Well..here you are.
Is the prize a surprise for you?
JMJ:Absolutely, I am very surprised and flattered. I like this city and feel connected with it because of what happened around the concert last year in August. These events were important for me and still remain so. This title ("Man Of The Year") is a consequence of the Gdansk Shipyard concert. What's more I received the same award as Lech Walesa, who I met today at the Gdansk airport. What's funny, he was setting out to Paris where I had just come from. I feel honoured as a human and as an artist and I'm very happy as this price means acclaim for my performance there. It's in some way like if the city gives the award to itself too, as the concert in August was our common success.
And what about artistic consequences of the concert?
JMJ: First of all - two albums, CD and DVD were released. I'm very pleased with their sale results. Another thing is the collaboration with Baltic Polish Philharmonic orchestra in Gdansk, conducted by Michal Nesterowicz. I'm planning another artistic enterprise involving them.
Will we have chance to listen to the new album soon?
JMJ: Besides putting lots of time in preparing the releases from Gdansk, I've spent last year composing new music. Album is planned for the autumn. There is no title yet, but I can already say, that it will be plainly different than my former works.
In what way?
JMJ: It's gonna be more modern, more rock. Production is going to be less grand, rather modest comparing to previous ones. There are also going to be some orchestra parts, I hope played by Gdansk musicians.
Where will be the recordings made? Do you plan any promotional tour?
JMJ: Recordings will be made somewhere on the world and premiere concert will take place somewhere on the world. I plan to use new technologies and transmission will be probably available only via mobile phones of new generation. Concert will be also recorded for television.
Do you plan any more concerts in Poland?
JMJ: Such plans exist and Gdansk is considered as well. Possible that some of these performances will have quite intimate character. I've already played two times in Poland - few years ago in Katowice and a year ago in Gdansk. I have very good memories and many of my plans are connected with Poland. Especially now, when I became an adoptive son of Gdansk. Also my music composed for new Volker Schloendorff's film is linked with Gdansk. It's character bases on Anna Walentynowicz's person. I'm very pleased with the film, which is going to be presented during the festival in Venice in September. The soundtrack will be released then.
(interview was made by Mr Tadeusz Rozwadowski and comes from here)
Sorry for any mistakes, I am aware of the fact my English isn't perfect
