The saxophone quartet is a rarity in the world of jazz music. The World Saxophone Quartet, the 29th Street Saxophone Quartet, the Rova Saxophone Quartet and the Kölner Saxofon Mafia are among the few notable exceptions.
The common theme connecting the bands mentioned above is that their music has a somewhat intellectual element to it and can often be said to have greater appeal to the brain than to the heart of the listener.
What a treat therefore, that with Q4 a Saxophone Quartet has burst on to the scene that touches the listener’s soul and intellect equally with its phenomenal music.
Founded nearly two years ago, four reed players combine their stupendous virtuosic skills, their artistic expertise honed over long years of playing and their powerful creativity to produce an idiosyncratic sound that can't be compared to any other group working on the circuit today.
When not writing and performing with Q4, baritone saxophonist Tini Thomson is the leader of her own highly successful quintet MaxSax. She has worked with illustrious musicians such as Dr. John, Incognito, Nils Landgren and German rap star Cro. Tini was also a member of the briefly revived famous saxophone Quartet Itchy Fingers. In 2015 she received the prestigious IB.SH-Jazzaward at the renowned Jazz Baltica Festival and one year later at the Deutschen... more
The common theme connecting the bands mentioned above is that their music has a somewhat intellectual element to it and can often be said to have greater appeal to the brain than to the heart of the listener.
What a treat therefore, that with Q4 a Saxophone Quartet has burst on to the scene that touches the listener’s soul and intellect equally with its phenomenal music.
Founded nearly two years ago, four reed players combine their stupendous virtuosic skills, their artistic expertise honed over long years of playing and their powerful creativity to produce an idiosyncratic sound that can't be compared to any other group working on the circuit today.
When not writing and performing with Q4, baritone saxophonist Tini Thomson is the leader of her own highly successful quintet MaxSax. She has worked with illustrious musicians such as Dr. John, Incognito, Nils Landgren and German rap star Cro. Tini was also a member of the briefly revived famous saxophone Quartet Itchy Fingers. In 2015 she received the prestigious IB.SH-Jazzaward at the renowned Jazz Baltica Festival and one year later at the Deutschen... more
credits
released January 15, 2019
Tini Thomsen - baritone saxophone
Nigel Hitchcock - alto saxophone
Fiete Felsch - alto and soprano saxophone
Björn Berger - tenor saxophone
Tini Thomsen - baritone saxophone
Nigel Hitchcock - alto saxophone
Fiete Felsch - alto and soprano saxophone
Björn Berger - tenor saxophone
The Erroll Garner Project includes:
Bassist Luques Curtis is in demand for his amazing skills in straight-ahead jazz as well as the Afro-Caribbean genre, as evidenced by his performances on more than 75 albums, and his numerous Grammy nominations. Luques’ experience includes stints with Eddie Palmieri, Christian Scott, Orrin Evans, Gary Burton, Andy Gonzalez and others. The bassist has also released four well-received Curtis Brothers recordings as co-leader with his sib, pianist Zaccai Curtis.
Drummer Ulysses Owens Jr.has made the Rising Star list in DownBeat’s Critics Poll for five straight years, thanks to his work with everyone from Christian McBride, Kurt Elling, Joey Alexander and others. With four albums under his own name, and another four as co-leader of the New Century Jazz Quintet, commissions from Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Museum of Modern Art and others, expect to be wowed by this gifted musician, composer, producer and educator for years to come.
Saxophonist TK Blue was a mainstay--and musical director--of Randy Weston’s African Rhythms ensemble for more than three decades. TK has well over a dozen releases as a leader, and scores of others with Weston, Sam Rivers, Abdullah Ibrahim, Benny Powell, Jayne Cortez and more. A celebrated composer, arranger and educator, TK has appeared with a pantheon of jazz greats including Dizzy Gillespie, Pharoah Sanders, Kenny Barron, Joanne Brackeen, Chico Hamilton, Arturo O’Farrill, James Moody, Billy Harper, Paquito D’Rivera, Regina Carter, Jimmy Scott, Mal Waldron and countless others.
Once you’ve heard bassist Alex Blake, you’ll never mistake his sound for anyone else’s. His unique style combines strumming, slapping and singing. Often identified with Randy Weston, thanks to his long tenure with African Rhythms, Alex has also appeared with Sun Ra, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins, Carlos Santana, Stan Getz, McCoy Tyner, Yusef Lateef, Betty Carter, Jimmy Buffett, and a genre-spanning roster of musical masters.
In-demand percussionist Neil Clarke forms deep musical relationships that last for decades, including significant long-term collaborations with Randy Weston, Harry Belafonte, Miriam Makeba, Dianne Reeves, Dave Sanborn, Paul Winter, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and others. A lifelong advocate of preserving and sharing African cultural traditions, Neil has worked as a consultant and educator, serving as artist in residence and conducting master classes at Harvard, Duke University, the Museum of Natural History, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and other renowned cultural institutions.
Award-winning trombonist Steve Turre made his mark with Ray Charles, Woody Shaw, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Art Blakey, J.J. Johnson, Lester Bowie, Max Roach, Horace Silver, Van Morrison, Pharoah Sanders, and other legendary band leaders, as well as fronting his own ensembles. A mainstay of the Saturday Night Live Band, Turre is also accomplished at making music on seashells. It will be especially exciting to hear Turre apply his magic touch to charts written by long-time Weston collaborator Melba Liston; a respected trombonist herself, notably with Dizzy Gillespie’s big band, Liston’s known for simpatico arrangements for brass, and the bass clef in particular.
