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Rafał Sarnecki

guitar

Rafał Sarnecki is a guitarist, composer, and arranger born in 1982 in Warsaw, Poland. In 2005, he moved to New York to pursue jazz studies, where he would go on to spend the majority of his career. He earned a BFA from the Jazz & Contemporary Music Program at The New School and later completed an MA in jazz studies at CUNY Queens College.

During his time in New York, Sarnecki performed with a wide range of ensembles, most notably as a longtime member of the Lucas Pino No-Net Nonet (2009–2019), which held a monthly residency at the renowned Smalls Jazz Club. He has also shared the stage with distinguished artists including Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Ron Blake, and Joe Magnarelli. In addition to his work across the United States and Europe, he has developed a strong presence on the Chinese jazz scene, completing over 20 concert tours throughout Asia.

Sarnecki currently resides in Warsaw, where he teaches jazz guitar, improvisation, and ensemble performance at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music.

As a recording artist, he has released five albums of his original music. Three of them—Song From a New Place (2008), Cat’s Dream (2014), and A View From the Treetop (2022)—received nominations for the Fryderyk Award. His work has also been recognized by leading American jazz publications, including DownBeat and All About Jazz. His album The Madman Rambles Again was named by All About Jazz as one of the most notable releases of its year.