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Roots Unknown

Edgar Steinitz

Roots Unknown

Price: € 19.95
Format: CD
Label: OA2 Records
UPC: 0805552214925
Catnr: OA2 22149
Release date: 09 March 2018
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Label
OA2 Records
UPC
0805552214925
Catalogue number
OA2 22149
Release date
09 March 2018
Album
Artist(s)
Composer(s)
EN
DE

About the album

With an artistic hand lent by legendary bassist David Friesen, clarinetist Edgar Steinitz presents a soulful debut recording. Honoring his heritage, Steinitz taps into a deep spirituality inspired by the joyous melodies of traditional Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jewish musics, offering originals and improvisations in their spirit. Besides Friesen on bass, Roots Unknown features an ensemble of accordian, violin, and percussion along with master improvisor, trumpeter and saxophonist Jay Thomas. Combining the refined musical tastes of the Northern European Ashkenazi, and the strong Afro-Latin influences from the Northern African and South American Sephardic communities, Steinitz discovers a rich and significant musical landscape to explore.
Zusammen mit der künstlerischen Hand des legendären Bassisten David Friesen präsentiert der Klarinettist Edgar Steinitz eine gefühlvolle Debütaufnahme. Steinitz greift zu Ehren seines Erbes auf eine tiefe Spiritualität zurück, die von den freudigen Melodien traditioneller aschkenasischer und sephardischer jüdischer Musik inspiriert ist und Originale und Improvisationen in ihrem Geist präsentiert. Neben Friesen am Bass spielt Roots Unknown ein Ensemble aus Akkordeon, Violine und Schlagzeug sowie Meisterimprovisator, Trompeter und Saxophonist Jay Thomas. Steinitz verbindet die raffinierten musikalischen Vorlieben der nordeuropäischen aschkenasischen Juden mit den starken afrolateinischen Einflüssen der nordafrikanischen und südamerikanischen sephardischen Gemeinschaften und entdeckt eine reiche und bedeutende musikalische Landschaft, die es zu erforschen gilt.

Artist(s)

Edgar Steinitz (clarinet)

Edgar Steinitz grew up near the 'Big Apple' saturated by arts and music. He frequented the Jazz scene in the 6-'s, and witnessed the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Buddy Rich. When not working as a physician (for decades Associate Professor, University of Washington Rehab) he gives up the reflex hammer for his horns. Some have nicknamed him the 'Dancin' Doc' because of his double-major in Chemistry and Dance-Theater. For the past 12 years, Edgar has studied with David Friesen, among others, and is honored to co-produce and release this work of passion, and dedication, entitled Roots Unknown honoring dual Ashkenazi and Sephardic heritages. He regularly performs with Jazz Connection and On the Rock.
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Edgar Steinitz grew up near the "Big Apple" saturated by arts and music. He frequented the Jazz scene in the 6-'s, and witnessed the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Buddy Rich. When not working as a physician (for decades Associate Professor, University of Washington Rehab) he gives up the reflex hammer for his horns. Some have nicknamed him the 'Dancin' Doc' because of his double-major in Chemistry and Dance-Theater. For the past 12 years, Edgar has studied with David Friesen, among others, and is honored to co-produce and release this work of passion, and dedication, entitled Roots Unknown honoring dual Ashkenazi and Sephardic heritages. He regularly performs with Jazz Connection and On the Rock.

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David Friesen (bass)

Anyone acquainted with David Friesen's exceptional music quickly thinks of his creative universe. Ocean-deep in his sensitivity to the human spirit, Friesen is compassionate and his music founded on integrity and the pursuit of excellence. Born in Tacoma, Washington May 6, 1942, he was raised in Seattle, though his first exposure to jazz music was at the age of 5 years in Spokane, Washington hearing in his home a friend of his sister Diane playing Boogie Woogie on his family’s upright piano. After this individual left the home, David went to the piano and tried to emulate what he had just heard… thus his musical career had just begun. His sister Diane played the piano and for many years growing up,...
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Anyone acquainted with David Friesen's exceptional music quickly thinks of his creative universe. Ocean-deep in his sensitivity to the human spirit, Friesen is compassionate and his music founded on integrity and the pursuit of excellence.
Born in Tacoma, Washington May 6, 1942, he was raised in Seattle, though his first exposure to jazz music was at the age of 5 years in Spokane, Washington hearing in his home a friend of his sister Diane playing Boogie Woogie on his family’s upright piano. After this individual left the home, David went to the piano and tried to emulate what he had just heard… thus his musical career had just begun. His sister Diane played the piano and for many years growing up, together they would play four handed piano and spent many evenings playing the piano and singing. His parents Ben and Clara Friesen were not professional musicians, but his mother had played C Melody saxophone as a child and his father had a beautiful singing voice... especially at church David could hear his father’s beautiful voice harmonizing with the congregation when they would sing hymns. Far removed from the music world, His mother was a professional bowler and his father was a Life Insurance executive. However, both his parents supported his love for music and made it possible for David to explore music on many different instruments. His sister Diane’s love for the movies and acting as a child, eventually led her into a very successful career as an actress, her name known as Dyan Cannon.
David began playing the ukulele and the accordion at 10, and a guitar professionally at 16. Friesen's first exposure to jazz was Slim Gaillard in an L.A. club when he was underage and playing guitar.
At 19, while stationed with the U.S. Army in Paris, he sat in with George Arvanitas, Johnny Griffin and Art Taylor. Then, in Copenhagen, he gigged with drummer Dick Berk and met Ted Curson in 1961. Back in the U.S., he became committed to the bass in 1964, practicing about ten hours a day. He was jamming in Seattle with local musicians - Larry Coryell and Randy Brecker were among his young compatriots - at such places as the Penthouse, where Miles, Coltrane and Bill Evans would perform; David would play opposite them and occasionally sat in with the visiting giants. Also, for two years Friesen played piano and bass at a coffee house called the Llahngaelhyn owned by bassist Jerry Heldman.
After a long tenure touring with Elmer Gill, who played with Charlie Parker and the Lionel Hampton band; Friesen opened his own coffee house in 1973 in Portland where he and his family make their home. Word began to circulate and his gigs assumed a different perspective as he hooked up with John Handy and others. Jazz education also entered his sphere of interest, and he became a faculty member of the National Stage Band Camps for a couple of summers working with Marian McPartland, John La Porta, Phil Wilson, and the Jamey Aebersold combo clinics.
Joe Henderson was his next association, which was followed by a 1975 summer tour of Europe with the Billy Harper Quintet. This tour opened new doors and led to stints with Stan Getz, Sam Rivers, Kenny Drew, George Adams and Danny Richmond (records with the latter three), and concerts with Dexter Gordon and Mose Allison. Then in 1976-77, he joined Ted Curson, who showcased Friesen's solo bass work and gave him more visibility in the jazzscape.
I first became acquainted with Friesen's gifts at a very moving, successful clinic the Curson group gave to the jazz studies students at Western Washington University in Bellingham, where I was on the faculty in 1977. Then at the 1977 Monterey Jazzfest… Friesen captured the entire audience of more than 7,000 as he opened the festival with a bass solo – sitting on a drum stool, cello-style.
With barely half of 1977 gone, Friesen was joined by the imaginative young guitarist John Stowell; together they geographically dotted the West Coast from B.C. to L.A. with performances and clinics, garnering more fans along the way.
Musical associations with legendary pianist Mal Waldron and flutist Paul Horn resulted in duet albums with each man, and several concert tours in Europe and America. In August of 1983, Friesen accompanied Paul Horn on a historic 4 week, 18 concert tour of the Soviet Union.
David Friesen has recorded over 80 CD's as a leader/ co-leader and appeared as a sideman or featured artist on more than 100 recordings. He has performed and/ or recorded with many of the great names and legends of jazz including: Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Sam Rivers, Michael Brecker, Bud Shank, Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Shaw, Freddy Hubbard, Art Farmer, Clark Terry, Joe Venuti, Mal Waldron, Jaki Byard, Kenny Drew Sr., Chick Corea, Milt Jackson, Slim Gaillard, John Scofield, Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Paul Motian, Jack Dejohnette, Airto Moreira, and many others. He has performed in concert as a soloist (Friesen is one of two or three bassists in the world that is able to play a solo concert and keep an audience riveted) and with his own groups throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, The Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Turkey, Poland, Japan, Czech Republic, Ukraine, New Zealand, Australia, China, Nigeria and South America.
Friesen's music, which is imbued with certain ingredients of jazz, is also characterized by folk-flavored things and classical and Jewish veins with substantial spontaneity, lyrical strength, warmth and creative discoveries in the musical wilderness.
-Dr. Herb Wong/Jazz Times
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Jay Thomas (flute)

Jay Thomas, a native of Seattle, is a versatile multi-instrumentalist (trumpet, flugelhorn, alto, tenor, soprano and flutes). His music is eclectic, drawing on all musical situations in his life. His music could be described as lyrical without losing touch with the blues.  Jay's musical talent was recognized early on. While still in high school he was the recipient of a Down Beat one-year scholarship to the Berklee School of Music in Boston. From Boston Jay moved to New York where he frequented Village jam sessions and worked one summer with Machito's Latin band. Three years later he had added flute and tenor to his repertoire. Through the mid-seventies Jay lived and played with top musicians in the Bay Area including Jessica...
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Jay Thomas, a native of Seattle, is a versatile multi-instrumentalist (trumpet, flugelhorn, alto, tenor, soprano and flutes). His music is eclectic, drawing on all musical situations in his life. His music could be described as lyrical without losing touch with the blues. Jay's musical talent was recognized early on. While still in high school he was the recipient of a Down Beat one-year scholarship to the Berklee School of Music in Boston. From Boston Jay moved to New York where he frequented Village jam sessions and worked one summer with Machito's Latin band. Three years later he had added flute and tenor to his repertoire. Through the mid-seventies Jay lived and played with top musicians in the Bay Area including Jessica Williams. In 1979 he moved back to Seattle and became a frequent member of the house band at Parnell's Jazz Club working engagements with jazz artists George Cables, Charles McPherson, Bill Mays, Ralph Penland, Harold Land, Diane Schuur and Slim Gaillard and sitting-in with many greats as they traveled thru Seattle. Jay can be heard on over 60 LPs and CDs. Blues For JW is Jay's eighth CD as leader and fifth release from McVouty Records. Jay's first two CDs, Easy Does It on Discovery Records and Blues For McVouty on Stash Records featured Cedar Walton and Billy Higgins. 360 Degrees on Hep Records (1995) and Rapture on Jazz Focus (1996) continued to establish Jay as one of the foremost players on the bop scene. Jay's previous CDs from McVouty Records titled Live at Tula's, Volume 1 and Volume 2 and 12th and Jackson Blues were live performances and have the feel of the after hours clubs where Jay first tested his jazz chops. Both gained high marks from audiences from Japan to Europe. Jay's two latest CDs with Becca Duran are: If You Could See Me Now, a showcase for Becca's blues and standards interpretations and Song For Rita, a trip to Brazil in the Getz/Gilberto tradition. Jay's other recordings run the gamut from hip-hop, acid-jazz, rock, Latin, big band and many small jazz groups. Current favorite releases are: two with Jessica Williams, Joy and Jessica's Blues and four big band recordings, On Going Home and Things For Now with the James Knapp Orchestra, Red Kelly's Heroes with the Ramsay/Kleeb Orchestra featuring Pete Christlieb and Use Us with Continued In The Underground Jazz Orchestra (Japanese big band). Jay is featured on the latest Bud Shank CD, On the Trail. This was the last recording by Conte Condoli and Jay is playing tenor and soprano sax in a sextet setting with Bill Mays piano Joe LaBarbera drums and Bob Magnuson bass and of course Bud on alto. Two recent recordings have Jay teamed up with jazz greats, Ray Brown (Blues for Dexter, Wolfetones Records) and Elvin Jones (Jones for Elvin, Hip City Records). Jay has appeared in concert with the bands of Mel Lewis, Clayton-Hamilton, Maria Schneider, Bill Holman, Bob Florence and Frank Wess. He has played festivals at Wolf Trap with Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan, the Aspen Jazz Festival with Herb Ellis, Jake Hanna and Mel Ryne (recorded with them on Roll Call), the duMaurier Jazz Festival three times with Chuck Israels and the duMaurier again in 1996 and 1997 with the Jay Thomas Quartet. Jay has toured Canada with John Stowell and also toured Great Britain with jazz legend Slim Gaillard recording there with Slim, Jay McShann and Buddy Tate. In the summer of 2002, Jay again traveled to Europe, this time with the Bud Shank Sextet featuring Plas Johnson. Jay has taken his group with Becca Duran to Japan several times, once representing Seattle in a jazz exchange and has been a regular member and featured soloist with one of Japan's leading big bands where he records and performs several times a year. Today Jay is busy performing, giving clinics, recording and teaching. With his wife, Becca Duran, they have a new group that blends jazz with many South American and African rhythmic traditions. Their new CD Song For Rita is a result of that collaboration. Jay's musical voice has matured over the last 20 years. His is a very personal and recognizable sound, characterized by warmth, lyricism and rhythmic authority. Readers of Earshot Magazine selected Jay as Musician of the Year for 1996 and 1998. Jay was also chosen as one of the top 10 players in the "Brass on Fire" search conducted by the national magazine, JAZZIZ.

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Bonnie Birch (accordion)

Jeff Busch (percussion)

Wayne Porter (drums)

Composer(s)

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