Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Pekka Eerik Juhani Sarmanto was born February 15, 1945 in Helsinki, finland. He first studied classical violin at the Sibelius Academy from 1958 to 1964 before switching to upright bass. He initially played dance music but was soon invited to perform in jazz clubs by bandleaders like Eero Koivistoinen and Esa Pethman.
1967 saw him joining the house band of Down Beat Club where he played with musicians like Ben Webster and Dexter Gordon. In 1975 Sarmanto founded UMO, abbreviation of Uuden Musiikin Orkesteri, (New Music Orchestra) and the group accompanied many international jazz musicians visiting Finland. As a result Pekka was able to meet and play with Charles Mingus in Belgrade, Serbia; Gil Evans, Edward Vesala and Sonny Rollins.
Sarmanto received the Georgie Award of the Finnish Jazz Federation in 1978. In 1982 he worked on the album To a Finland Station with Dizzy Gillespie and Arturo Sandoval, released on the Pablo label in 1983. He considers this to be his most successful recording.
In 1996 the bassist founded the Pekka Sarmanto Trio and in 2007 he retired from UMO but he still keeps performing actively with different groups, including with his own trio..
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Ernst “Nesti” Landl was born February 12, 1914 in Vienna, Austria. He studied at the New Vienna Conservatory in the 1930s and soon made a name for himself on the Viennese music scene.
In Vienna he accompanied the singer Adelaide Hall and was soon active as a musician in North Africa and Portugal. From 1943 he played in the Steffl Diele with Italian singer and guitarist Vittorio Ducchini, violinist Herbert Mytteis and French drummer Arthur Motta. Due to the audience response, recordings were made for Odeon, but due to the ” jazz focus ” there were initially almost no releases.
After the defeat of National Socialism he played in the Vienna Dance Orchestra and also founded the Hot Club Vienna as a studio band to record jazz songs for Elite Special with musicians such as Hans Koller and Viktor Plasil. Until 1958 Landl performed in Vienna mainly as a bar pianist . He then moved to Stockholm, Sweden where he worked until his death.
Pianist, bassist and drummer Ernst Landl died on December 4, 1983 in Stockholm.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Terry Vosbein was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 8, 1957. He received his Masters in Composition from James Madison University and his Doctorate in Composition from the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has composed works for orchestra, wind ensembles, chamber ensembles and choirs. He has written works for jazz bands of all sizes and his compositions have been performed all over the world.
His latest release with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra is titled Fleet Street and is infused with a sense of humor, adding a special dimension that is too often missing in contemporary big band writing. His 2009 Progressive Jazz album also with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra has garnered critical acclaim.
He has been awarded seven residencies and a fellowship at University College in Oxford, where he composed Masque for Cello and Orchestra. Terry also teaches music composition at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.
For over twenty-five years Vosbein was an active jazz bassist and arranger, performing and arranging for a variety of ensembles, including the Glenn Miller Orchestra and the Atlanta Pops. He has performed in a wide range of genres from country western twang to big band swing, disco and country club wallpaper, and continues to play a never ending assortment of jazz combos and studio sessions.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Chris Minh Doky was born on February 7, 1969 in Copenhagen, Denmark of Vietnamese-Danish heritage. He started playing at a young age and as a teenager was discovered by guitarist Mike Stern. He quickly became a sought-after collaborator, joining the bands of the Michael Brecker Quartet, Brecker Brothers, David Sanborn, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and the Mike Stern Band. These collaborations shaped his artistry and connected him to the traditions of jazz.
As a leader, Chris has released numerous albums to widespread acclaim, earning both gold and platinum awards as well as a Grammy nomination. He has established himself as a pioneering voice in contemporary music with projects like The Nomads and New Nordic Jazz.
His passion is a love for the bass and a relentless drive to create new music. His desire to share it with the world pushes his artistry to transcend genres. As a composer Doky’s work include soundtracks for films and collaborations with the ballet companies of Royal Danish Ballet and Twyla Tharp.
Chris was knighted in 2010 by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark due to being recognized for his contributions to the arts. Bassist Chris Minh Doky continues to explore new musical landscapes, blending Nordic serenity with American soul, and redefining the bass as a solo instrument.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Niels Hartvig Foss was born on January 28, 1916 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He began playing guitar and from 1933 to 1934 began performing with the Svend Asmussen Group. He went on to play bass with Asmussen and others.
From 1940 to 1948 Niels led and played trombone in orxhestras and bands he formed. In 1949 for the next two years he performed with Peter Rasmussen and in 1957 moved to Switzerland where he continued to play part-time.
Over the course of his career Foss was a member of All Danish Starband, Etly Lizette And Her Orchestra, Kai Ewans Og Hans Orkester, Kaj Timmermann’s Septet, The Kordt Sisters Med Swingtet, and The Swingin’ Birds. He recorded for Odeon, His Master’s Voice, Imperial record labels.
Bassist, trombonist and guitarist Niels Foss died on May 16, 2018.
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