Jacek Hałas
Researcher
photo Mario Jagniewski
Jacek Hałas is a fine arts graduate, musician, singer, dancer and free spirit. He co-formed the music groups Reportaż, Bractwo Ubogich, Muzykanci, Ket Jo Barat, Lautari, Kwartet Wiejski and Kapela Hałasów. He has been involved in the following arts and music projects: the Poznań House of Dance, Tikkun, The Book, Nomads of Culture. Hałas has collaborated with many theatre groups, including Teatr Cinema, Teatr Strefa Ciszy, Teatr A3, Teatr Węgajty and Schola Węgajty.
His interests include mendicant traditions of singing, processional dance and round dance. He runs workshops and is involved in other education projects. Together with his wife Alicja, they have been travelling across Europe as Nomads of Culture since 2005 with a traditional yurt, where they present the results of their research and projects created in collaboration with artists from around the world.
For years Jacek Hałas has been investigating living tradition, home archives and ethnographers’ records for traces of songs of travelling mendicants. He plays the hurdy-gurdy, an instrument traditionally used by wandering singers.
His albums, recorded with an eclectic mix of musical groups, include: Muzykanci (1999), Folk Fiesta (Muzykanci, 2000), Gore Gwiazda. Kolędy domowe (Muzykanci, 2002), A no onej górze. Ballady ludowe (Muzykanci, 2003), Sounds & Shadows (Transkapela, 2005), The Best of Polish Smooth Etno, Jazz, Folk (Lautari, 2006) and the solo album Zegar bije. Starodawne pieśni o marnościach tego świata, o śmierci i wędrowaniu dusz, ku przestrodze, zadumie i pokrzepieniu wyśpiewane (2007).
