Nick Kadajski

Nick Kadajski currently leads and writes the music for the group 5 Point Perspective. Kadajski's music is imbibed with the colors of many other genres of music. This probably stems from the multitude of groups that he has been in as a sideman. The music for the group is not what is traditionally called jazz, but improvisation remains a focal point of the group.

Nick's first musical experience after moving to New York was playing with the afrobeat group The Budos. This large ensemble mixed African rhythms with interesting forms to produce an energetic sound. Many of the rhythmic ideas that appear in Kadajski's music come from his time with this group.

During this same period he began studying composition and improvisation with Ralph Alessi, whom Nick met while he was a student at the Eastman School of Music. This relationship culminated a year and a half later at Alessi's School for Improvised Music. While he was at SIM Kadajski studied privately with Tim Berne and Matana Roberts.

Shortly thereafter he was asked to play with the funk/jazz group the Unskilled Labor Funk Ensemble, which had a two month residency at the club Niagara in NYC, and shows at Detour. Nick began forming the basis for 5 Point from these sessions.

Nick is also a member of The Alper Yilmaz Project. Alper is a bass player whose music is infused with Turkish rhythms and harmonies. The time spent with this band has had a major impact on the way Kadajski approaches his compositions harmonically and rhythmically. The band toured Turkey in February 2008 to promote the album "Clashes", which has won praise from several jazz publications including "All About Jazz" and from writer Bill Milkowski in "Jazz Times".

Nick is currently composing music for a recording with 5 Point Perspective that will be released later this year.

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