Michał Urbaniak Funeral Date Announced
- The funeral of Michał Urbaniak, an outstanding jazzman and composer, will take place on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.
- urbaniak passed away on December 20, 2025, at the age of 82, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and musical brilliance.
- Michał Urbaniak gained international recognition for his groundbreaking work in jazz fusion, notably his collaboration with Miles Davis on the album "Tutu." He was a prolific composer, arranger,...
Michał Urbaniak, Jazz Legend, to be Honored with State Funeral
The funeral of Michał Urbaniak, an outstanding jazzman and composer, will take place on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the Funeral Home at Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw. The urn with his ashes will be placed in the Avenue of Merit, and the ceremony will be of a state nature, as requested by his family.
urbaniak passed away on December 20, 2025, at the age of 82, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and musical brilliance.
A Pioneer of fusion and Collaboration
Michał Urbaniak gained international recognition for his groundbreaking work in jazz fusion, notably his collaboration with Miles Davis on the album “Tutu.” He was a prolific composer, arranger, and performer, recording dozens of original albums and contributing music to numerous films.
After relocating to New York in 1973, Urbaniak collaborated with a constellation of jazz luminaries, including Quincy Jones, Billy Cobham, Stéphane Grappelli, Joe Zawinul, and Herbie Hancock. His contributions to the jazz world were widely celebrated, earning him a place among the greatest jazz stars in the 1992 “Down beat” rankings, where he topped five categories.
Innovation and Accolades
urbaniak was a true innovator, becoming the world’s first player of a five-string violin, custom-built to his specifications. He led several influential projects, including “Jazz Legends,” ”Fusion,” ”Urbanator,” “Urbanizer,” and “UrbSymphony,” and performed at major jazz festivals worldwide.
His talent was recognized with numerous awards, including the Grand Prix at the Montreux Festival in 1971 for best soloist and the Golden Fryderyk in 2016 for his lifetime achievement. He also received critical acclaim for his film scores, winning main awards at the Gdynia Film Festival for “The Debt,” “Farewell to Autumn,” and “Eden.”
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