EKT Gdynia - Sailing Song

Summer stage - in the garden of Pałacyk Zielińskiego

EKT Gdynia is one of the most recognizable groups of Polish sailing and tourist song. The band was formed in 1986 in Kieleńska Huta near Gdynia on the initiative of Jan Wydra and Józef Elimer. The name comes from the Elite Tourist Club - a community of people connected with tourism, sailing, and student song. The author of most of the texts and music is the band's leader, Jan Wydra. A special place in the group's history is held by Ireneusz "Messalina" Wójcicki (1954-2011) - a vocalist and lyricist who for many years co-created its repertoire and stage character.

Polish sailing song canon includes, among others, "24 February", "Miła", "Bar in the Beskids", "I Bet", and "People, Don't Sell Your Dreams". The band performed at the most important festivals in Poland - Shanties in Kraków, Bazunie in Gdańsk, Tratwie in Katowice, Kopyściu in Białystok, RockWater in Serwy, and many others. They also performed abroad, including in Toronto at the "From the Sea to the Land of Gentleness" festival. They participated in the Independence Voyage aboard the sailing ship Dar Młodzieży, during which they performed a concert in Singapore.

Line-up: Jan Wydra (vocals, guitar), Jacek Fimiak (drums, vocals), Krzysztof Kowalewski (electric guitar, vocals), Marcin Ritter (bass guitar, vocals), Maciej Barankiewicz (acoustic guitar, vocals).