Lumpeks is a Franco-Polish quartet formed in 2018, consisting of Sébastien Beliah (double bass, bass, clarinet), Pierre Borel (cornet, hunting horn, drone box), Olga Koziel (vocals, frame drum, baraban, trumpet), Louis Laurain (cornet, hunting horn, drone box), and guest performer Maria Stępień (violin).

The band has gained recognition for their free, bold, and imaginative interpretations of traditional melodies, drawing from the rich tradition of rural music in central Poland. The members have a solid musical education, which is expressed in their excellent technique, compositional skills, and ability to conduct ethnomusicological research, enabling them to collect and reinterpret musical material.

In 2019, Lumpeks won the Grand Prix at the Nowa Tradycja Festival, where their interpretation of Polish folk music was praised by the jury for its “free, bold, and intuitive interpretation of musical traditions.”

Their latest project, “Polonez” is the result of field research conducted in March 2021, featuring both jazz improvisations and traditional dance melodies.

“I became fascinated with Polish folk music three or four years ago, thanks to Olga and Sébastien,” said Pierre Borel. “What interested me the most was a different approach to improvisation compared to jazz. It’s not about inventing new sounds or ways of playing,” added Louis Laurain, “but about the outstanding skills and original sound of folk musicians.”