BAKSHISH
BIOGRAPHY

The early days of Bakshish (then known as Bakszysz) blended punk, ska, and rocksteady with a reggae pulse. Just a year after their formation, the band landed in the "golden ten" at Jarocin 1983, and a year later returned as one of the festival's headliners. In the 1980s, their presence on iconic stages—from Róbrege and FAMA to Muzyczny Camping in Brodnica—heralded the birth of a phenomenon that would permanently change the landscape of Polish independent music.

The band's first official recording was "Czarna droga" from the compilation Fala (1985) – today considered a manifesto of spirituality and a symbol of the era. The 1990s brought a phonographic breakthrough: the demo "Open Your Heart" (1991), recorded at Radio Opole and the student radio station Radiosygnały, paved the way for the debut album "One Love" (1993, MJM), which sold tens of thousands of copies and became a milestone in Polish reggae. Tracks like "Czas," "Samotność," "Good Life," and "Open Your Heart" brought roots reggae to the big stages and radio attention. A year later, "Eye" (1994) was released – a stylistically richer album, combining reggae with funk, jazz, and world music, recorded with German producer Felix Wolter.

After a short break due to the band's health problems, Bakshish returned in new form – with the mature and warmly received album B-3 (2000), which fully utilized dub studio techniques for the first time. In the 21st century, the band celebrated its anniversaries with releases that confirmed its undying creativity: 4 I VER (2012) – a 30th anniversary album; Alive! (2017) – a live record of the band's stage energy; and Ego (2022) – a 40th anniversary album combining new compositions with remastered versions of old tracks, produced with the renowned producer Umberto Echo.

Bakshish's music is an organic, warm groove, where roots reggae intertwines with dub, soul, funk, and jazz. Distinctive choruses, deep bass, pulsating off-beats, and a spiritual message create a unique atmosphere for the band's concerts. Jarex's lyrics, simple and full of light, convey a universal message—love, unity, spirituality, and resistance to hatred and division. Bakshish doesn't just play reggae—he lives it.

For years, the band has been a benchmark for successive generations of reggae and dub artists – from Habakuk and Indios Bravos to Maleo Reggae Rockers. They have performed at all the major reggae festivals in Poland and abroad: Jarocin, Róbrege, Przystanek Woodstock, Ostróda Reggae Festival, Bielawa Reggae Dub Festival, as well as in Germany (Chaos Days, Hannover 1994), France, Ireland, a UK tour, and a unique concert with the Opole Philharmonic Orchestra.

Bakshish is the history of Polish reggae in a nutshell – a band that has managed to endure time, evolve, and continue to inspire. Today, their music sounds as fresh as it did forty years ago, and each concert is an experience where energy, spirituality, and community come together in a single rhythm.

Bakshish – because reggae is a gift, and the band's name (from the Arabic word for "gift") has been a sign of its mission from the beginning: to share music, light and goodness.