LET'S GET ... JAZZ
MAY 23, 2012
21.00-22.00 - PICHLER BROS - Austria
Andreas and Matthias Pichler were born in Tyrol Austria. At an early age the brothers played trumpet and drums, until the twins decided to start a rock band, with Andreas drummer and Matthias bassplayer... After they graduated from university for Jazz and Improvised Music in Linz and Amsterdam, the twins moved to Berlin. The Brothers are collaborating with such artists as Wolfgang Muthspiel, Louise Jensen, Matthieu Michel, Christoph Dienz, Mark Feldman, Alegre Correa, Marc Copland, The Vienna "Jazzwerkstatt", Dominykas and Petras Vysniauskas; to name but a few. In October 2010 the twins won the 1st Prize at the international Double Bass Convention in Berlin (Jazz Competition).
Andreas and Matthias are now working intensely on their Duo Project: Two Voices, Double Bass, Drums and Banjo. Improvisations are the focal point of their music.Influenced by songwriters, folk, jazz, classical-, world- and improvised music the twins found their own musical language.
22.00-23.00 - VIKTORIA TOLSTOY - Sweden
Viktoria Tolstoy is a highly celebrated and respected international jazz vocalist and her numerous success stories are all a product of this explosive natural supertalent. Viktoria has never taken a single singing class thus she also owns that little perfect difference that delivers her clearly strong and wonderfully untamed, vibrant sound. She'll capture the moment on any given occasion and will outperform herself from one grand evening to the next.
Viktoria reaches all the way and her colorful, spontaneous persona will by all means make one forget to breathe for not only a short moment. Viktoria is already on the very top, yet once again aiming up.
Viktoria has been saluted by media wherever she has landed since she first grabbed that microphone, and rest assure, this show will go on.
23.00-00.00 - MANU HERMIA TRIO - Belgium
Being an improviser, a composer and an explorer of world music, Manuel Hermia has developed personal projects simultaneously in several directions: jazz with his Quartet (The Spirit of the Valley, 1999 Rajazz Igloo, Igloo 2006), with the group Slang (Los Locos, Save the Chilis, It's on the way) and, on the Indian flute this time with "The Whisper of the Orient" (Igloo 2005, and Cristal / Harmonia Mundi, 2005). He has also played with many artists from different cultures: Mamady Keita (Guinea), Dhruba Ghosh (India), Regis Gizavo (Madagascar), Majid Bekkas ( Moraco ) Ben Ngabo (Rwanda), Nono Garcia (Spain), Joao Braga (Brazil), Dobet Gnahoré (Ivory Coast), Abid Bahri (Morocco), Manou Gallo (Ivory Coast) ... He also played for the contemporary circus company Feria Musica during 10 years. He appears as a guest in other horizons with Fred Wesley, Peter Van Dormael, Didier Laloy, Baggili Karim, Salvatore Adamo, Sttellla, William Sheller, Radja Nin Dick Annegarn, Clarika, The Guilty Brothers Experience, Oxymore ... he currently plays with his trio: Manuel Hermia, sax - Manolo Cabras ,bass - Joao Lobo, percussions
Videos: http://jazzonline.gr/en/jazzenda/item/1121-european-jazz-festival-technopolis.html
MAY 24, 2012
21.00-22.00 - TAKOUSHIS-KARAPATAKIS PROJECT - Cyprus
Marios Takounis, piano — Gabriel Karapatakis, bass - David Lynch, sax — Zacharis Spiridakis Cretan lyra — Stelios Xidias, drums.
Marios Takoushis - Gabriel Karapatakis project featuring David Lynch, Zacharias Spyridakis and Stelios Xydias, come together for a commissioned premier comprised of band leaders, bassist Gabriel Karapatakis and pianist Marios Takoushis featuring legendary saxophonist David Lynch and Cretan lira virtuoso Zacharias Spyridakis with Stelios Xydias on Drums.
The two musicians have managed to accomplish a simple, yet original fusion of melody, harmony and rhythm. Their carefully structured melodies and grooves, interchange unexpectedly creating moments of climactic and virtuoso peaks. Each composed piece acts as a point of reference, allowing the musicians to develop their ideas freely. They will be joined by one of the best drummers in Cyprus, Stelios Xydias.
David Lynch is one of the most respected and accomplished musicians of the contemporary Greek music scene today. Though obviously not of Greek descent, the unique musical language he has developed by submerging his own expressive idiom into that of the Greek musical experience has earned him the reputation of being a musician of extraordinary sensitivity and versatility.
Zacharias Spyridakis a charismatic Lyra player from Crete. His numerous performances include participation in the Closing Ceremony of the Athens Olympic Games 2004 and the Cultural Olympiad of Greece to China. Since 1994 he has collaborated with Markopoulos, participating in many of his concerts. Pianist Marios Takoushis and bassist Gabriel Karapatakis have been playing for over a decade together. In July 2009 they recorded their debut CD album "Sympnoia" which was released in March 2010. Following the release, the quartet has performed in many important theaters and cultural events.
22.00-23.00 - YURI HONING WIRED PARADISE - Holland
Yuri Honing is probably Holland’s most important saxophoneplayer (according to Pinguin Guide to jazz on cd and the Oxford Introduction to jazz) with touring experience in more that 50 countries and a discography of almost 30 titles... Honing played and recorded with greats as Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden and Paul Bley. In 2001 Honing recieved the Edison Jazz Award (Dutch Grammy) for his recording Seven, featuring Paul Bley, Gary Peacock and Paul Motion.. Though originally a jazzplayer, Honing developed a taste for people like Bjork, Iggy Pop and bands like Goldfrapp and Radiohead... Honing uses jazz, rock, dance and electronics fearlessly to proof his point that jazz is not a style but a language. Style doesn’t matter it is all about communicating modern times through music... ..
“One of the most creative and fearless saxophonists of the moment’ The Times
23.00-00.00 - RICCARDO LUPPI’S MURE MURE - Italy
Riccardo Luppi,tenor and soprano saxophone, flutes first studied flute at the Civica Scuola di Musica di Milano, later on graduating with degrees in Jazz at both the Bologna and Milano Conservatories as a saxophonist. In 1976 he started his career on the local jazz scene playing with some of the most important Italian musicians. At the same time, he was performing at international Jazz Festivals both in Italy and abroad with his own groups or as a sideman. He also gained experience as a performer in large ensembles conducted by prominent musicians including Muhal Richard Abrams, Giorgio Gaslini, Enrico Rava, Martial Solal, Maria Schneider, Bob Mintzer, Kenny Wheeler, Roswell Rudd and others. He toured for the first time in the U.S. in 1992 with a Quintet comprised of the most important Italian musicians on the current scene in North Carolina. The following year he returned to the U.S. to perform with the International Jazz Ensemble at the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado several concerts that included guest musicians such as Curtis Fuller, Ernie Watts, Hamiet Bluiett and Larry Coryell. In 1996 his Quartet was selected by the Chicago Jazz Institute to take a part in the Chicago Jazz Festival. This was followed by an extensive period of touring throughout Europe, Central America and North Africa. For four consecutive concert seasons (2002-2005) he performed with an international big band at The Guimaraes Jazz Festival in Portugal. Performing with him were some of the best known European musicians including Nguyên Lê, Julian Arguelles, Perico Sambeat, Markus Stockhausen, Martin France, Gianluigi Trovesi, Norma Winstone and many others. He has been a founding member of the A.M.J. (Association of Italian Jazz Musicians) in addition to performing with the G.O.N. (Grande Orchestra Nazionale di Jazz) for two seasons 1992/1993 under the direction of Maestro Giorgio Gaslini. He began teaching Jazz performance (tenor, soprano, flute, piccolo) and general Jazz studies at a number of jazz Conservatories in Italy in 2000. Currently, he teaches at The Milan Conservatory of Music Giuseppe Verdi. In 2007 he became a member of the O.N.I.C., a Jazz Orchestra formed by teachers and performers working throughout Italy. He is leader of his own quartet “Riccardo Luppi’s Mure Mure” featuring a new generation of young musicians from the Northern Europe. He also is the leader of a sextet: “The Duke Ellington Project”. He has a working Quintet, as well as a twelve piece ensemble performing his own compositions: “The Riccardo Luppi Ensemble”. He also collaborates in various duets and trios performing sets of free improvisation. Selected discography: As leader or band member or guest musician he has taken part in more than 60 recordings published by the best Italian jazz labels.
videos : http://jazzonline.gr/en/jazzenda/item/1122-european-jazz-festival-in-technopolis.html
MAY 25, 2012
21.00-22.00 - MARTA SANCHEZ QUARTET — Spain
Marta Sanchez is a regular pianist on the jazz circuit of Madrid. Musicians with whom has has played include Bob Sands, Norman Hogue, Chema Sáiz, Israel Sandoval, Román Filiú, Ariel Bringuez, Talento Jazz Orquesta, Afrodisian Big Band, Santiago de la Muela, Doris Cales, Antonio Serrano, Eva Escot, Larry Martin, Natalia Calderón, and Pedro Ruy Blas, amongst others. Since 2005, Marta has been the driving force behind several projects, starting with her trio involving bass player Carlos Barretto and drummer Andrés Litwin, with whom she published the CD Lunas, soles y elefantes (Errabal, 2007), and continuing with her quartet with saxophonist Ariel Bringuez, bass player Reinier Elizarde, and Andres Litwin on drums, with whom she recorded: La espiral amarilla (Errabal, 2010). Both of these works received strong, positive, reviews within the Spanish jazz media. During this period, her groups have played at the most important clubs of Spain, such as Café Central, Bogui, Jamboree, La Bilbaina, Berlin Jazz Café, and Calle 54. Further, their participation in leading jazz festivals, such as the Festival de Jazz de Madrid, Festival de Jazz de Vitoria-Gasteiz, Segojazz, Festival de Jazz de Lleida, Festival de Jazz es Primavera en San Juan Evangelista, Festival de jazz de Castellon, Festival de jazz de Valladolid, and Festival de Jazz de Zaragoza, demonstrated their burgeoning reputation within the community. Internationally, the groups have undertaken tours of Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile. Marta is currently living in New York, studying towards her Masters in Jazz Piano Performance at NYU, supported by the award of a Fulbright Scholarship
22.00-23.00 - BEVORT 3 — Denmark
The Danish jazz trio Bévort 3 (Pernille Bévort, saxophone and vocals; Peter Hansen, bass; Janus Templeton, drums) Plays with jazz standards and contemporary music, giving its own orchestrations of its own pieces, or even rearranging known pop songs with jazzy colors. In the foreground is the songwriter, singer and saxofonistria Pernille Bévort which until today has seven personal albums
23.00-00.00 - TUBIS TRIO - Poland
Maciej Tubis is a pianist, born in Lodz in 1983. He graduated with distinction from the Grazyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Academy of Music in Lodz, majoring in piano. He took part in many competitions, and received distinctions in the Chamber Competition in Torun and the National Competition for Music High Schools in Lodz, was a finalist of the junior Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition and was fifth in the chamber category in the Competition of Interpretation of French Music. When he was 14, he gave a concert with the orchestra of the Stanislaw Moniuszko Musical Schools Complex in Lodz. All this did not, however, impede his interest in jazz. He twice took part in Jazz Workshops in Chodziez, he also attended improvisation and big band lessons. What he considers his biggest achievements are second places in Jazz Pianists Competition in Warsaw in 2004 and the distinction awarded by the Second Channel of the Polish Television in the show Creative Valley, or what the young art looks for, for the tune “Fulfillment” in 2006. In May 2007 he received a special award in the Entertainment Pianist Competition held in the Agnieszka Osiecka Studio in Channel Three of the Polish Radio. He was also a finalist of, among others, the International Contest of Young Jazz Groups "Jazz Juniors" (2002, 2004) and the Bielsko Jazz Blizzard (2004). Maciej Tubis gave concerts in numerous jazz clubs all over Poland and recitals in radio stations. He is inspired by the works of Arvo Part, minimalist music and Scandinavian jazz, but also any other kind of music flowing straight from the heart — which can be felt immediately. In April 2007, a big concert was held in the Concert Hall of the Lodz Philharmonic. The music recorded during the concert was published in November 2007 on the first album, “Fulfillment…” ("žSpelnienie…"). In May, Maciej composed the musical score for a documentary on sculptures "žUnlimited Space” (“Przestrzen nieograniczona") by a Lódz artist Anna Frackowicz, and for an etude “The return” (“Powrót”) by a student, Paul Latallo. Since September 2007, he has been co-operating with the band of Karolina Glazer, a jazz singer. .... ..About the Tubis Trio:...... An acoustic trio in search of new directions within the framework of contemporary jazz, inspired by the music deriving from the renowned labels ECM (Tomasz Stanko) and ACT (Esbjörn Svensson). Taking this course, we create subtlety on the basis of the feeling of strong rhythm. A harmonic simplicity is contrasted with a modern perception of chords. Common melodic lines evolve into a jazz ostinato. Our goal was to create the music as it is, to extract beauty, and sometimes — joy, in their purest form. Our music is not forcibly complicated or “jazzed” — it is just as it flows from us. These words may seem threadbare, yet how hard it is to find such subtlety, such logic and such sensitivity in the turmoil of everyday life and of modern music…
videos: http://jazzonline.gr/en/jazzenda/item/1123-european-jazz-festival-in-technopolis.html
MAY 26, 2012
21.00-22.00 - KRYSTOF MAREK, SARA BUKOVSKA — Czechoslovakia
Marek studied piano at the Jaroslav Ježka Conservatory in Prague. He has appeared with many leading music ensembles (Milan Svoboda's Kontraband, the black theater musical group Imaginativ, the contemporary classical music ensemble Agon, and Radio Big Band Praha; he was in Karel Gott‘s back-up band. He has worked with both Czech and international musicians: Benny Bailey, James Moody, Jim Odgren, Victor Mendoza (USA); Siggi Fingel (Austria); Tony Lakatos, Uwe Plath, Matthias Bergmann (West Germany); Robert Majewski, Piotr Baron (Poland); Jan Hasenohrl, Magdalena Rezková and many others (Czech Repubic).He has recorded many jazz albums: 5 with Kontraband (on which some of his own compositions are played); 2 with his big band "Smiles for Miles" with vocalist Magdalena Rezková; a compact disc of his own music "Angel's Crying in My Head, Angel's Laughter in My Heart" with Tony Lakatos as soloist; and his third big band album for trumpeter Jan Hasenöhrl and other outstanding Cech jazz soloists is to come out in 2007. He is currently active as a member of the Josef Vejvoda Trio.He also has a career as a conductor. In Prague he was both conductor and musical director for the musicals Evita, Les Misérables and Miss Saigon. During his engagement in Plze?, he conducted 10 different productions of musicals, opera and ballet, including Fiddler on the Roof, Gypsies go to Heaven, Crazy for You, Blood Brothers, and Some Like it Hot. He conceived and managed a concert series called the Wondrous World of Musicals, and in 2003 he premiered his own jazz operetta Kristián II (libretto and staging by A. Procházka). Currently he is conducting the KarlÃn Musical Theater production of the musical The Producers and preparing and arranging an adaptation of Lemonade Joe.He also writes stage music and works as composer for Czech Radio and arranger for many theatrical and musical productions. He remains active in the areas of jazz, pop and contemporary classical music
The pianist Sára Bukovská, born in 1977, is among the most respected pianists of the younger generation and most respected musicians in contemporary music scene of the Czech. Thanks to her exceptional artistic zeal and wide repertoire (classical music, opera, Shaanxi, jazz) she gives numerous concerts in the Czech Republic and abroad, mainly in Japan and Germany.
22.00-23.00 - MARIS BRIEZKALNS QUINTET — Latvia
Maris Briezkalns, drums - Intars Busulis, voice, trombone - Gints Paberzs, saxophone - Viktors Ritovs, piano - Andris Grunte, doublebass -
MBQ is today one of the leading and interesting small acoustic mainstream bands on Latvian jazz scene, streching special accents on pop — jazz and latin — jazz. MBQ has performed on several international stages - in MIDEM, Pori Jazz, Rigas Ritmi, Ottawa Jazz, Kaunas Jazz, Nomme Jazz, Jazz Kaar (St. Petersburg), Jazz at Castle (Prague), Toronto, Montreal, Ankara Jazz and Venice Jazz Festival.
In 2005 Maris Briezkalns with his companions created first album "Latvian Evergreens", not even imagining that it could have continuation. Now we have the second album - it is as thrilling, witty and lovely as the first. Some pieces are musical mysteries, others - recognizable at the spot. But all of them, freed from the smell of archives, are brought to second life." The leader of the Quintet is Maris Briezkalns, a drummer and producer. He is a chief of Latvian Radio Recording Studios, for a lot of years has been the drummer of Latvian Radio Big Band and participated in recording of more than 70 CD’s, has given master classes in Norway, Germany, Great Britain, performed in such countries, as USA, Falkland Islands, Spain, Canada, Turkey. He runs the Contemporary Music Centre and produces the International Music Festival “Rigas Ritmi” and Jazz Artists Competition "žSony Jazz Stage”. Has been nominated for Great Music Award in 2008. Among others, Maris Briezkalns has produced a list of interesting CD’s - “Bach-Kamer-Pauls”, “Jazz /Latvia 2008”, “The Best of Sony Jazz Stage”, Baltic Jazz Trio CD “Baltic Saga”. Gints Paberzs is Latvian Great Music Award 2006 winner, The Great Music Award (GMA) is the highest prize given by the Latvian state in the field of music. He is also a member of Riga Saxophone Quartet, with whom he got another GMA in 1999. For years Gints Paberzs has been member of very popular Latvian funk jazz group “Time After Time”, which also has achieved international recognition. Intars Busulis has gained popularity far abroad, he is winner of International jazz artist competition "žSony Jazz Stage 2004” and pop music competition “Jaunais vilnis (New Wave) 2005”, took part in European Youth Jazz Orchestra conducted by Vic Vogel giving concerts in Canada, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. Viktors Ritovs is well known for his brilliant technique both to classical and jazz music listeners. He teaches jazz at the Latvian Music Academy. Andris Grunte is sharing love for jazz with the work in the Latvian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra.
23.00-00.00 - HARIS LAMBRAKIS QUARTET — Greece
The Harris Lambrakis Quartet was established in 2006 and has since appeared in major festivals in Greece and abroad. Centerpiece of the music is the modal jazz, and it is obvious influences from John Coltrane, the world music and improvised music. With references to the East, the quartet is inspired by jazz harmonies, rhythms and melodies that refer to the 1960s and 1970s.
videos: http://jazzonline.gr/en/jazzenda/item/1124-european-jazz-festival-in-technopolis.html
MAY 27, 2012
21.00-22.00 - MARIA JOAO & MARIO LAGINHA PROJECT — Portugal
Maria Joao & Mario Laginha started to work together 25 years ago, and since then they engage in a unique musical involvement, performing hundreds of concerts in Portugal and abroad. Together they already presented several records of excellent quality: “Danças”; “Fábula”. “Cor”; “Lobos, Raposas e Coiotes”; “Chorinho Feliz”; “Mumadji”; “Undercovers” and “Tralha”.
In 2004, the Duo restarts their singular partnership with a new record “Chocolate”, set by a more jazzy sound, with originals and also some standards versions. This record, the commemoration of the 25th years of their first work together. Their breakthrough capacity transforms each record and every concert in a moment of creativity and emotion. The music that they produce is, first of all, the music that they like and want to do. When we hear it, we can identify the originality and the cultural influences of the countries where they have being playing.
Maria Joao was already considered a true revelation in the jazz universe, having received several awards, namely from the San Sebastian Jazz Festival (Spain). The first big turn in Maria João’s career occurred in 1986, when she went to Germany looking for new challenges. Her third record, “Conversa”, was released that year with a new quintet featuring Carlos Bica as a member.
In one of the concerts while touring Germany, Maria João had a special spectator: Japanese free-jazz pianist Aki Takase, who invited her to begin a duo project. She left the quintet to tour Europe with Aki and her piano. From 1987 to 1990, singer and pianist challenged their limits, risking everything on the slippery field of improvisation, astounding the audiences of Jazz Festivals all over Europe that surrendered to the freedom and irreverence of their music. João and Takase recorded two live albums together — “Looking for Love” (1997) and “Alice” (1990). In 1991, Maria João became involved in a new project with Portuguese group Cal Viva. This project marks her reunion with Mário Laginha. With the record “Sol”, a fusion of Portuguese traditional music with the sounds of jazz, they toured intensely all over Portugal. The regularity of her work with Laginha and the musical complicity established between the two incited them to put together a new personal acoustic project. This is how the record “Danças” was born (1993), the beginning of a duo that persists until today, with their eighth album, “Tralha”, released in 2004.
For Mário Laginha, making music is essentially an act of sharing, and he has done so with strong musical personalities. His duet with Maria Joao has resulted in one of the most consistent and original projects of modern Portuguese music.The duet has participated in some of the most important jazz festivals in the world: Montreaux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, San Sebastian Jazz Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival.With great creativity, enormous rhythmic solidity, and a vast harmonic and melodic trait, Mário Laginha has worked alongside exceptional musicians, onstage and in studio with the likes of: Wayne Shorter, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Trilok Gurtu, Gilberto Gil, Lenine, Armando Marçal, Toninho Ferraguti, Nico Assumpção, Ralph Towner, Manu Katché, Dino Saluzzi, Kai Eckhardt, Julian Argϋelles, Steve Argϋelles, Howard Johnson, and Django Bates.
22.00-23.00 - MICHEL PILZ & GEORG RUBY — Luxembourg
Probably one of the most recognizable jazz musicians in Europe today, tall and lanky Michel Pilz and his long bass-clarinet are a popular club and concert feature. Considered early on as a successor to the great Eric Dolphy, Michel has dedicated his career exclusively to the mastery of this extraordinary woodwind.The potential of music as a means of enhancing international understanding became clear to Michel with his first overseas experiences. He has consistently attempted to include local musicians in his international appearances, believing the promotion of such relationships to be a critical element in the musician's art.
Georg Ruby has rendered outstanding services to the German jazz scene in many ways - as co-founder of the Sadtgarten in Cologne, as manager of JazzHaus Musik and as conductor of junior big bands. It is sometimes unjustly overlooked that he furthermore belongs to the outstanding German jazz piano players. Ruby is especially convincing when it comes to the hardest test for the abilities of an improvising musician: the unaccompanied piano solo.
23.00-00.00 - ATHENS BIG BAND
The City of Athens Big Band is the municipality's broad jazz music ensemble comprising the four instrument families, namely saxophones, trumpets, trombones and rhythmic drums, often backed by string and other symphonic instruments.
Apart from Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman, major composers and soloists of the Big Band music genre include Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Glenn Miller, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Tommy Dorsey, Don Ellis and William Russo.
The City of Athens Big Band repertoire consists of historic compositions and orchestrations by the pioneers of the Big Band philosophy as well as modern, quality jazz works, oftentimes penned by Greek artists.
The City of Athens Big Band has appeared in all major venues and cultural festivals in Athens, Thessaloniki and regional Greece, including Thessaloniki Concert Hall, the Nafplion Festival, the Athens International Jazz Festival at Technopolis, the International Wind Instrument Seminar in Kalavryta, the American College, the Hellenic American Union, the Athens Conservatory, the Philippos Nakas Conservatory, the Arts Conservatory, etc.
Renowned maestros and composers of jazz and contemporary music have conducted the City of Athens Big Band, including William Russo and Don Owens. Meanwhile, distinguished Greek and international soloists, such as Rex Richardson, Vince De Martino, Mark Smith, Fred Hemke Jr, Yiannis Terezakis, Antonis Ladopoulos, Veronina Mortensen, George Kontrafouris, Philippas Poulimenos, Dimitra Fotopoulou, Thanassis Koulentianos and Thanassis Ioakimidis, have performed with the ensemble.
videos: http://jazzonline.gr/en/jazzenda/item/1125-european-jazz-festival-in-technopolis.html
