Already a few years ago there was an idea to set up a playing bench with the figure of Jerzy “Dudus” Matuszkiewicz, a well-known musician and composer of cult songs such as “The Forty-Year-Old,” “Civil War” and “More Than Life at Stake.” At the time, the proposal, submitted by Tomasz Kasprzyk, appeared in the Jasło Civic Budget, but did not win the vote; now, with Norwegian funds, the City of Jasło is implementing the initiative.
Jerzy “Duduś” Matuszkiewicz was born on April 10, 1928 in Jasło, his family home is located in a tenement standing in the market square in the western frontage. He was a well-known jazz musician, co-founder of the band “Melomani”, saxophonist, composer of music for many TV series and films. Since 2013, he has been an Honorary Citizen of the City of Jasło. He passed away two years ago, on July 31, 2021.
The city wants to commemorate this outstanding musician, who did not forget his hometown of Jaslo and supported it with donations. Among them was the purchase of a new piano for the Jasło Cultural Center (PLN 50,000), and he also financially supported the Social Committee for the Protection and Renovation of Monuments of the Green Street Cemetery in Jasło. In 2015, for the first time, he funded an award named after him for young, musically talented Yasiel residents. Last year, Mr. Jerzy’s brother, Leslaw Matuszkiewicz, decided to continue this effort and also donated funds for musically talented youth.
Work is currently underway at the Jasielsk Cultural Center, at the intersection of Kosciuszko and Rejtana streets, to arrange the square and install a bench. The scope of the task includes the incorporation into the existing square of a musical bench – a seat with a bronze cast sculpture mounted on it, depicting a seated figure of Jerzy “Dudus” Matuszkiewicz holding a saxophone, and placing a stylized symbol of a piano behind it.
The work is expected to be completed by the end of December this year.
The making of the “Dudusia bench” is part of the “Urban design” project, part of the “Jasło – my city, my home” project, and implemented with funds from the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 and the state budget.
