Jump to content

Katy Carr

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Katy Carr
BornNottingham,England
GenresFolk,pop
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, musician
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals, keyboards, ukulele, banjolele
Years active2001–present
LabelsDeluce Recordings
Websitekatycarr.com

Katy Carris a British singer-songwriter and musician known for her songs about Polish history. A fan of the 1930s and 1940s, she plays vintage instruments and wears clothing and hairstyles from the period. Although she was born in England, she lived in Poland for the first five years of her life. Her albumPaszport,a tribute to those who fought in World War II, won BestConcept Albumfrom theIndependent Music Awardsin 2014. In 2016 she was given Poland'sPro Patria Medal.[1][2]

Life

[edit]

Carr was born inNottingham,England to a Polish mother and a Scottish-English father, but until she was five years old, lived in Poland where her parents met and her father worked. Her English grandmother's stories about the 1930s/1940s stirred an interest in the era, as did photographs of the clothing and hairstyles.[3]She admiredÉdith Piafand female pilotsAmy JohnsonandAmelia Earhart.[4]

An undisciplined girl, she joined theAir Cadets,a youth group affiliated with theRoyal Air Force,and learned to fly.[3]

Career

[edit]

2009:Kommander's Car

[edit]

The single "Kommander's Car" was inspired byKazimierz Piechowski's escape from anAuschwitz concentration camp.[5]Piechowski was sent to Auschwitz in 1940. Two years later a fellow prisoner who repaired the cars of SS officers suggested they steal a car. Carr's song is about their escape.[6]

Kazik and the Kommander's Cardocumentary

[edit]

Kazik and the Kommander's Caris a documentary produced by Carr and directed by British film maker Hannah Lovell.[7]It documents Carr's first visit to meet and present her tribute song, "Kommander's Car", to Polish World War II veteran Kazimierz Piechowski. Piechowski was present for the debut of the documentary, which included a concert on 27 January 2010 in Warsaw, Poland to mark the 65th anniversary of liberation of Auschwitz. Two years later a DVD of the film was released.[8]The film was shown in museums and festivals in England and Poland.

Touring and humanitarian work

[edit]

In March 2011, Katy Carr and the Aviators embarked on The Escapologist Tour. Kazimierz Piechowski was present for the first two London performances.[9]The aim of the Escapologist Tour was, in Carr's words, "to help unite both British and Polish communities throughout the UK through film, music and the sharing of stories." Events included concerts and screenings ofKazik and the Kommander's Car,as well as outreach with Polish retirement and care homes. Carr sang Polish folk songs to World War II veterans. In 2012, the tour was nominated for the National Lottery Good Causes Awards.[10]She embarked on a US Polish diaspora tour and performed in Chicago, and New York City. Short films about Polish history from thePolish Institute and Sikorski Museumarchives were shown by Hannah Lovell, director ofKazik and the Kommander's Car.Carr studied Polish atJagiellonian Universityso she could communicate better with the Polish media during her tour and also to "help to share the joys of learning the Polish language".[11]

2012:Paszport

[edit]

Carr's fourth album,Paszport,contains lyrics in English and Polish. She worked with British producer Nigel of Bermondsey and with musicians fromKlezmer,Gypsy jazzandFolk musicto create a sound that would be both traditional and contemporary.[12]The album was released in Poland on 17 September 2012 to mark the anniversary of the Soviet invasion,National Independence Dayin Poland andRemembrance Day(also known asPoppy DayorArmistice Day).Paszportwas released in the UK on 11 November 2012 to positive reviews, some considering it one of the best albums of the year.[13][12]

Aside from the single about Piechowski, the album's subjects include theSoviet invasion of Poland,thePolish resistanceandthe repression of Polish people by the Soviets.Regarding the title of the album, Carr cited a poem by Jerzy Harasymowicz: "it's not a very well known poem, but I think it says everything about my album, 'Masz paszport, więc jesteś' –" You have a passport, therefore you exist ".[3]

In 2013, Carr was given the Polish Daily Award for Culture.[14]

In October 2020, Carr released the final part of her 'Polish Roots Trilogy' (previouslyPaszportandPolonia) with the album,Providence.[15]

Discography

[edit]
  • 2001:Screwing Lies
  • 2003:Passion Play
  • 2008:The Crow Club(compilation album)
  • 2009: "Kommander's Car" (single)
  • 2009:Coquette
  • 2012: "Kommander's Car" (remastered single)
  • 2012:Kazik and the Kommander's Car(DVD)
  • 2012:Paszport
  • 2015:Polonia
  • 2020:Providence[15]

Awards

[edit]
  • 2011: Nominated for London Music Award
  • 2012: Nominated for National Lottery Good Causes Award[10]
  • 2013: Polish Daily Award for Culture
  • 2013: Nominated for Best Artist, Songlines Music Awards
  • 2014: Best Concept Album,Paszport,Independent Music Awards[16]
  • 2014: Honorary membership, Polish 1st Armoured Division
  • 2016: Pro Patria Medal (Poland)
  • 2016: Nominated Best Concept Album,Polonia,Independent Music Awards[16]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"About Katy".Katy Carr.Retrieved5 June2016.
  2. ^Aitken, Roger."Katy Carr on singing about Highgate highwayman Dick Turpin and World War Two freedom fighters".Ham & High Etcetera.Retrieved28 June2016.
  3. ^abcJablonska, Justine."Chatting with Katy Carr".Cosmopolitan Review.Retrieved7 June2016.
  4. ^Spencer, Neil."Katy Carr: 'I fell in love with old school glamour'".The Guardian.Retrieved7 June2016.
  5. ^Khaleeli, Homa (11 April 2011)."I escaped from Auschwitz".The Guardian.Retrieved21 March2014.
  6. ^Silverman, Laura."A great escape".The Times.Retrieved8 June2016.
  7. ^"Katy Carr & Kazik Piechowski: Kommander's Car launch".Music-News.Retrieved21 March2014.
  8. ^"Kazik and the Kommander's Car: A Katy Carr Project".Katy Carr.Retrieved21 March2014.
  9. ^"Playing Banjolele for Poland: Spitfire pilot Katy Carr to sing for Auschwitz escapee Kazik Piechowski and Warsaw diplomats".West End Extra.25 March 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 22 March 2014.Retrieved21 March2014.
  10. ^ab"The Escapologist Tour".National Lottery Good Causes.Archived fromthe originalon 27 October 2013.Retrieved21 March2014.
  11. ^"Katy Carr zaprasza do PON-u!".YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on 21 December 2021.Retrieved21 March2014.
  12. ^abNeil Spencer (11 November 2012)."Katy Carr: Paszport – review | Music | The Observer".London: Guardian.Retrieved21 March2014.
  13. ^Robin Denselow (8 November 2012)."Katy Carr: Paszport – review | Music".The Guardian.London.Retrieved21 March2014.
  14. ^"Katy Carr".Kendallcalling.co.uk.Retrieved10 June2016.
  15. ^ab"Katy Carr ★ Providence ★ press release".katycarr.com.Retrieved23 January2021.
  16. ^ab"Independent Music Awards - Winners | Nominations".Awardsandwinners.com.Retrieved20 July2020.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Katy_Carr&oldid=1221225664"