetic's Beauty in the B.
• Designed four publication covers for europaproperty.com's "East-European Commercial Property Guide".
• Designed a logo for Łazienki Królewskie Royal Palace & Park, Warsaw.
• Designed two multimedia presentations for Najwyższa Izba Kontroli (NIK) to be presented at International Congress of European Supreme Audit Institutions, Copenhagen, Denmark.
• Designed three press advertisements for Chinese Laundry, London, UK.
• Designed a website for Viatoria traveler's blog.
• Designed publication layout for Anna M. Nikodemska-Wołowik's "Klucz do zrozumienia nabywcy • jakościowe badania marketingowe".
• Designed logo, brand identity and a website for Pracownia Dobrych Rozwiązań PR/marketing company, Warsaw.
• Contributed sessions to Progresja 70's Dyktat Monetariatu, as a Hammond-organist.
• Designed CD cover for Cztery Grzywny's Cztery Grzywny.
• Designed two publication layouts for Mariusz Szuba.
• Designed logo, brand identity and a website for Grupa Verde Wydawnictwo & Szkolenia, Warsaw.
• Contributed sessions to Cztery Grzywny's Cztery Grzywny, as a keyboardist, composer, arranger and producer.
• Designed four press advertisements for DKNY and Benetton, London, UK.
• Contributed sessions to a couple of remixes by folk/rock guitarist Jacek Wąsowski, as a Hammond-organist, keyboardist, arranger and co-producer.
• Designed logo, brand identity and a website for Academy of Dialogue among Cultures and Civilizations, Warsaw, Poland.
• Designed logo, brand identity and a website for Margo Assistance, Łomża, Poland.
• Designed Accessories Catalog for Kenworth Trucks, Seattle, WA.
• Designed logo, a website and Ramizem CD cover for Balkan Sevdah folk music ensemble, Warsaw.
• Designed logo, brand identity and a website for Ośrodek Doskonalenia Nauczycieli Signum, Warsaw.
• Designed CD cover for Ascetic & Refugees of the Groove's Back on the Right Track.
• Designed logo, brand identity and website for Warszawskie Centrum Kształcenia Podyplomowego Pegasos, Warsaw.
• Designed three publication layouts and a website for EUROSAI Working Group on Environmental Auditing, Warsaw.
• Designed a website and two multimedia presentations for Najwyższa Izba Kontroli (NIK).
• Designed four press advertisements for Panasonic Mobile (UK) Ltd., London, UK.
• Designed two press advertisements for Sony Ericsson (UK) Ltd., London, UK.
• Designed two billboard advertisements for Chrysler Motor Company, London, UK.
• Designed CD covers for Ascetic & Refugees of the Groove's Plant Me Higher and Errol Pitterson's őyeth.
• Contributed sessions to Errol Pitterson's őyeth.
• Graduated from Music Technology & Sound Engineering at London Music School, UK.
• Designed CD covers for Michael Rhodes' Jook Joint, Ascetic & Refugees of the Groove's Wasteland Traffic and Jerzy Wawrzyniak's Zobaczymy.
• Designed three publication layouts and an annual report for Trzy Pomarańcze translations company, Warsaw.
• Contributed sessions to Katarzyna Zielińska's "The 75th Anniversary of Polish Radio" concert playbacks.
• Contributed sessions to The Elements' Not Like This.
• Designed CD covers for Dobre Jazdy's Dobre Jazdy, Ascetic's Cunning Diversion, Ascetic & Refugees of the Groove's Frenzy! and Maggie Rizer's Still Life.
• Designed six concert posters for Ascetic & Refugees of the Groove.
• Designed four publication layouts and an annual report for Trzy Pomarańcze translations company, Warsaw.
• Contributed sessions to Dobre Jazdy's Dobre Jazdy and Strona B's Mixtape #13.
• Contributed to Chocolate Spoon's "15th Anniversary Concert Celebration", Harenda, Warsaw.
• Released pop/soul album, Cunning Diversion.
• Designed CD covers for Ascetic & Refugees of the Groove's Greatest Hits and Carole Steele's Pool Cues.
• Contributed sessions to Tadeusz Nalepa's Sumienie, as a Hammond-organist.
• Joined Tadeusz Nalepa's road band as a Hammond-organist.
• Collaborated with Kasia Cerekwicka on some Warsaw live shows, at Labirynt, Babylon and Tango.
• Designed CD covers for Jacek Rosłon's 26 Letters, 12 Notes, and Ascetic & Refugees of the Groove's Freedom Overspill and Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back!.
• Designed eight concert posters for Ascetic & Refugees of the Groove.
• Designed six diagrams, three publication layouts and an annual report for Trzy Pomarańcze translations company, Warsaw.
• Became a regular staple at Warsaw club circuit, playing weekly at Akwarium, Piekarnia, Lokomotywa, Remont, Babylon, Centralny Dom Qltury, Skarpa and Paragraf 51 as a leader of Ascetic & Refugees of the Groove.
• Designed a logo and two concert posters for Junction Seven jazz/funk big band.
• Contributed sessions to Jacek Rosłon's 26 Letters, 12 Notes, as a Hammond-organist, keyboardist, arranger and co-producer.
• Began working at BNA/Cabbatis Records and formed Ascetic & Refugees of the Groove.
• Graduated from Private Lyceum of Visual Arts in Warsaw, Poland, with National Diploma & Level 5 National Vocational Qualification as Graphic Designer/Exhibition Designer.
• Designed CD covers for Piaseczyńska's Reunion, Ascetic's Sprit of the Age and Ascetic & Refugees of the Groove's Come Out and Dance!.
• Designed five publication layouts and an annual report for Trzy Pomarańcze translations company, Warsaw.
• Released jazz/fusion album, Spirit of the Age.
• Published his first website at age 18.
• Designed CD covers for Piaseczyńska's Earth & Heaven, and Ascetic's Indecent Exposure and Fragrant Fibre.
• Designed logo and brand identity for Fort Bema Recording Plant, Warsaw.
• Designed logo and brand identity for nu-jazz/world music unit, Piaseczyńska.
• Was awarded scholarship and participated in Herbie Flowers' masterclass music workshops 'Rockshop', Dartington Hall, UK, performing with such artists as Derek Austin, Malcolm Mortimore, Big Jim Sullivan, Mike Piggott, Mike Hatchard, George Ricci, Samy Bishai, Viktor Obsust, Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and The Funkateers.
• Graduated from Christian Musicians' Association' classical music college 'Missio Musica', Warsaw, Poland.
• Designed seven diagrams, four publication layouts and an annual report for Trzy Pomarańcze translations company, Warsaw.
• Began working for Trzy Pomarańcze, Warsaw.
• Formed Piaseczyńska, an 8-piece nu-jazz/world music unit.
• Released two jazz/fusion albums, Indecent Exposure and Fragrant Fibre.
• Designed logo and brand identity for Piękny Melanż/Natolin Records.
• Designed CD cover for Bugda/3Ha's Illadelph Halflife.
• Designed memorial poster for the late Stax Records, Memphis, TN (at Private Lyceum of Visual Arts).
• Designed logo and five CD covers (Premier League, Thoroughfare Gap, Miłe Zmagania z Nauką Grania, Stills and Bellevue Sunrise) for Liga Przyzwoitości.
• Began working at Piękny Melanż/Natolin Records independent record label and formed Liga Przyzwoitości, a popular South Warsaw rock band.
• Designed logo and brand identity for Asperlund & Grenville PR agency, Warsaw.
• Designed logo and brand identity for Antilles Records, Warsaw.
• Became alto saxophone section player at Polish Jazz Radio Big Band.
• Designed CD cover for Bugda/3Ha's Aura.
• Got his first freelance job designing logo and brand identity for Bluesville Music Publishing, Warsaw.
• Became a member of Piękny Melanż [A Beautiful Mélange] - a loose musical collective of his fellow classmates and neighborhood friends.
• Became a co-principal classical violin player of Christian Musicians' Association' Symphony Orchestra.
• Embarked on his first folk/rock sessions with fellow lyceum classmate, Jacek Rosłon.
• Became a principal classical violin player at Polish YMCA's Mozarteum Camerata baroque string quartet.
• Began studies at Private Lyceum of Visual Arts in Warsaw, Poland, and Christian Musicians' Association' classical music college 'Missio Musica', Warsaw, Poland.
• Graduated from Karol Kurpiński's 4th State Elementary Music School, Warsaw, Poland, with National Diploma on classical violin.
• Performed at XXII Volkstanzfestival, Balingen, Germany, as a member of Jaromiry.
• Performed at International Folklore Festival, Zielona Góra, Poland, as a member of Jaromiry.
• Performed at Festival of Cultures, Friedrichshafen, Germany, as a member of Jaromiry.
• Became a principal classical violin player in Warsaw's Lutheran church youth music quartet.
• Became a principal fiddle player in Polish folk dance and music ensemble Jaromiry.
• Began education on classical violin and piano at Grażyna Bacewicz's 3rd State Elementary Music School, Warsaw, Poland.
• Was born in Warsaw, Poland.
Tadek offers visually attractive and cost efficient solutions in the areas of:
• Logo Design
• Brand Identity Design
• Stationery (letterhead, business cards, vCards, etc.)
• Color Scheming
• Idea Generation/Brainstorming
• Consulting
• CD/DVD Covers
• Book Covers
• Publication Layout
• Brochures
• Promo Materials
• Flyers
• Posters
• Annual Reports
• Wedding Invites
• Menus
• Packaging
• Web Page Templates
• Interface/UI Design
• Complex Website Design
• Icon Design
• Banner Ad Design
• Information Architecture
• Portraiture
• Architecture
• Advertising
• Still Life
• Product Photography
• Corporate Photography
• Art Direction
• Copywriting
• Redesign
giving his clients the satisfaction they deserve.
ABAT Printing Services • Academy of Dialogue among Cultures and Civilizations • Antilles Records • Asperlund & Grenville • Balkan Sevdah • Balt-Tur • Bluesville Music Publishing • BNA/Cabbatis Records • Bugda/3Ha • Cairo 360 • Chłodny Tata • europaproperty.com • EUROSAI Working Group on Environmental Auditing • Flamand Karwia • Fort Bema Recording Plant • Frith Street Gallery • GOSK Automotive • Grupa Verde Wydawnictwo & Szkolenia • INTOSAI • Junction Seven • Łazienki Królewskie • Maritime & Commercial Law Office Bartosz Biechowski • Margo Assistance • Najwyz•sza Izba Kontroli (NIK) [The Supreme Chamber of Control of the Republic of Poland] • Ośrodek Doskonalenia Nauczycieli Signum • Panasonic Mobile (UK) Ltd. • Pegasos - Warsaw Postgraduate Studies Centre • Piękny Melanż/Natolin Records • Polish Asia & Pacific Council • Pracownia Dobrych Rozwia•zan• • Sideway Nature World of Motorsports • Sony Ericsson Mobile (UK) Ltd. • Trusted Information Consulting • Trzy Pomarańcze • ViaModa Industrial
• "Without doubt an exceptional body of work. Tadek clearly possesses a massive skills range and creative flare. I will ensure his name is passed on. Well done and keep up the exceptional talent!" - David Comiskey, Brownstone Design, Cambridge, UK, 07/2013
• "Excellent creative work!" - Rob Chenery, We Are Tourist, London, UK, 07/2013
• "I do like your design, it's lovely!" - Gemma Germains, Well Made Studio, London, UK, 07/2013
• "A lovely portfolio of work. Congratulations!" - Michael Smith, Cogdesign Creative Agency, London, UK, 07/2013
• "We like the look of your work!" - Pam Phillips, Warren Creative, West Sussex, UK, 07/2013
• "A very impressive portfolio!" - Anne Marie Curtis, Talking Mongoose, Isle of Man, 08/2013
• "I really like your work!" - Simon Vikström, 247 Creating Agency, Stockholm, Sweden, 09/2013
• "I'm very impressed with the results of Tadek's super-express 24-hour work! He shot some of his best shots, and I'm sure the presented projects of logo design and brand identity for my company don't need any revisions or re-working. On the other hand, I would rather accept all variants of the presented projects that pick only one of these! Please, give one more day to decide!" - Ewa Tenczyńska, Pracownia Dobrych Rozwiązań, Warsaw, Poland, 02/2008
• "Received on time, reviewed and think it's superb. I like the presented logo, stationery, brochure and website designs very much. Keep up the good work!" - Magdalena Kawecka, Grupa Verde Wydawnictwo & Szkolenia, Warsaw, Poland, 08/2007
• "This record [Tadeusz Nalepa's Sumienie] is a good enough debut of a new member of the band, the Hammond-organist Tadeusz Pękacz. He's a very good choice!" - Mariusz Szalbierz, Twój Blues, 01/2002
