2 plus 1
Encyclopedia
2 Plus 1 was a Polish
band performing pop
and folk music
and in the later period of its activity also synthpop
and rock
. It was founded in 1971 in Warsaw
by Janusz Kruk
and Elżbieta Dmoch
. The band has recorded ten studio albums, won a number of prizes and performed in many countries. 2 Plus 1 enjoyed the greatest popularity in the 1970s, as one of the most popular groups in Poland, and also in early 1980s. At the turn of these two decades the band achieved a notable success in Western Europe
. The end of 2 Plus 1's activity was marked by the death of Janusz Kruk in 1992.
The group remains one of the most popular Polish bands ever. It belongs to the entertainers with the strongest impact on the history of Polish popular music, having established such evergreens as "Chodź, pomaluj mój świat
", "Windą do nieba" and "Iść w stronę słońca".
in January 1971 by a guitarist Janusz Kruk
and a flautist Elżbieta Dmoch
(who in the late 1960s had formed a short lived band Warszawskie Kuranty). A new guitarist, Andrzej Rybiński, soon joined the group. The band started to co-operate with Polish lyricist Katarzyna Gärtner and became the first band to perform her songs live. Their initial performances were held in hotel Bristol in Warsaw
. The trio called themselves Smak Miodu (Taste of Honey), but the name was soon changed to Dwa Plus Jeden (2 Plus 1). The originator of the new name was Maciej Pietrzyk.
In the summer of 1971 the group performed during National Festival of Polish Song
in Opole
, where they got an award for the song "Nie zmogła go kula". It was also the first 2 Plus 1's performance in front of a large audience and the first chance to present themselves to mass receivers. However, Andrzej Rybiński very soon left the group and founded his own formation Andrzej i Eliza. After that, Andrzej Krzysztofik joined the group. With this line-up the band later took part in Kołobrzeg Festival, where they performed "Już nie będę taki głupi". In the same year 2 Plus 1 recorded their first EP
, entitled simply 2+1. It contained four folk
-flavoured songs. The band started to perform also abroad, among others in West Berlin
and the Soviet Union
.
1972 saw 2 Plus 1's next hits, "Czerwone słoneczko" and "Chodź, pomaluj mój świat
", becoming massive hits and the group achieving widespread popularity. In the summer they performed at Sopot International Song Festival
and in November 1972 worked for RCA Italiana. In December their debut longplay
was issued by Polskie Nagrania
label. It was titled Nowy wspaniały świat
(The New Magnificent World) and beside two previously known hits it contained the songs like "Wstawaj, szkoda dnia" or "Hej, dogonię lato" which also became popular. It sold very well and later was certified Gold. In many competitions, the band was proclaimed the best group of the year. Their acoustic pop-folk
music gained a high popularity, especially among teenagers.
In March 1973 Janusz Kruk and Elżbieta Dmoch got married. One month later the group was invited to perform at a German TV show Disco
. Although their pop-folk style differed a lot from the mainstream West European music at that time, the song "Zjechaliśmy kapelą" was received quite well. In June 2 Plus 1 performed for the third time at Opole Festival, where their song "Codzienność" got an award from the journalists. In the same year the band recorded a hit song "Gwiazda dnia" for the movie In Desert and Wilderness
, based on Henryk Sienkiewicz
's novel
.
In the spring of 1974 2 Plus 1 visited United States
and Canada
for the very first time. They also performed in Scotland
, France
, Switzerland
and West Germany
. Owing to the song "Kołysanka matki" 2 Plus 1 took the 3rd place at the festival in Sopot
. During that festival the band was also awarded a gold certification for their debut album. The East German band Puhdys
also performed at Sopot, and later released their own cover version of the song. In that time the group took part in a TV special Piosenki z autografem among other most popular Polish artists (like Anna Jantar
and Danuta Rinn), where they performed "Na luzie". British weekly magazine Music Week
acclaimed 2 Plus 1 the star of the year.
The band continued performing frequently in 1975, among others in East Germany, Czechoslovakia
, the Soviet Union and naturally in Poland. Their second, long awaited longplay was released that year. The concept album
Wyspa dzieci
(The Island of Children) turned out to be another success, including previously known hits "Gwiazda dnia", "Kołysanka matki" and "Na luzie" as well as a popular title song. New arrangements, which included elements of orchestra
l music, showed a musical progress of 2 Plus 1. Album sold well and gathered favourable reviews. The band was then at the peak of its popularity.
entirely devoted to Zbigniew Cybulski
, a famous Polish actor who had died in the late 1960s. This musical spectacle premiered in Opole in 1976 and immediately got highly flattering opinions. New songs were more mature and ambitious than the group's previous efforts. Also in 1976 Andrzej Krzysztofik left the group and was replaced by Cezary Szlązak, who had already worked with 2 Plus 1, but hadn't been an official member until then. With this line-up 2 Plus 1 achieved the greatest success.
In the early 1977, on the 10th anniversary of Cybulski's fatal death, the band started to work on the third studio album, Aktor
(Actor). The album was based on the previously known musical spectacle. The biggest hit from the album was "Muzyka w serca wstąpi nam". 2 Plus 1 toured with that repertoire not only in Poland, but also in East Germany and Czechoslovakia, where the album was released as Herec. In the same year another song gained considerable popularity - "U kowala". In the middle of the 1977 2 Plus 1 recorded two songs in West Germany - "Ring Me Up" and "Free Me" and released them on a single.
Early 1978 saw the band recording their next album Teatr na drodze
(Performance on the Road). On this album the band got back to their previous, more accessible style: light pop-folk music. The album contained 2 Plus 1's biggest hit "Windą do nieba", which has become a classic evergreen. Beside this, it included "Romanse za grosz", "Ding-Dong" and "Ballada łomżyńska", recorded with the legendary Polish musician Czesław Niemen. Teatr na drodze met with a massive success. In the summer 2 Plus 1 went to Cuba
, where performed "La Habana mi amour" (Spanish version of "California mon amour") and recorded a TV special. During Sopot Festival the band was awarded again for "Windą do nieba" and "Ding-Dong". In 1978 another single-only hit was released, "Taksówka nr 5". It was composed after 2 Plus 1's taxi accident four years earlier.
In March 1979 2 Plus 1 visited Cuba again, where their two-week tour met with success. The band also recorded a single there, with "Margarita" and "La Habana mi amour" (it turned out to be the first issue by a Polish artist ever released in Cuba). In Poland 2 Plus 1's fifth studio album was published. Its title was Irlandzki tancerz
(The Irish Dancer). The album was inspired by Irish folk music
and contained Polish translations of 13 old Irish ballads. The critical reception of the album was highly favorable. A promotional musical film
under the same title was shot to accompany the album. It premiered in May 1979. On the turn of the 1970s and the 1980s the band recorded a number of songs for Polish radio only, which were not released, including "Droga donikąd" and "Cafe Magnolia".
" and "Calico Girl". "Easy Come, Easy Go" achieved a big commercial success, especially in West Germany. The band performed it in on the popular TV show Musikladen
; in East Germany, they appeared on the variety show Ein Kessel Buntes
. German producers offered 2 Plus 1 recording a longplay with English-language compositions. The album Easy Come, Easy Go
, recorded with German and American musicians and released in the early 1980, turned out to be a success on a large scale. It spawned more hits, including "My Gipsy Lady", "More" and also "Singapore
", with the latter even reaching number 7 in Japan
. The band drew comparisons to ABBA
. The same year 2 Plus 1 appeared at the festival in Sopot as the main star with the new repertoire.
In April 1981 Polish television aired a musical program Moje monzerella which consisted of 2 Plus 1's both Polish and international sausage. The same year next Polish song was recorded - "Iść w stronę słońca". It became one of the band's greatest hits. Second international album, Warsaw Pact Nights, was released that same year as She Hotness was born. It was promoted by such hits as "Blue Lights of Pasadena" and "Mama Chita" and achieved a similar success to Easy Come, Easy Go, therefore maintaining 2 Plus 1's successful career. The band performed in Villach
, Austria
and spent several months touring in the USA. However, growing popularity of 2 Plus 1 in Western Europe was suddenly interrupted by the breaking out of martial law in Poland
in December 1981. Travelling abroad became difficult and the group focused only on the Polish market. Their last international offering was a song called "Rocky Doctor", released two years later.
-flavored songs foreshadowed a new musical direction of 2 Plus 1. In 1983 2 Plus 1 gave an avant-garde
performance at National Festival of Polish Song in Opole where they presented songs from the forthcoming album. It was critically acclaimed and received positive opinions, especially from teenagers. Soon after that their 8th album was released, Bez limitu
(No Limits except for 40). It presented a new image and musical style of 2 Plus 1. New compositions sounded like a dark mixture of rock
and synthpop
. Many songs from the album became hits, including an uptempo rock song "Nic nie boli" and a synth-ballad "Requiem dla samej siebie" which charted very high in Polish charts. The album included also haunting, anti-communistic
anthem "Superszczur" and futuristic electro song "XXI wiek (Dla wszystkich nas)" which also gained massive popularity.
Bez limitu turned out to be a huge commercial success, selling well and getting Gold certification. It also met with highly favorable critical response. The album proved that 2 Plus 1 could achieve each trend and find their place in every decade; the band was one of the very few Polish artists from the 1970s who managed to continue musical career successfully also in the 1980s, when Polish music industry was dominated with rock music.
In February 1984 2 Plus 1 performed in the Warsaw Congress Hall. During that concert the band received Gold Silver Bronze and Platinum awards for two of their albums: Easy Come, Easy Go and Bez limitu. The show was aired in television. The next 2 Plus 1 single was "Wielki mały człowiek", which preceded their next longplay. The song became one of the band's biggest hits and managed very well in the charts. The group teamed up with Maciej Zembaty
and John Porter
and together with these then-top musicians started to work on the new album. Video
, their 9th studio album, was issued in 1985 by Savitor. Musically, the album was a follow-up to their previous release. It contained nine tracks whose arrangements were based mostly on synthpop and New Romantic
. A number of songs became popular singles, including "Chińskie latawce", with English-language lines sung by Porter, "Koszmar" and the title track. A TV special was shot to promote the record. The album continued 2 Plus 1's commercial success. In 1985 Cezary Szlązak released his first and only solo single, featuring two songs - "Bezpłatny kurs" and "Inne życie, inny świat". However, that solo effort didn't turn out to be successful.
After the release of Video the band's musical activity slowed down. In 1986 only a greatest hits/live album was issued - Greatest Hits Live
. The group performed live less and less and was rarely seen on the television. In 1987 Janusz started to compose music for theatrical plays. He created a musical background for the play Szaleństwa pana Hilarego, based on Julian Tuwim
's short work. The band recorded one new song, "Ocalić coś", which later was published on a various artists compilation Całuj gorąco. The breakup of Janusz and Elżbieta's relationship took place in the second half of the 1980s, when Janusz left her for another woman. It was a hard wallop for Elżbieta. The couple divorced in 1989, but remained friends. In spite of those problems, the band still was in active and searched the ideas for the next album.
(Antidote), which contained ten pop-rock songs. The record didn't go as far as previous albums, but several tracks gained a modest popularity - "Ocalę Cię", "Chłodnym okiem" and "Niech w Tobie gra coś pięknie". The band took off a tour in the USA. During one of the concerts Janusz Kruk, who at that time grappled with heart problems, fainted on stage. 2 Plus 1 decided to take a break from their career.
Janusz continued on composing soundtracks for plays in the following decade and in 1990 the band appeared in the program Nocny Klub Jedynki, where sang two songs: "Ameryka Cię zje" and "Margarita". In 1991 the second compilation was published - 18 Greatest Hits
by Sonic Records. It was 2 Plus 1's first album issued directly in CD format and also one of the first CDs released in Poland. Year 1992 brought the end of 2 Plus 1's career, when on June 18 Janusz Kruk died of a heart attack
. It was a harsh shock for Elżbieta Dmoch, who gave up public and artistic life. Afterwards the singer moved from Warsaw to a small village Gładków in the countryside where she has spent over ten following years.
Sonic Records released two other compilation albums in the mid-1990s. The first one was 21 Greatest Hits in 1996 and was a sort of expanded 18 Greatest Hits re-release. In 1997 Greatest Hits Vol. 2 appeared, containing several hits and a number of previously unreleased tracks. One of them, "W środku dnia" achieved a modest airplay.
. The performance was highly popular and met with a warm welcome. 2 Plus 1 set up a successful tour. At the time Elżbieta appeared as a quest in the TV music program Dozwolone od lat 40, where she gave an interview.
The comeback was very successful. Live performances gathered numerous fans and many tour dates were scheduled. Allegedly, premiere songs were planned to be recorded. At the beginning of 1999 2 Plus 1 took part in the TV show Szansa na sukces
, where participants covered their hits. However, it turned out to be the last TV program with 2 Plus 1 participation. Despite the successful return, in the early 1999 Elżbieta Dmoch decided to ultimately cancel all the plans and 2 Plus 1 dissolved again. Cezary Szlązak founded his own group named Cezary Szlązak Band.
At the end of the 1990s and after 2000 several 2 Plus 1 compilations appeared on the market, released by various record companies. In 2002 in Łomża a group of teenagers from the community centre
staged a tribute play Iść w stronę słońca dedicated to 2 Plus 1 and consisting of band's songs. Elżbieta Dmoch appeared as a guest and performed one song with the actors.
In January 2005 Polish TV program Uwaga!, aired on TVN
, devoted one episode for 2 Plus 1. The airing spread rumours on Elżbieta's current, allegedly poor living conditions. The broadcast caused a sensation in the media and many fans were moved by this information. In the fall of the same year a maxi single
2 Plus 1: Interpretacje 2005 was published, including four cover versions of 2 Plus 1's classic hits, performed by contemporary Polish artists, among others Reni Jusis
.
In April 2008 Elżbieta Dmoch and Janusz Kruk became main characters of one episode of Taka miłość się nie zdarza on TVN Style
. The program focused on the history of their love and featured parts of interviews with friends of the couple. In the summer the same year Elżbieta Dmoch appeared at 2 Plus 1 fan gathering in Warsaw. She answered fans' questions and sang several songs with them.
In the mid-1970s two additional musicians performed with the band: Adam Pilawa (piano
, violin
) and Andrzej Wójcik (drum kit).
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
band performing pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and in the later period of its activity also synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
. It was founded in 1971 in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
by Janusz Kruk
Janusz Kruk
Janusz Kruk was a Polish singer, guitarist and composer, a member of the band 2 Plus 1.-Professional life:Kruk finished musical school in Warsaw, where he played double bass. At the end of the 1960s he founded a band Warszawskie Kuranty, a member of whose was also Elżbieta Dmoch...
and Elżbieta Dmoch
Elżbieta Dmoch
Elżbieta Dmoch is a Polish singer and flautist, a member of the band 2 Plus 1.- Professional life :At the end of the 1960s she became a member of Warszawskie Kuranty, a band founded by Janusz Kruk. In January 1971 both Janusz and Elżbieta formed a new group, 2 Plus 1, which enjoyed a massive...
. The band has recorded ten studio albums, won a number of prizes and performed in many countries. 2 Plus 1 enjoyed the greatest popularity in the 1970s, as one of the most popular groups in Poland, and also in early 1980s. At the turn of these two decades the band achieved a notable success in Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
. The end of 2 Plus 1's activity was marked by the death of Janusz Kruk in 1992.
The group remains one of the most popular Polish bands ever. It belongs to the entertainers with the strongest impact on the history of Polish popular music, having established such evergreens as "Chodź, pomaluj mój świat
Chodź, pomaluj mój świat
"Chodź, pomaluj mój świat" is a 1971 song by Polish band 2 Plus 1, whose title translates "Come On, Paint My World".-Song information:"Chodź, pomaluj mój świat" was composed by Janusz Kruk, the leader of the band, and lyrics were written by Marek Dutkiewicz, a popular Polish lyricist and journalist...
", "Windą do nieba" and "Iść w stronę słońca".
1971-1975: Formation and early success
The band was founded in WarsawWarsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
in January 1971 by a guitarist Janusz Kruk
Janusz Kruk
Janusz Kruk was a Polish singer, guitarist and composer, a member of the band 2 Plus 1.-Professional life:Kruk finished musical school in Warsaw, where he played double bass. At the end of the 1960s he founded a band Warszawskie Kuranty, a member of whose was also Elżbieta Dmoch...
and a flautist Elżbieta Dmoch
Elżbieta Dmoch
Elżbieta Dmoch is a Polish singer and flautist, a member of the band 2 Plus 1.- Professional life :At the end of the 1960s she became a member of Warszawskie Kuranty, a band founded by Janusz Kruk. In January 1971 both Janusz and Elżbieta formed a new group, 2 Plus 1, which enjoyed a massive...
(who in the late 1960s had formed a short lived band Warszawskie Kuranty). A new guitarist, Andrzej Rybiński, soon joined the group. The band started to co-operate with Polish lyricist Katarzyna Gärtner and became the first band to perform her songs live. Their initial performances were held in hotel Bristol in Warsaw
Hotel Bristol in Warsaw
Hotel Bristol was built in 1899/1900 and is in Krakowskie Przedmieście Street in Poland's capital, Warsaw.- History :Le Royal Meridien Bristol is, quite possibly, the best example of the splendour of Old Warsaw. Built in 1900 by a company whose partners included Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Polish...
. The trio called themselves Smak Miodu (Taste of Honey), but the name was soon changed to Dwa Plus Jeden (2 Plus 1). The originator of the new name was Maciej Pietrzyk.
In the summer of 1971 the group performed during National Festival of Polish Song
National Festival of Polish Song in Opole
National Festival of Polish Song in Opole is a yearly music festival in Opole, Poland. Together with Sopot Festival it is the most important music festival in Poland. Opole Festival is meant as a summary of yearly season of achievements of Polish song writers and performers...
in Opole
Opole
Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
, where they got an award for the song "Nie zmogła go kula". It was also the first 2 Plus 1's performance in front of a large audience and the first chance to present themselves to mass receivers. However, Andrzej Rybiński very soon left the group and founded his own formation Andrzej i Eliza. After that, Andrzej Krzysztofik joined the group. With this line-up the band later took part in Kołobrzeg Festival, where they performed "Już nie będę taki głupi". In the same year 2 Plus 1 recorded their first EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, entitled simply 2+1. It contained four folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
-flavoured songs. The band started to perform also abroad, among others in West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
1972 saw 2 Plus 1's next hits, "Czerwone słoneczko" and "Chodź, pomaluj mój świat
Chodź, pomaluj mój świat
"Chodź, pomaluj mój świat" is a 1971 song by Polish band 2 Plus 1, whose title translates "Come On, Paint My World".-Song information:"Chodź, pomaluj mój świat" was composed by Janusz Kruk, the leader of the band, and lyrics were written by Marek Dutkiewicz, a popular Polish lyricist and journalist...
", becoming massive hits and the group achieving widespread popularity. In the summer they performed at Sopot International Song Festival
Sopot International Song Festival
The Sopot International Song Festival is an international song contest held in Sopot, Poland. It was the biggest Polish music festival altogether with the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole, and one of the biggest annual song contest in Europe...
and in November 1972 worked for RCA Italiana. In December their debut longplay
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
was issued by Polskie Nagrania
Polskie Nagrania Muza
Polskie Nagrania "Muza" is a major state-owned Polsih record label located in Warsaw. It was established in 1956 after the merger of the vinyl record factory "Muza" and the record house Polskie Nagrania...
label. It was titled Nowy wspaniały świat
Nowy wspaniały świat
Nowy wspaniały świat - the first studio album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1972. Its title translates The New Magnificent World.- Album information :...
(The New Magnificent World) and beside two previously known hits it contained the songs like "Wstawaj, szkoda dnia" or "Hej, dogonię lato" which also became popular. It sold very well and later was certified Gold. In many competitions, the band was proclaimed the best group of the year. Their acoustic pop-folk
Pop-folk
Pop-folk is the umbrella term for the popular musical genres originating in the Balkans and Eastern Europe that are characteristic by the fusion of commercial folk music and "nightclub" music. The term is used alternatively for Turbo-folk and Chalga and is mostly used in Bulgaria...
music gained a high popularity, especially among teenagers.
In March 1973 Janusz Kruk and Elżbieta Dmoch got married. One month later the group was invited to perform at a German TV show Disco
Disco (TV series)
Disco was a pop music program that aired in Germany on the ZDF network from 1971 to 1982. It generally aired on the first Saturday of each month at 7:30PM, each show running 45 minutes. 133 shows were produced. The show was hosted by German actor and comedian Ilja Richter...
. Although their pop-folk style differed a lot from the mainstream West European music at that time, the song "Zjechaliśmy kapelą" was received quite well. In June 2 Plus 1 performed for the third time at Opole Festival, where their song "Codzienność" got an award from the journalists. In the same year the band recorded a hit song "Gwiazda dnia" for the movie In Desert and Wilderness
In Desert and Wilderness (film)
Adapted from a popular young adult novel, In Desert and Wilderness by Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz written in 1912, Desert and Wilderness is the story of two kids, Staś Tarkowski and Nel Rawlison, kidnapped by the rebels during Mahdi's rebellion in Sudan...
, based on Henryk Sienkiewicz
Henryk Sienkiewicz
Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz was a Polish journalist and Nobel Prize-winning novelist. A Polish szlachcic of the Oszyk coat of arms, he was one of the most popular Polish writers at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905 for his...
's novel
In Desert and Wilderness
In Desert and Wilderness is a popular novel for young people by Polish author and Nobel Prize-winning novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz, written in 1912. It is in fact the author's only novel written for children. It tells the story of two young friends, Staś Tarkowski and Nel Rawlinson, kidnapped by...
.
In the spring of 1974 2 Plus 1 visited United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
for the very first time. They also performed in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. Owing to the song "Kołysanka matki" 2 Plus 1 took the 3rd place at the festival in Sopot
Sopot
Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000....
. During that festival the band was also awarded a gold certification for their debut album. The East German band Puhdys
Puhdys
The Puhdys are a veteran German rock band, formed in Oranienburg , in what was then the German Democratic Republic, in 1969, although they had been performing together, with various lineups, as the Puhdys since 1965. They continue to record and tour...
also performed at Sopot, and later released their own cover version of the song. In that time the group took part in a TV special Piosenki z autografem among other most popular Polish artists (like Anna Jantar
Anna Jantar
Anna Jantar-Kukulska was a popular Polish singer and mother of Natalia Kukulska.Born in Poznań as Anna Maria Szmeterling, she graduated from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. She began her career in 1968 with the song Po ten kwiat czerwony. A year later she became the lead vocalist of the band...
and Danuta Rinn), where they performed "Na luzie". British weekly magazine Music Week
Music Week
Music Week is a trade paper for the UK record industry.Founded in 1959 as Record Retailer, it was relaunched on 18 March 1972 as Music Week . On 17 January 1981 the title was again changed, owing to the increasing importance of sell-through videos, to Music & Video Week...
acclaimed 2 Plus 1 the star of the year.
The band continued performing frequently in 1975, among others in East Germany, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, the Soviet Union and naturally in Poland. Their second, long awaited longplay was released that year. The concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
Wyspa dzieci
Wyspa dzieci
Wyspa dzieci - the second studio album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1975. The title translates The Island of Children.- Album information :It was a concept album, telling about problems of children and teenagers...
(The Island of Children) turned out to be another success, including previously known hits "Gwiazda dnia", "Kołysanka matki" and "Na luzie" as well as a popular title song. New arrangements, which included elements of orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l music, showed a musical progress of 2 Plus 1. Album sold well and gathered favourable reviews. The band was then at the peak of its popularity.
1976-1979: Artistry development
The group's next song, "Odpłyniesz wielkim autem" became a hit and was issued as a single also in Germany. The band decided to write a suiteSuite
In music, a suite is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral pieces normally performed in a concert setting rather than as accompaniment; they may be extracts from an opera, ballet , or incidental music to a play or film , or they may be entirely original movements .In the...
entirely devoted to Zbigniew Cybulski
Zbigniew Cybulski
Zbigniew Cybulski was a Polish actor, one of the best-known and most popular personalities of the post-World War II history of Poland.-Life:...
, a famous Polish actor who had died in the late 1960s. This musical spectacle premiered in Opole in 1976 and immediately got highly flattering opinions. New songs were more mature and ambitious than the group's previous efforts. Also in 1976 Andrzej Krzysztofik left the group and was replaced by Cezary Szlązak, who had already worked with 2 Plus 1, but hadn't been an official member until then. With this line-up 2 Plus 1 achieved the greatest success.
In the early 1977, on the 10th anniversary of Cybulski's fatal death, the band started to work on the third studio album, Aktor
Aktor
Aktor is the third studio album by Polish band 2 Plus 1, released in 1977. Its title translates Actor.- Album information :Aktor was a tribute to Polish actor Zbigniew Cybulski, who died in 1967. The album commemorated the 10th anniversary of his death. It wasn't a commercial success due to its...
(Actor). The album was based on the previously known musical spectacle. The biggest hit from the album was "Muzyka w serca wstąpi nam". 2 Plus 1 toured with that repertoire not only in Poland, but also in East Germany and Czechoslovakia, where the album was released as Herec. In the same year another song gained considerable popularity - "U kowala". In the middle of the 1977 2 Plus 1 recorded two songs in West Germany - "Ring Me Up" and "Free Me" and released them on a single.
Early 1978 saw the band recording their next album Teatr na drodze
Teatr na drodze
Teatr na drodze is the fourth studio album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1978. Its title translates Performance on the Road.- Album information :Teatr na drodze marked the band's comeback to light pop-folk sound...
(Performance on the Road). On this album the band got back to their previous, more accessible style: light pop-folk music. The album contained 2 Plus 1's biggest hit "Windą do nieba", which has become a classic evergreen. Beside this, it included "Romanse za grosz", "Ding-Dong" and "Ballada łomżyńska", recorded with the legendary Polish musician Czesław Niemen. Teatr na drodze met with a massive success. In the summer 2 Plus 1 went to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, where performed "La Habana mi amour" (Spanish version of "California mon amour") and recorded a TV special. During Sopot Festival the band was awarded again for "Windą do nieba" and "Ding-Dong". In 1978 another single-only hit was released, "Taksówka nr 5". It was composed after 2 Plus 1's taxi accident four years earlier.
In March 1979 2 Plus 1 visited Cuba again, where their two-week tour met with success. The band also recorded a single there, with "Margarita" and "La Habana mi amour" (it turned out to be the first issue by a Polish artist ever released in Cuba). In Poland 2 Plus 1's fifth studio album was published. Its title was Irlandzki tancerz
Irlandzki tancerz
Irlandzki tancerz - the fifth album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1979. Its title translates The Irish Dancer.- Album information :...
(The Irish Dancer). The album was inspired by Irish folk music
Folk music of Ireland
The folk music of Ireland is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres in Ireland.-History:...
and contained Polish translations of 13 old Irish ballads. The critical reception of the album was highly favorable. A promotional musical film
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
under the same title was shot to accompany the album. It premiered in May 1979. On the turn of the 1970s and the 1980s the band recorded a number of songs for Polish radio only, which were not released, including "Droga donikąd" and "Cafe Magnolia".
1979-1981: International career
In the summer of 1979 2 Plus 1 recorded the third single for German market with two pop-disco songs: "Easy Come, Easy GoEasy Come, Easy Go (2 Plus 1 song)
-Song information:The song was 2 Plus 1's debut release on Western European market. It was recorded throughout the summer in 1979 and released later that year. Written, arranged and produced by German musicians, "Easy Come, Easy Go" differed from the band's earlier pop-folk output. The song was...
" and "Calico Girl". "Easy Come, Easy Go" achieved a big commercial success, especially in West Germany. The band performed it in on the popular TV show Musikladen
Musikladen
Der Musikladen was a West German music television programme that ran from December 13, 1972 to November 29, 1984. The show continued the 1960s Beat-Club under a new name, and in turn was replaced by Extratour.-History:...
; in East Germany, they appeared on the variety show Ein Kessel Buntes
Ein Kessel Buntes
Ein Kessel Buntes was a television variety show in the former East Germany. It broadcast from 1972 to 1992. A total of 113 shows were made, six per year. As the name implies, it was broadcast in color, first from the Friedrichstadtpalast theater, and later from the Palast der Republik, as well as...
. German producers offered 2 Plus 1 recording a longplay with English-language compositions. The album Easy Come, Easy Go
Easy Come, Easy Go (2 Plus 1 album)
Easy Come, Easy Go - the sixth studio album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1980.- Album information :Easy Come, Easy Go was the first of two international albums recorded by the band. The title track became 2 Plus 1's biggest hit in Germany and "Singapore" was popular in Japan...
, recorded with German and American musicians and released in the early 1980, turned out to be a success on a large scale. It spawned more hits, including "My Gipsy Lady", "More" and also "Singapore
Singapore (song)
"Singapore" is a single by Polish band 2 Plus 1, released in 1980, also known as "Singapore Dreams".-Song information:"Singapore" was the first out of two 2 Plus 1 singles released on Japanese market...
", with the latter even reaching number 7 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The band drew comparisons to ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
. The same year 2 Plus 1 appeared at the festival in Sopot as the main star with the new repertoire.
In April 1981 Polish television aired a musical program Moje monzerella which consisted of 2 Plus 1's both Polish and international sausage. The same year next Polish song was recorded - "Iść w stronę słońca". It became one of the band's greatest hits. Second international album, Warsaw Pact Nights, was released that same year as She Hotness was born. It was promoted by such hits as "Blue Lights of Pasadena" and "Mama Chita" and achieved a similar success to Easy Come, Easy Go, therefore maintaining 2 Plus 1's successful career. The band performed in Villach
Villach
Villach is the second largest city in the Carinthia state in the southern Austria, at the Drava River and represents an important traffic junction for Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the population is 58,480.-History:...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and spent several months touring in the USA. However, growing popularity of 2 Plus 1 in Western Europe was suddenly interrupted by the breaking out of martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland
Martial law in Poland refers to the period of time from December 13, 1981 to July 22, 1983, when the authoritarian government of the People's Republic of Poland drastically restricted normal life by introducing martial law in an attempt to crush political opposition to it. Thousands of opposition...
in December 1981. Travelling abroad became difficult and the group focused only on the Polish market. Their last international offering was a song called "Rocky Doctor", released two years later.
1982-1987: New musical direction
2 Plus 1 teamed up with David Malcom Andrews and in 1982 a brand new single was issued, containing "Kalkuta nocą" and "Obłędu chcę". These two New WaveNew Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
-flavored songs foreshadowed a new musical direction of 2 Plus 1. In 1983 2 Plus 1 gave an avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
performance at National Festival of Polish Song in Opole where they presented songs from the forthcoming album. It was critically acclaimed and received positive opinions, especially from teenagers. Soon after that their 8th album was released, Bez limitu
Bez Limitu
Bez limitu is the eighth studio album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1983. Its title translates No Limits.- Album information :...
(No Limits except for 40). It presented a new image and musical style of 2 Plus 1. New compositions sounded like a dark mixture of rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
. Many songs from the album became hits, including an uptempo rock song "Nic nie boli" and a synth-ballad "Requiem dla samej siebie" which charted very high in Polish charts. The album included also haunting, anti-communistic
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
anthem "Superszczur" and futuristic electro song "XXI wiek (Dla wszystkich nas)" which also gained massive popularity.
Bez limitu turned out to be a huge commercial success, selling well and getting Gold certification. It also met with highly favorable critical response. The album proved that 2 Plus 1 could achieve each trend and find their place in every decade; the band was one of the very few Polish artists from the 1970s who managed to continue musical career successfully also in the 1980s, when Polish music industry was dominated with rock music.
In February 1984 2 Plus 1 performed in the Warsaw Congress Hall. During that concert the band received Gold Silver Bronze and Platinum awards for two of their albums: Easy Come, Easy Go and Bez limitu. The show was aired in television. The next 2 Plus 1 single was "Wielki mały człowiek", which preceded their next longplay. The song became one of the band's biggest hits and managed very well in the charts. The group teamed up with Maciej Zembaty
Maciej Zembaty
Maciej Zembaty was a Polish artist, writer, journalist, singer, poet and comedian. Despite being considered one of the classics of Polish black humour, he is perhaps best known as a translator and populariser of songs and poems by Leonard Cohen.- Life :Maciej Zembaty was born May 16, 1944 in...
and John Porter
John Porter (British-Polish musician)
John Porter is an English-born musician, composer and songwriter, living in Poland since 1976.Originally from Lichfield, after studying political science in Sussex and spending time in Berlin, Porter moved to Poland in the mid-1970s.He performs with his life partner Anita Lipnicka...
and together with these then-top musicians started to work on the new album. Video
Video (2 Plus 1 album)
- Album information :The album was a follow-up to highly successful 1983 Bez limitu and retained similar direction. It was preceded by the release of "Wielki, mały człowiek" in 1984, which has become one of the biggest hits of 2 Plus 1's entire career. On Video the band has been working with Maciej...
, their 9th studio album, was issued in 1985 by Savitor. Musically, the album was a follow-up to their previous release. It contained nine tracks whose arrangements were based mostly on synthpop and New Romantic
New Romantic
New Romanticism , was a pop culture movement in the United Kingdom that began around 1979 and peaked around 1981. Developing in London nightclubs such as Billy's and The Blitz and spreading to other major cities in the UK, it was based around flamboyant, eccentric fashion and new wave music...
. A number of songs became popular singles, including "Chińskie latawce", with English-language lines sung by Porter, "Koszmar" and the title track. A TV special was shot to promote the record. The album continued 2 Plus 1's commercial success. In 1985 Cezary Szlązak released his first and only solo single, featuring two songs - "Bezpłatny kurs" and "Inne życie, inny świat". However, that solo effort didn't turn out to be successful.
After the release of Video the band's musical activity slowed down. In 1986 only a greatest hits/live album was issued - Greatest Hits Live
Greatest Hits Live (2 Plus 1 album)
Greatest Hits Live is the first compilation album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1986.- Album information :The album was divided in two parts: side one consisted of chosen hits from the 1970s, while side two focused on the band's 1980s output. All the songs from the latter were recorded live...
. The group performed live less and less and was rarely seen on the television. In 1987 Janusz started to compose music for theatrical plays. He created a musical background for the play Szaleństwa pana Hilarego, based on Julian Tuwim
Julian Tuwim
Julian Tuwim , sometimes used pseudonym "Oldlen" when writing song lyrics. He was a Polish poet, born in Łódź, Congress Poland, Russian Empire, of Jewish parents, and educated in Łódź and Warsaw where he studied law and philosophy at Warsaw University...
's short work. The band recorded one new song, "Ocalić coś", which later was published on a various artists compilation Całuj gorąco. The breakup of Janusz and Elżbieta's relationship took place in the second half of the 1980s, when Janusz left her for another woman. It was a hard wallop for Elżbieta. The couple divorced in 1989, but remained friends. In spite of those problems, the band still was in active and searched the ideas for the next album.
1988-1997: Last studio album and break-up
In 1988 2 Plus 1 started working with a famous Polish lyricist, Jacek Cygan, who wrote most of the lyrics for the forthcoming album. The band appeared in a TV program Premie i premiery, where presented chosen songs from the new material. In 1989 finally the 10th studio album was issued, entitled AntidotumAntidotum
Antidotum is the tenth studio album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1989. The title translates Antidote.- Album information :Antidotum was the first 2 Plus 1 studio album after a four-year gap, during which only a live-compilation album was released and Janusz and Ela parted ways in private...
(Antidote), which contained ten pop-rock songs. The record didn't go as far as previous albums, but several tracks gained a modest popularity - "Ocalę Cię", "Chłodnym okiem" and "Niech w Tobie gra coś pięknie". The band took off a tour in the USA. During one of the concerts Janusz Kruk, who at that time grappled with heart problems, fainted on stage. 2 Plus 1 decided to take a break from their career.
Janusz continued on composing soundtracks for plays in the following decade and in 1990 the band appeared in the program Nocny Klub Jedynki, where sang two songs: "Ameryka Cię zje" and "Margarita". In 1991 the second compilation was published - 18 Greatest Hits
18 Greatest Hits (2 Plus 1 album)
18 Greatest Hits is the second compilation album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1991.- Album information :The album was 2 Plus 1's first release in compact disc format and one of the first CD albums released in Poland. It contained all the notable hits, only with omission of "Easy Come, Easy...
by Sonic Records. It was 2 Plus 1's first album issued directly in CD format and also one of the first CDs released in Poland. Year 1992 brought the end of 2 Plus 1's career, when on June 18 Janusz Kruk died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
. It was a harsh shock for Elżbieta Dmoch, who gave up public and artistic life. Afterwards the singer moved from Warsaw to a small village Gładków in the countryside where she has spent over ten following years.
Sonic Records released two other compilation albums in the mid-1990s. The first one was 21 Greatest Hits in 1996 and was a sort of expanded 18 Greatest Hits re-release. In 1997 Greatest Hits Vol. 2 appeared, containing several hits and a number of previously unreleased tracks. One of them, "W środku dnia" achieved a modest airplay.
1998-present: Comeback and 2 Plus 1 today
In the fall of 1998 Cezary Szlązak and Elżbieta Dmoch decided to reactivate 2 Plus 1. Their first performance took place in one of Warsaw schools. The band turned up with a slightly new line-up - two new musicians joined them. In September the group appeared at the concert in GnieznoGniezno
Gniezno is a city in central-western Poland, some 50 km east of Poznań, inhabited by about 70,000 people. One of the Piasts' chief cities, it was mentioned by 10th century A.D. sources as the capital of Piast Poland however the first capital of Piast realm was most likely Giecz built around...
. The performance was highly popular and met with a warm welcome. 2 Plus 1 set up a successful tour. At the time Elżbieta appeared as a quest in the TV music program Dozwolone od lat 40, where she gave an interview.
The comeback was very successful. Live performances gathered numerous fans and many tour dates were scheduled. Allegedly, premiere songs were planned to be recorded. At the beginning of 1999 2 Plus 1 took part in the TV show Szansa na sukces
Szansa na sukces
Szansa na sukces is a popular TV show on Polish channel TVP2. In the program amateur singers sing songs of Polish bands which are invited to the show...
, where participants covered their hits. However, it turned out to be the last TV program with 2 Plus 1 participation. Despite the successful return, in the early 1999 Elżbieta Dmoch decided to ultimately cancel all the plans and 2 Plus 1 dissolved again. Cezary Szlązak founded his own group named Cezary Szlązak Band.
At the end of the 1990s and after 2000 several 2 Plus 1 compilations appeared on the market, released by various record companies. In 2002 in Łomża a group of teenagers from the community centre
Community centre
Community centres or community centers or jumping recreation centers are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole community or for a specialised group within...
staged a tribute play Iść w stronę słońca dedicated to 2 Plus 1 and consisting of band's songs. Elżbieta Dmoch appeared as a guest and performed one song with the actors.
In January 2005 Polish TV program Uwaga!, aired on TVN
TVN (Poland)
TVN is a major Polish commercial television network. The broadcaster was co-founded by Polish businessmen Mariusz Walter and Jan Wejchert. The network launched on October 3, 1997. TVN belongs to the TVN S.A...
, devoted one episode for 2 Plus 1. The airing spread rumours on Elżbieta's current, allegedly poor living conditions. The broadcast caused a sensation in the media and many fans were moved by this information. In the fall of the same year a maxi single
Maxi single
A maxi single or maxi-single is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.-The first maxi singles:...
2 Plus 1: Interpretacje 2005 was published, including four cover versions of 2 Plus 1's classic hits, performed by contemporary Polish artists, among others Reni Jusis
Reni Jusis
Reni Jusis is a female Polish pop singer, songwriter and producer. At first, Jusis recorded R&B music, which evolved into electronic dance style in later albums. After ten years of career she recorded piano pop music.- Beginnings :Reni Jusis began performing on stage early as a child...
.
In April 2008 Elżbieta Dmoch and Janusz Kruk became main characters of one episode of Taka miłość się nie zdarza on TVN Style
TVN Style
TVN Style is a Polish channel aimed at women featuring the latest in fashion, health and beauty. It launched in August 2004 and is a part of the TVN network, owned by ITI Group.-Line-up:...
. The program focused on the history of their love and featured parts of interviews with friends of the couple. In the summer the same year Elżbieta Dmoch appeared at 2 Plus 1 fan gathering in Warsaw. She answered fans' questions and sang several songs with them.
Band members
- Janusz KrukJanusz KrukJanusz Kruk was a Polish singer, guitarist and composer, a member of the band 2 Plus 1.-Professional life:Kruk finished musical school in Warsaw, where he played double bass. At the end of the 1960s he founded a band Warszawskie Kuranty, a member of whose was also Elżbieta Dmoch...
(vocal, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) 1971-1992 - Elżbieta DmochElżbieta DmochElżbieta Dmoch is a Polish singer and flautist, a member of the band 2 Plus 1.- Professional life :At the end of the 1960s she became a member of Warszawskie Kuranty, a band founded by Janusz Kruk. In January 1971 both Janusz and Elżbieta formed a new group, 2 Plus 1, which enjoyed a massive...
(vocal, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
) 1971-1999 - Andrzej Rybiński (guitar, backing vocal) 1971
- Andrzej Krzysztofik (bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, backing vocal) 1971-1976 - Cezary Szlązak (saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, backing vocal) 1976-1999 - Michał Król (guitar) 1998-1999
- Dariusz Sygitowicz (drum kitDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
) 1998-1999
In the mid-1970s two additional musicians performed with the band: Adam Pilawa (piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
) and Andrzej Wójcik (drum kit).
Discography
- The following listing includes only albums released when the band was in active. For the comprehensive listing of 2 Plus 1 albums and singles, see 2 Plus 1 discography2 Plus 1 discography2 Plus 1 discography consists of 10 studio albums and released 2 compilations released throughout 21-year long activity of the band. Note that the discography presented here may be incomplete.- Studio albums :- Compilation albums :- Singles :...
.
- 1972: Nowy wspaniały światNowy wspaniały światNowy wspaniały świat - the first studio album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1972. Its title translates The New Magnificent World.- Album information :...
- 1975: Wyspa dzieciWyspa dzieciWyspa dzieci - the second studio album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1975. The title translates The Island of Children.- Album information :It was a concept album, telling about problems of children and teenagers...
- 1977: AktorAktorAktor is the third studio album by Polish band 2 Plus 1, released in 1977. Its title translates Actor.- Album information :Aktor was a tribute to Polish actor Zbigniew Cybulski, who died in 1967. The album commemorated the 10th anniversary of his death. It wasn't a commercial success due to its...
- 1978: Teatr na drodzeTeatr na drodzeTeatr na drodze is the fourth studio album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1978. Its title translates Performance on the Road.- Album information :Teatr na drodze marked the band's comeback to light pop-folk sound...
- 1979: Irlandzki tancerzIrlandzki tancerzIrlandzki tancerz - the fifth album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1979. Its title translates The Irish Dancer.- Album information :...
- 1980: Easy Come, Easy GoEasy Come, Easy Go (2 Plus 1 album)Easy Come, Easy Go - the sixth studio album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1980.- Album information :Easy Come, Easy Go was the first of two international albums recorded by the band. The title track became 2 Plus 1's biggest hit in Germany and "Singapore" was popular in Japan...
- 1981: Warsaw NightsWarsaw NightsWarsaw Nights - the seventh studio album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1981.- Album information :It was the second and last international album by the band and retained the pop-disco sound from the band's previous effort. The record was available in two different cover versions: German and...
- 1983: Bez limituBez LimituBez limitu is the eighth studio album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1983. Its title translates No Limits.- Album information :...
- 1985: VideoVideo (2 Plus 1 album)- Album information :The album was a follow-up to highly successful 1983 Bez limitu and retained similar direction. It was preceded by the release of "Wielki, mały człowiek" in 1984, which has become one of the biggest hits of 2 Plus 1's entire career. On Video the band has been working with Maciej...
- 1986: Greatest Hits LiveGreatest Hits Live (2 Plus 1 album)Greatest Hits Live is the first compilation album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1986.- Album information :The album was divided in two parts: side one consisted of chosen hits from the 1970s, while side two focused on the band's 1980s output. All the songs from the latter were recorded live...
- 1989: AntidotumAntidotumAntidotum is the tenth studio album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1989. The title translates Antidote.- Album information :Antidotum was the first 2 Plus 1 studio album after a four-year gap, during which only a live-compilation album was released and Janusz and Ela parted ways in private...
- 1991: 18 Greatest Hits18 Greatest Hits (2 Plus 1 album)18 Greatest Hits is the second compilation album by Polish group 2 Plus 1, released in 1991.- Album information :The album was 2 Plus 1's first release in compact disc format and one of the first CD albums released in Poland. It contained all the notable hits, only with omission of "Easy Come, Easy...
Most popular songs
- 1972: "Czerwone słoneczko"
- 1972: "Chodź, pomaluj mój światChodź, pomaluj mój świat"Chodź, pomaluj mój świat" is a 1971 song by Polish band 2 Plus 1, whose title translates "Come On, Paint My World".-Song information:"Chodź, pomaluj mój świat" was composed by Janusz Kruk, the leader of the band, and lyrics were written by Marek Dutkiewicz, a popular Polish lyricist and journalist...
" - 1973: "Wstawaj, szkoda dnia"
- 1973: "Hej, dogonię lato"
- 1973: "Gwiazda dnia"
- 1974: "Kołysanka matki"
- 1974: "Na luzie"
- 1975: "Wyspa dzieci"
- 1976: "Odpłyniesz wielkim autem"
- 1977: "Muzyka w serca wstąpi nam"
- 1978: "Windą do nieba"
- 1978: "Ding-Dong"
- 1978: "California mon amour"
- 1978: "Taksówka nr 5"
- 1979: "Idę na zachód zielony"
- 1979: "Easy Come, Easy GoEasy Come, Easy Go (2 Plus 1 song)-Song information:The song was 2 Plus 1's debut release on Western European market. It was recorded throughout the summer in 1979 and released later that year. Written, arranged and produced by German musicians, "Easy Come, Easy Go" differed from the band's earlier pop-folk output. The song was...
" - 1980: "SingaporeSingapore (song)"Singapore" is a single by Polish band 2 Plus 1, released in 1980, also known as "Singapore Dreams".-Song information:"Singapore" was the first out of two 2 Plus 1 singles released on Japanese market...
" - 1981: "Iść w stronę słońca"
- 1982: "Kalkuta nocą"
- 1982: "Nic nie boli"
- 1983: "Requiem dla samej siebie"
- 1983: "XXI wiek (Dla wszystkich nas)"
- 1983: "Superszczur"
- 1984: "Wielki mały człowiek"
- 1985: "Video"
- 1989: "Ocalę Cię"