Friday, 17th November
The Serbian National Theatre
Kurt Rosenwinkel, guitar
Dario Deidda, bass guitar
Marco Valeri, drums
KURTROSENWINKEL, guitar
Kurt Rosenwinkelis an American jazz guitarist, composer, bandleader, producer, educator and record label owner. He is recognized worldwide as one of the most influential guitarists and composers of the turn of the century. Being a natural innovator, Kurt’smusic is deeply melodicandaccessible whilesimultaneouslyworking on the highest musical levels.
Kurt Rosenwinkel was born in Philadelphia on October 28, 1970 to musical parents. His motheris a classically trained pianist and a passionate lover of music, his father isagiftedimproviser, self-taught on the piano. Kurt began playing thepianoat age 9and immediately started writing songs and has never stopped. He took up the guitar at age12andalways had many bandsduring hischildhoodwith his friends, a largegroup of youngsters who were all involved in music in some way.
During high school his musical development led him naturally tothe Philadelphia jazzscene where he participated in weekly jam sessions with local masters, which, if you are in Philly, means world Jazzmasters. Kurt was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to experience Jazz as a cultural music, adeep community experience and musical traditionin Philadelphia that is connected to the history of the music in a real and living way. This is howKurt became a jazz musician,even though his influences come from other areas of music as well. Besides having developed a deeprelationshipwiththetraditionsofjazzwithall of its vast movements and eras, from Bebop to Post-BoptoElectricJazz,Kurt is also atrue lover of Rock music, Hip-Hop, Avant-garde, all forms of Classical music, Flamenco, and Brazilian music.
Afterleaving the Berklee College of Music, Kurt joinedthe bands of Gary BurtonandPaul Motianandmovedto New York in 1991. During the 1990s, Kurt worked in these bands gainingvaluable experience from these important oldermusicians, including a time inJoe Henderson’s band, and also formed his quartet with Mark Turner, Ben Street, and Jeff Ballard. This quartet, and his collaboration with Mark Turner in particular helped define acompositional and improvisational style that is considered to be one of the touchstones of his generation, and has influenced the worldwide jazzscene widelysince.
This group’s chemistry and innovation can be heardon Kurt’s album The Next Step released in 2001on Verve Records to widespread critical acclaim. This album isconsidered to be one of the classic recordsof the turn of the century in jazz music. Kurt went on to record two more albums forVerve, making his total output for Verve fouralbums, including another innovative classiccalled Heartcore, where Kurt played mostof the instruments himself and composed andrecorded the music himself. This album is considered to be an innovative and creative landmark.On this album he was joinedin production by one of the most importantmusicians in Hip-hop: Q-tip, of the legendarygroup“A TribeCalledQuest”. Theirrelationship has continued and has resulted in collaborations suchas Q-tipsownalbums entitled Kamaal the Abstract (2006) andThe Renaissance (2008).
Kurt moved on from Verve records after releasing an all-star recording entitled Deep Song,which featured Brad Mehldau, Joshua Redman, Larry Grenadier, Ali Jackson, andJeff Ballard. He then signed with Word-of-Mouth Records where he continuedto release four albums: The Remedy, Live at the Village Vanguard whichis a quintet double album of original material recorded live at the Village Vanguard, Reflections – a beautiful and intimate standards trio album, Our SecretWorld – a wonderful collaboration with the OJM big-band from Portugal, featuringelaboratearrangementsofKurt’s music, and finallyKurt’smost recent album entitled Star of Jupiter, anotherdoublealbumfeaturinghisquartetwith Aaron Parks, Eric Revis, and Justin Faulkner. This album was hailed as an “instant classic”.
2016 saw a lot of new changes for Kurt. For the last nine years he had beenaprofessorattheJazzInstituteBerlin,wherehehadhelpedyoungmusicians grow and achieve greater artistic heights. In the beginning of 2016 Kurt resigned from his position there and decided to concentrate all his energies on creating music. At the same timehedecided to create and launch Heartcore Records, a record company dedicated not only to releasing his own music but also to finding and supporting great artistry around the world. The first release will be an album that Kurt has been working on for the last 10 years. It is a major work and is completely different from anything else he’sever done, although when one hears it, there’s a familiarity and understanding of so many elements that exist within his music. This album is calledCaipi, a reference to the Brazilian drink Caipiriña. This album is also an album where Kurt plays most of the instruments himself including Drums, Bass, Piano, Keyboards, Guitar, Voice and Percussion. And yet, there are some great artists who cameo and are part of the music, such as Eric Clapton, Mark Turner, and a young brilliant musician from Brazil named Pedro Martins.
Caipiwill be released February 10, 2017 on Heartcore Records in association with RazDazRecords, the label owned by the great Israeli bassist and composer Avishai Cohen.Heartcore Records and RazDaz have signed a cooperative label deal that is a very exciting joining of forces from these two artists. Caipi will be available worldwide and Kurt has put together a band of incredibly talented young musiciansthat will be touring extensively throughout 2017. At the same time Kurt is also involved with other groups that continually do creative projects and tours. These bands are:Human Feel, which Kurt has been a regular member of for 25 years. This is a band that is co-led by Kurt and ChrisSpeed, Andrew D’Angelo, and Jim Black. The band has released six albums and within the New York”downtown scene” and around the world have been highly influential.Bandit 65, a new co-led trio with Tim Motzer (guitar, electronics,guitar synth) and Gintas Janusonis (drums,electronics). This band is a completely free improvisational groupwith incredible chemistry that explores the inner and outer regions of the universe.Brian Blade Fellowship – Kurt is a regular member of thisgroup and appearsontwo albums: Perceptualand Season of Changes.The OrrinEvans Quartet – Kurt and Orrin have begun collaborating overthe last year and have discovered a musical simpatico that has already proved fruitful.
Kurt Rosenwinkel is already an experienced veteran with many classic moments behind him, with many important innovations on the guitar, and as a bandleader and composer, yet it seems that he is just entering the prime of his creative life. The future is bright, and a little brighter when an artist decides to be a beacon of light and hope.
Press:
New York Times: “Mr. Rosenwinkel has always been a jazz guitarist of glowing lyricism and graceful exposition.”
Chicago Tribune: “Kurt Rosenwinkel’s music is the future of jazz – just like bebop once was.”
Eric Clapton: “Kurt Rosenwinkel is a genius – he really is.” (UnCut Magazine Aug. 2014 edition)
Ottawa Citizen: “Rosenwinkel’s compositions were intriguing and singular. His sound as an instrumentalist/vocalist was one-of-a-kind and compelling…delivered with true lyrical intention.”
AllAboutJazz: “’Star of Jupiter‘ is a hands- down, flat-out contemporary classic.”
(www.kurtrosenwinkel.com ;www.heartcore-records.com)
DARIO DERRIDA, bass guitar
Born in Italy, Salerno, 1968, D.D. is part of a family where music has always played an important role, from paternal grandparents to parents, both pianists, to him and his brothers. He started at 6 years old on drums but after a few years he fell in love with the bass and began to study music seriously. He graduated in double bass from the conservatory, but over the years he continues to perfect his knowledge on the electric bass and piano. He says about himself that he is “a 360 degree musician”, but his musical world is jazz. He is a profound connoisseur of traditional jazz and American songbooks, pushing to the more contemporary jazz trends. Despite his great love for the double bass, it is on the electric bass that he builds his own style, making it to be appreciated by everyone despite the little consideration given to this instrument in jazz. And in fact, for a few years he has mainly been using acoustic and semi-acoustic instruments to find a truly unique sound. Today, he isa freelance musician and teacher around Italy and the world, and currently the bassist of the prestigious Kurt Rosenwinkel Standards Trio.
Main Italian collaborations: M. Giammarco, U. Fiorentino, R. Gatto, D. Rea, P. Fresu, E. Rava, M. DeVito, P. Condorelli, A. Onorato, A. Salis, S. Bonafede, F. Zeppetella, J. Girotto, M. Urbani, S. Di Battista, E. Pieranunzi, G. Telesforo, R. Giuliani, F. Boltro, F. D’Andrea, A. Golino, T. De Piscopo, and others, equally important.With US and European artists: M. Miller, G. Garzone, J. Bergonzi, G. Coleman, B. Golson, K. Lightsey, T. Harrell, M. Petrucciani, J. Moody, K. Rosenwinkel, D. Liebman, S. Grossman, J. Como, P. Sery, P. Erskine, F. Ambrosetti, the Gil Evans Orchestra, L. Soloff, A. Sipiagin, J. Tain Watts, C. Stubblfield, L. Donaldson, B. Sidran, M. Garrison, C. Anderson, B. Lagrene, R. Brecker, B. Hart, D. Stryker, P. Bernstein, G. Hutchinson, A. Goldberg, L. Leathers, and others.As a sideman he has recorded more than 60 CD with some of the abovementioned musicians.
In 2003 he recorded for Go Jazz his first CD in his own name 3 from the Ghetto with Julian O. Mazzariello and Stephane Huchard and guests including S.Di Battista.Always for Go Jazz (USA) he has played in the first solo album by Clyde Stubbfield,the famous James Brown’s drummer.He has also collaborated with well-known international pop Italian artists.From 1998 to 2003, he played in the bands and big bands of Carl Anderson (he was “Judas” in the famous musical “Jesus C. Superstar”) on tour in Italy.
In 1999 he went on the tour of Pino Daniele, and from 2003 to 2007 was the bassist of Fiorella Mannoia, recording his last 4 CDs and 2 live video concerts.
He has held a large number of clinics throughout Italy and around the world on bass techniques and jazz improvisation in various music schools, conservatories and universities.
Since 2004 he has taught electric jazz bass at the Conservatory of Salerno. The clinic at the Berkley School in Boston (USA) in 2006 is also worth mentioning.
His music on MySpace and YouTube videos is viewed and appreciated by thousands of people around the world.
From 2010 to 2017 he has won several “Jazz It Awards” (of the well-known magazine “Jazz It“) as the best jazz electric bassist.
MARCO VALERI, drums
Marco Valeri, born in Rome in 1978, is one of the most prominent drummers in Europe. His father was a drummer and this gave him the opportunity to get very close to music and to drums when he was still a kid. Love for jazz music came quite early and he soon had the chance to play with renowned artists such as George Garzone, Steve Grossman, Benny Golson, Dave Liebman, Eddie Henderson, Rick Margitza, Scott Hamilton, and Eddie Gomez, developing in terms of both experience and deep knowledge of jazz tradition. In the last years he has been playing at some of the most prestigious festivals around the world, like Jazz in Marciac, Umbria Jazz, Tokyo Jazz Festival, Dubai Jazz Festival and many others. He is an active member of the Rosario Giuliani Quartet, Flavio Boltro Quintet, Nicola Conte Jazz Combo, Sarah McKenzie 4et, and during the years he has toured with some of the best musicians on the jazz scene today, such as: Jeremy Pelt, Danny Grissett, Dave Kikosky, Peter Bernstain, Rick Margitza, Kurt Rosenwinkle, Darryl Hall, Logan Richardson, Ruben Rogers, and many others.