The way to Milo Kurtis’ career was opened by a group established in the late
60s and early 70s – Grupa w Składzie: with which he was
creating “intuitive music” (so-called yass), based on mutual communication
between the band members. Group’s compositions were presented during the Warsaw
Autumn and Jazz nad Odrą (Jazz on the Odra River) festivals.
In Grupa w Składzie: Milo Kurtis played bassoon, double bass, keyboards and
bouzouki. The band also featured Jacek Malicki “Krokodyl” (guitar, bamboo
flute, cymbals) and Andrzej Kasprzyk (saxophone, flute). The formation
performed mainly in the Warsaw club Sigma, as well as in Repassage and Galeria
El in Elbląg.
Grupa w Składzie: cooperated with conceptual artists and participated in
various artistic projects. The group’s work referred to the music of John Cage,
Karlheinz Stockhausen or the Fluxus group. The formation was suspended in 1975
(in the same year Kurtis co-founded the legendary group Maanam and joined
Osjan). However, this was not the final end of the musician’s first band. In
2008 the group was reactivated in its original line-up, additionally joining
Witold Popiel. In 2013, an album with the recording of the concert at the
Contemporary Art Centre in Kalisz was released.
