REGRETFULLY, WE HAVE HAD TO CANCEL THE DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 SAMUEL BLASER QUARTET + DAVE GOULD CONCERT AT WAHC, DUE TO BUREAUCRATIC BARRIERS BEYOND OUR CONTROL. WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE AND HOPE TO WELCOME THESE ARTISTS BACK TO OUR STAGE IN THE COMING YEAR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT!
ZULA MUSIC & ARTS COLLECTIVE HAMILTON
(Berlin/New York/Lucerne)
SAMUEL BLASER QUARTET
Samuel Blaser trombone Russ Lossing keyboards Toto Gucci double bass Gerry Hemingway drums
Swiss trombonist Samuel Blaser, known for blending progressive post-bop with early music, heads a tribute to the late, ever-stimulating jazz eccentric Jimmy Giuffre, with crack band which includes master-drummer Gerry Hemingway and versatile pianist/keyboardist Russ Lossing.
“…the music on Spring Rain has something so incredibly refreshing and encouraging.” – Telerama
“In a world of trends and marketing plans, it is beautiful to encounter a musician who is dedicated to invention, to spontaneous interaction, to trudging on a road less traveled, or perhaps where no path exists at all. Surely this is the only solo trombone tribute to Jimmy Giuffre- as wonderful as it is unexpected. Samuel honors the intelligence and the concentration of the listener. The quality of his musical mind, his virtuosity…extraordinary. His colleagues on this journey weave ideas together with a sly subtle sense of conversation. And how wonderful is that.”Robert Sadin, January 14th 2015
BIOGRAPHIES
At a time when more musicians are trying to be heard than ever before, rare gems like Samuel Blaser seem paradoxically, to rise above it all. Since his 2007 debut as a leader, 7th Heaven (Between the Lines), Blaser has grown at an almost incomprehensible rate, from a straight-ahead hard bopper in his mid-twenties to an innovative free player and ever-searching composer and bandleader in his early thirties – one whose improvisational strength has received high praise from the media world over.
Born and raised in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, Blaser lived in New York City for many years before relocating to Berlin, where he currently resides. He began trombone lessons at the age of 9, and his early interests ranged from Swiss folk music to American R&B and jazz. He entered the local conservatory at 14 and graduated in 2002 after being awarded prizes in both the jazz and classical spheres, including the 2000 Benny Golson Prize. Participation in the heralded Vienna Art Orchestra and European Radio Big Band eventually led to a Fullbright Scholarship, facilitating studies in the United States at the SUNY Purchase College Conservatory of Music. A year later, Samuel won the J.J. Johnson Prize in 2006.
In his relatively short career, Blaser has worked with Swiss percussion legend Pierre Favre, pianist Hal Galper, drummer John Hollenbeck, saxophonist Michael Blake and François Houle’s 5+1 group; he has worked closely with Grammy Award winning producer Robert Sadin and most recently with Billy Mintz.
2015 will see Blaser touring with two trios: one with guitarist Marc Ducret featuring Danish drummer Peter Bruun and the other with French pianist Benoit Delbecq and American drummer Gerry Hemingway. As of November, Blaser is back on the road with his original quartet to promote his new album Spring Rain (Whirlwind Recordings) an homage to Jimmy Giuffre, with Russ Lossing on piano, Drew Gress on bass and drummer Gerald Cleaver.
New York based jazz pianist, composer and recording artist Russ Lossing is known worldwide for his highly personal and unique improvising voice. Lossing has composed over 400 works and has an international reputation as a world-class improviser. Lossing has twelve releases as leader on Hat Hut, Clean Feed, Fresh Sound, Double Time and OmniTone record labels. Lossing worked with Motian for over twelve years both as leader of his own trios and as sideman in the Paul Motian Quintet playing at the Village Vanguard in New York.
Gerry Hemingway has been making a living as a composer and performer of solo and ensemble music since 1974. He has led a number of quartet & quintets since the mid 80’s including his current quintet with Ellery Eskelin, Oscar Noriega, Terrence McManus and Kermit Driscoll as well collaborative groups with Mark Helias & Ray Anderson (BassDrumBone) celebrating its 34th anniversary in 2011, w/Reggie Workman and Miya Masaoka on koto (Brew), Georg Graewe & Ernst Reijseger, recently celebrating its twentieth anniversary (GRH trio), WHO trio with Swiss pianist, Michel Wintsch and bassist, Baenz Oester, as well as numerous duo projects with Thomas Lehn, John Butcher, Ellery Eskelin, Marilyn Crispell, Terrence McManus and Jin Hi Kim. Mr. Hemingway is a Guggenheim fellow and has received numerous commissions for chamber and orchestral work including “Terrains”, a concerto for percussionist and orchestra commissioned by the Kansas City Symphony. He also been involved in songwriting documented in the CD “Songs” produced by Between the Lines as well as his collaboration with John Cale. He is well known for his eleven years in the Anthony Braxton Quartet and more recently his duo with Anthony “Old Dogs (2007)” released on Mode/Avant. His many collaborations with some of the world’s most outstanding improvisers and composers include Evan Parker, Cecil Taylor, Mark Dresser, Anthony Davis, George Lewis, Derek Bailey, Leo Smith, Oliver Lake, Kenny Wheeler, Frank Gratkowski, Michael Moore and many others. His rich musical history, collaborations, performances and recordings are all amply documented on his extensive website: http://www.gerryhemingway.com. He currently lives in Switzerland having joined the faculty of the Hochschule Luzern in 2009.
(Hamilton)
Dave Gould
Dave Gould percussive strings
Drummer, percussionist, string player, yarn ripper… is there anything Dave Gould can’t do well? Probably… but why not come and hear some of the things he is really good at? Dave plays beautifully on awe-inspiring instruments he has built from fund objects in nature, including antlers and whalebone. A real treat and truly worthwhile experience!
