My name is Michał Lipka aka Cpt. Sparky from Warsaw/Poland. I started my artistic career at the beginning of 1990’s.
Here is my short Bio:
Cpt. Sparky is a Warsaw club DJ, member of the Soul Service collective. Cpt. Sparky, along with Burn Reynolds, hosted the author’s broadcast radioshow on Chillizet radiostation. Cpt. In 2015 Sparky performed with his original program at the jubilee concert of Stołeczna Estrada „Wianki nad Wisłą” for 20 thousand people featuring famous polish singers: Urszula Dudziak, Halina Frąckowiak and Ania Rusowicz; besides, he has played „Journalists Ball ” for 10 years on „Żywiec Meskie Granie”, for 8 years he has been running „Debutantes Ball „, „Elle Style Awards”, „Empik Awards”, ” 100 Years ZAiKS Ball”, „TVN Ball ” „Miss Polonia”, New Year’s Eve 2017 and 2018 at the „Panorama Sky Bar” of the Marriott Hotel, opening of the VIP Bar „Belle Epoque” at the Bristol Hotel, he was a resident of the 2017 „Hala Koszyki”, he is the author of the music mix for the largest firework show in Polish history on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of regaining independence in Warsaw Podzamcze. He played several thousand club and company events from Tokyo, London, Berlin through Tel-Aviv to Shanghai. His style is inextricably linked with vinyl records.
He is a co-author of „Polish Funk” and the author of many other compilations released on CD and vinyl by Polskie Nagrania, Warner, Emi / Pomaton. The latest Cpt. Sparki is a disc with the Polish jazz BossaNova „Fly me to Brazil” released by Warner Polska. The album is still on sale.
Below you can learn some more details about me. 🙂
At the beginning of 90’s, being under heavy influence of jazz and ethnic music, I founded with Paweł Kucharczuk – Primitivo music group. With this band we recorded one record in 1998.
PRIMITIVO music group. I am in the middle.
In 1998 I established Cpt. Sparky Publications – a record label to promote and release interesting Polish music genres from experimental electronica to ska and funk. With this label I released 15 records of different polish underground artists. My label lasted only for 3 years but it made quite a reputation for me and these artists.
2001 Newsweek article about DJs. I am with Asia – club vocalist. We were performing in Warsaw’s club Piekarnia. It was the best party place in Warsaw at that time. 🙂
After closing this label in 2000 I started my career as a DJ and till today I conquer club goers with hot rhythms of funk, soul, rhythm and blues and jazz from my ever expanding vinyl record collection. For my nickname a picked of course „Cpt. Sparky”.
I was an art manager of Warsaw’s clubs Organza (2001-2003) and Paprotka (2005-2006) and I invited many famous DJs from all over the world.
I am an author of club music compilations for EMI and Sony. They were issued with cooperation with Viva! magazine.
In 2005 with fellow three DJs: Papa Zura, Burn Reynolds and Misty we founded Soul Service – a DJ team with a mission to promote our favorite music genres: funk and soul in Polish clubs. Later on DJ Ojciec Karol joint Soul Service. Picture above was made in 2017 on our 12 birthday party.
Due to our cooperation with Polskie Nagrania label we issued a series of compilations: Polish Funk vol.1-4, Why Not Samba, Off Season and Strange Weekend.
From 2011 I cooperate with dance studio Swing Out and together we make a parties called „Fall in love with Swing” promoting lindy-hop dance and swing music. In 2011 I created JazzMess – party project with dancefloor jazz in Warsaw’s club Tygmont.
From 2017 I continue this project in Warsaw’s best jazz club 12on14.
2016 & 2017 I was a resident DJ of Koszyki, coolest trendsetting food court place in Warsaw. I regularly played there with live musicians – sets of nujazz and nusoul music.
I played in many clubs abroad like: Unique Club (Duseldorf), Zapata (Stuttgart), Depot (Tubingen), Cafe im Kunstverein (Frankfurt), Graviti (Vilnius), Bunker (Minsk), Kraftwerk i Ventil (Switzerland), Soul Club (Tel Aviv), Bass Club (Jerusalem), Jazz Cafe (London), Birdyard (Birmingham), Bohannon (Berlin) and also in Shanghai and Tokyo.
From 2017 I make my own Vlog series „Why Vinyl?” about my philosophy of DJing, collecting vinyl records and good music. (You can chceck my Vlog here)
I am also a video maker and VJ and author of movies and video clips. (Check here)
I am also a designer an author of many CD and Vinyl record covers.