Janusz Muniak's Bar

06/20/2012 09:30

I always regretted the fact that, living in Trevorton, I never got the chance to hang out in stinky gin joints and jazz bars listening to musicians at close range. That all changed when I lived in Krakow. One night, with not much else to do, I saw a sign for a cellar bar called “U Muniaka,” or roughly “At Muniak’s Place.” I went down into that hole maybe 17 years ago, drank a few cold ones and was never the same since.

U Muniaka is run by Janusz Muniak (Yah nosh Moon yahk), one of the smoother saxophonists around. He’s played with some of the greats, including the Polish trumpet legend Tomasz Stanko, who is currently based in NYC. Also, check out some of the old videos floating around the Internet with pan Muniak and trumpeter Don Cherry. Muniak’s club is a little expensive by Krakow standards, but if you like jazz, you’ll love this place. Since it’s a classic Krakow cellar bar, there are a few brick alcoves where you can have a conversation over drinks and stay out of the mainstream of the music. The highlight, though, is the large room where you can see pan Muniak jamming away several nights a week with his own band, as well as with some very special guests. This “large” room really isn’t that big at all; it only has maybe a dozen tables and a bar, so any time you go there you can be sure that you’re going to hear jazz the way it was meant to be heard. It’s up-close and intimate. The musicality of the performers is very exposed and kind of raw sounding due to the acoustics. One or two drinks at U Muniaka is the perfect way to top off a day spent walking around town. As it’s right off the main square, it’s very close to our hotels, too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHpOFxAQBH4&feature=relmfu