Gary Gwadera, the Polish drummer who is part of the SHAPE+ roster of artists for 2025/26, is teaming up with Chicago footwork producer RP Boo for a first-time collaborative live performance.
The set will take place at next month’s Unsound festival in Kraków, with the collaboration coming off the back of Gwadera’s 2024 album Far, Far Un Chicago. Footberk Suite, on which he combined the live drum patterns of Polish folk music with the syncopated rhythms of Chicago footwork.
For the performance, Gwadera will be using his minimalist “jaz” (not jazz) kit, loaded with Roland drum machine samples, while RP Boo will be on decks.
The set will be part of Unsound’s involvement with the SHAPE+ organisation, which is a European Union and Pro Helvetia-funded platform for innovative music and audiovisual art. Its annual roster brings together a variety of experimental musicians, drawing from the results of an open call, as well as curatorial propositions from the European festivals who constitute its membership.
Also lined up to perform at this year’s Unsound are the previously announced likes of caroline, billy woods, Moin, Joan La Barbara, YHWH Nailgun, Smerz, Nazar, A Guy Called Gerald and Tashi Dorji.
Unsound will take place from October 7 to 12, 2025. Find more information here.
