Klawo

“Their debut LP, released in July, is brilliant, bursting with terrific melodies. It occasionally calls to mind the young UK jazz scene, with its pulsating funk sound, but also boasts arrangements that would have been right at home in the golden age of Polish radio and TV. The group’s dense sound; their interweaving of electronics with wind instruments and flutes; and their undeniable groove make them one of the most promising young groups on the scene.”
Jakub Knera, Bandcamp Daily
Klawo (/ˈklʌvɔ/) is a six-piece alternative jazz unit formed in 2020 in Gdańsk, Poland. Deeply rooted in the spirit of the 1970s - when funk, soul, fusion, and psychedelia were still too young to know they were separate genres - Klawo blends old-school approach with a modern sensibility of post-Dilla jazz, indie, and electronic music.
The collective’s two greatly received studio records, as well as highly energetic live shows, have granted them a place in line-ups of some of the major European festivals, including Montreux Jazz Festival (CH), Eurosonic/Noorderslag (HOL), Fusion Festival (GER) and Off Festival (PL) among others.
Taking equal influence from classic funk acts as from the obscure DIY songwriters, emerging from a vivid and diverse scene of Gdańsk, having played over 80 gigs in 13 countries, Klawo is considered to be one of the most promising new acts on today’s Polish scene. Their sound, driven by two keyboard players, powerful rhythm section and melodic horns, gets frequently compared to the contemporary UK jazz acts, 1970s Polish funk, as well as experimental hip-hop productions of the LA scene. And the truth probably lies somewhere in between.
On March 28th, 2025, the band's second LP - 2 bobry i zachód słońca (‘2 Beavers and a Sunset’) - was released on a Polish label Coastline Northern Cuts. The album is the result of hours spent on tour, collaborative sessions and collective work on compositions. The band remains true to its principle of ‘democracy with diplomacy’ - everyone contributes song ideas that are later developed by the entire line-up. The result is an eclectic album full of surprises and stylistic volts, with influences ranging from funk, indie and hip-hop, to hardcore punk and tropicália.
In March 2023, Klawo, became a finalist in the HEMI Music Awards programme, an initiative to help artists from Central and Eastern Europe in international export. In July of the same year they won the first prize in the Jazz in The Park Competition held in Cluj-Napoca (RO). In August 2023 the first live album by Klawo was released by Coastline Northern Cuts, “Live!” - recorded on April 15th ‘23 at Sea You Tricity Music Showcase.
“One of the most prominent names of the emerging generation of Polish jazz in recent years comes from far away Gdansk. The production of the seven-member Klawo ensemble does not deny a passion for classic funk or R&B, nor a love for hip hop or classic songwriting. Their songs are clear and straightforward, yet appropriately explosive and danceable.”
Michal Pařízek, Full Moon Magazine