saxophonist
Aleksandra Topczewska is a Polish born woodwind player, arranger and a tutor. She picked up a saxophone at the age of 14 and studied with the most prominent jazz figures, including Maciej Sikala and Piotr Baron.
Relocating to the UK after BA(Hons), she performs both as a leader and a collaborator at major jazz venues including Queen Elizabeth Hall, Cadogan Hall, Ronnie Scotts and more. She is a member of Gary Crosby’s Nu Troop, Zoe Rahman’s ‘Inner Ensemble’ project, collaborates with Chineke Orchestra and has shared the stage with Dennis Baptiste, Ursula Dudziak, Julian Joseph, Myrna Hague, Dennis Rollins and many others.
Her recent collaborations include Nu Civilisation Orchestra, with whom she plays in a variety of projects; from Charles Mingus 'Black Saint and Sinner Lady featuring modern dance company Clod Ensemble to Marvin Gaye's "Whay's Going On" to name a few.
Passionate about social change, she played an important role in developing Female Collectives and educational programs aimed at female musicians, by Tomorrow’s Warriors. As an arranger and a tutor of the group, she led the Front-line on various festivals such as Wilderness, Love Supreme, We Out There, EFG London Jazz Festival. She was with the charity, ‘Women for Refugee Women’ at the winter concert ‘Home’, showcased at Southbank Centre.
Currently, managing charitable initiative Special Stage as a part of international project Officine Buone, she curates events at mental health placements and soup kitchens in London.
performances:
2024
20th November 2024 – Gary Crosby Quartet, Crazy Coqs
18th October 2024 – Gary Crosby Quartet, Crazy Coqs
21st September 2024 – 'Black Saint and Sinner Lady' with NU Civilisation Orchestra at Barbican
20th September 2024 – 'Black Saint and Sinner Lady' with NU Civilisation Orchestra at Barbican
19th September 2024 – 'Black Saint and Sinner Lady' with NU Civilisation Orchestra at Barbican
19th July 2024 – Milton Court Drama and Poetry Festival, Mark Leipacher and Gary Crosby Trio
5th July 2024 – Gary Crosby Quartet, Crazy Coqs
28th June 2024 – NU Civilisation Orchestra feat. Arthur Verocai at Barbican Centre
23rd June 2024 – Meltdown Festival, NU Civilisation Orchestra feat. Chaka Khan at Royal Festival Hall
1st June 2024 – Gary Crosby Quartet, Crazy Coqs
2023
7th December – Gary Crosby Quartet Crazy Coqs, London,
17th November 2023 – Gary Crosby Quartet, Foyles
10th November 2023 – ‘Black Saint and Sinner Lady’- Nu Civilisation Orchestra , EFG London Jazz Festival
9th November 2023 – ‘Black Saint and Sinner Lady’- Nu Civilisation Orchestra , EFG London Jazz Festival
7th October 2023 ‘Mingus Moves’, National Jazz Archive, Loughton
28th September 2023 – ‘Mingus Moves’, Cambridge Modern Jazz, Gonville Hotel, Cambridge
26th August 2023 – Soul in the City, Private Event
6th August 2023 – ‘Mingus Moves’, Greenwich Peninsula, London
6th July 2023 – Rhythm Tap Tales, Rhythmaticians, Albany, Deptford, London
17th May – Nu Civilisation Orchestra celebrating Charles Mingus’ ‘Black Saint and the Sinner Lady’, Charleston, Lewes
5th May 2023 – Click Boom Trio, Claremont Project, London
22nd April 2023 – Gary Crosby’s Quartet @ Verdict Jazz Club in Brighton
5th May – Click Boom Trio, Claremont Project, London
16th April – Nu Civilisation Orchestra celebrating Charles Mingus’ ‘Black Saint and the Sinner Lady’ Bricklane Jazz Festival
9th March – Click Boom at ‘Social Prescribing’ event at Southbank Centre
5th March – Guava/Simmering, Enfield Jazz Festival
14th February – Gary Crosby Quartet feat. Myrna Hague, Pizza Express Holborn
18th January – ‘Mingus Moves’, Gary Crosby’s Sextet, Brighton College, performance and workshop
2022
8th December Soul in the City, Private Event, London
2nd December Soul in the City, Roundhouse, London
24th November Nu Civilisation Orchestra ‘Hejira and Mingus’, St George’s Hall, Bristol
20th November Nu Civilisation Orchestra ‘Hejira and Mingus’, Lighthouse, Poole
19th November Nu Civilisation Orchestra ‘Hejira and Mingus’, Brighton Dome
18th November ‘Moving on’, Gary Crosby’s Quartet featuring Cherise, Pizza Express Soho Live, London
17th November Nu Civilisation Orchestra ‘Hejira and Mingus’, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
12th November ‘All Saints’ Day’, Devonia Church, Angel, London
19th October Jazz Trio, ‘Jazz at Rosewood’, Sparks Bar, London
1st October ‘Mingus Moves’, Verdict Jazz Club, Brighton
11th September Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going on’- Paris Jazz Festival
9th September Soul in the City, Private Event, London
20th August Soul in the City, Ritzy, London
16th July ‘Mingus Moves’ celebrations of life of John Cummings, Barbican
9th July Private Event2nd July Soul in the City, Private Event, Norfolk
17th June Private Event, London
10th-11th June ‘Swing Sisters Swing’ – Everyman Theatre, Liverpool
3rd May Click Boom, Private Event
28th May ‘Mingus Moves’ – Manchester Jazz Festival, Gary Crosby’s Quintet
27th May Noel McKay Quintet, Boisdale, Canary Wharf
30th April Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s going on’ – Cheltenham Jazz Festival
23th April Private Event, London
22th April ‘Mingus Moves’- Gary Crosby’s Quintet, Pizza Express SOHO
2nd April ‘Swing Sisters Swing’, Theatre Royal Bath
26th March ‘Swing Sisters Swing’ at Arts Depot, Finchley, London
25th March Jazz Quartet at Wellcome Collection, Private Event
4th March Jazz Quartet at QEH, Private Event
1st March Click Boom Trio, Windmill Club SOHO, Charity Spring Ball for ‘Style for Stroke’
17th January ‘Rhythmaticians’, Watermill, Dorking
2021
11th December Christmas Concert, Jazz Cafe POSK
13th November XI Zaduszki Jazzowe - London All Souls Jazz Festival
7th-16th October Navaratri Festival - guest performance, Shivananda’s Ashram, Puglia, Italy
31st July Gary Crosby’s Quartet, ‘Reggae Roast’, Horniman Museum
26th June Reunion Festival- The Residents, Southbank Centre
11th June Click Boom Trio, Oxford House
2020
20th November London Jazz Festival - AT Quartet with special guest Dennis Rollins, Spice of Life (cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions)
24th October The Residents, Artis Blackheath
19th September Duet with Ashley Blesse, Omnibus Theatre Cafe
19th September Duet with Ashley Blesse, Omnibus Theatre Cafe
gallery
videos
Pizza Express Live Holborn, Alex Ho - Piano, Aleksandra Topczewska - Alto Saxophone
Nu Troop play "Kind of Blue" album at St George's Hall in Bristol. A snippet from "So What".
Aleksandra Topczewska- alto saxophone, Mark Kavuma - trumpet, Alex Ho - piano, Daniel Casimir - double bass, Sam Jones - drums
Aleksandra Topczewska- alto saxophone, Mark Kavuma - trumpet, Alex Ho - piano, Daniel Casimir - double bass, Sam Jones - drums
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