Thanks to my 25 years of collaboration with Art Farmer and many other personalities and groups from the international jazz scene, such as the Vienna Art Orchestra, the Carla Bley Big Band, Art Blakey, Idris Muhammad, Joe Zawinul, Jean Paul Bourelly, Dave Holland, Michel Portal, Daniel Humair, Harry Pepl, Jene Jackson and Andy Mc Kee, among others, who altogether have played an important part in my musical life - I'm now extremely familiar with all the different facets and secrets of jazz. Whether we're doing BeBop, classical music or free improvision, in all of these projects as in my own combo, jazz roots always take the fore. In this project, with the help of two outstanding Austrian musicians - drummer Mario Gonzi and bassist Georg Breinschmid - I have been able to realize my vision of presenting my own musical roots in trio form, in which drums and bass give support while allowing the most possible freedom.

"AHEAD" - Looking backwards while moving forwards ... Moving ahead ... Head First - characterizes the artistic development of many current-day jazz musicians who jump in head first to re-explore the old familiar roots who go back and tell the same old story all over again but in new and unique versions that can turn into full-blown renditions of today's jazz.
"ROOTS AHEAD" features a high-level blend of classic standards with some of Sokal's own compositions and improvisations presented by the trio, with high emphasis on mutual communication, ensemble interplay and dynamics ... In other words, totally in keeping with prototype jazz.

Harry Sokal

saxophone

Born in 1954, Harry Sokal is surely numbered among the most important "post Coltrane" saxophonists in Europe. In addition to his collaboration with a great number of major European and American jazz musicians such as Art Blakey, Dave Holland, Terje Rypdal, Daniel Humair, Michel Portal, Mike Richmond, Minu Cinelu, Friedrich Gulda, Idris Muhammad, Joe Zawinul, Harry Pepl, Jene Jackson and Andy McKee, among others, he has been a member of the Vienna Art Orchestra since 1977, and is a former member of the Art Farmer Quintet (from 1978 till 1999). He initiates and conducts numerous projects with national and international musicians, as well. The playing of Harry Sokal is marked not only by his virtuosity on the instrument, but even more by his lyrical tone and the stylistically clear line he follows, always relating to the character of the piece, proving him to be one of the outstanding musicians of his land.

Johannes Strasser

double bass

He was born 1959 in Grieskirchen, Austria and studied classical double bass at Mozarteum in Salzburg and the University of Music in Vienna. Johannes Strasser is a highly requested bass-player, considered to be a delicate side-man and an improviser full of ideas in both the traditional mainstream and in the wide field of contemporary trends. During his career Hans Strasser has had the possibility to work with international jazz stars. Already as a quite young musician he was for some years a member of the Art Farmer Quintet. Concerts with Chet Baker, Benny Golson, Johnny Griffin, Charlie Mariano and Sheila Jordan followed, just to mention a few. In recent years he has been a member of the Fritz Pauer Trio, the Aaron Wonesch Trio, the Peter Ponger Trio and played with the recently deceased singer Cornelia Giese.

Mario Gonzi

drums

He was born in 1966 in Vienna and has been playing the drums since the age of 5. He started studying at the Vienna Conservatory with Prof. Erich Bachträgl in 1979. From 1986 to 1999 he was a member of the European Art Farmer Quintet with Fritz Pauer and Harry Sokal, with whom he did worldwide tours as well as a one week engagement in the world famous New York Jazz club "Sweet Basil". As a member of the "Paquito D`Rivera Havanna-New York Ensemble" he toured in the USA in 1989; three years later he had a number of concerts with the "Joe Haider and Bert Joris Anniversary Big Band" and joined the Vienna Art Orchestra in 1996. Since 1982 he has been doing club gigs, concerts and tours with the legendary "Eddie Lockjaw" Davis, Johnny Griffin, Charly Rouse, Sal Nistico, Jim Pepper, Bob Berg, Roman Schwaller, Bobby Watson, Benny Baily, Claudio Roditti, Bob Brookmayer, Jim Galloway, Jay Mc Shann, Chuck Israels, Jimmy Woode, Isla Eckinger, Reggie Johnson, Ed Schuller, Etta Cameron, Sheila Jordan, Mark Murphy, the Vienna Art Orchestra, and many more.