Stan Sulzmann and Swiss trio “Vein” @Seven Arts
FRIDAY 4 May @Seven Arts Doors 7.30pm £16/14 (NUS £5)
Stan Sutzmann tenor sax, Michael Arbenz piano, Thomas Lähns bass, Florian Arbenz drums
Saxman Stan Sulzmann joins the Swiss trio “Vein”, to produce a powerful, passionate quartet. A veteran of the UK jazz scene, Stan Sulzmann has a rich and varied career that has included playing with musicians as diverse as Kenny Wheeler, Larry Grenadier and Gwilym Simcock. Vein are a magnificent Swiss trio led by one of the best drummers in Europe, Florian Arbenz
A veteran of the UK jazz scene, Stan Sulzmann has a rich and varied career that has included playing with musicians as diverse as Kenny Wheeler, Larry Grenadier and Gwilym Simcock, as well as a prolific output as bandleader. Always moving forward, Stan’s Neon Quartet sees him amongst some of the UKs most sought-after young musicians, and their latest album “Subjekt” explores Stan’s ever-developing musical influences. Stan is also a highly respected composer and arranger; his vibrant big band arrangements have excited and inspired people for the last 25 years, and in 2013 Stan was commissioned to write an original piece for the London Jazz Festival. Highly in demand as a sideman, Stan has worked with a host of musicians, including: John Taylor, Jim Mullen, Nikki Iles, Mike Gibbs, Marc Copland, Allan Botchinksy, European Jazz Ensemble, Kit Downes, Michael Brecker and Gil Evans.
‘It simply doesn’t get any better than this’ John Kelman
Vein are a great trio with drummer Florian Arbenz at the helm. Arguably one of the best drummers in Europe and winner of a European Culture Award, Florian is joined by his brother Michael Arbenz on piano, for whom too international stardom beckons. The trio is complete with bassist Thomas Lähns who equally deserves the prodigy status.
Today most jazz piano trios are deeply attached to musical interplay (And yet, even with the most subtle, most distinguished form of interplay there is always one in the trio who plays the part of the primus inter pares – the pianist, of course (usually and by definition leader of the group). That’s exactly where pianist Michael Arbenz, drummer Florian Arbenz and bassist Thomas Lähns come up with their own idea of musical interplay. In fact, what they aim to achieve with their music is the greatest possible balance of their three voices – starting with the way they work out their own compositions and arrangements, and going right through to the soloistic parts, fully assigned to all three of them. The result is impressive musical togetherness, packed with surprising melodic, rhythmic and dynamic turns, played with highest precision even in the most complex, distorted and twisted passages of their compositions, arrangements and solos.
“Another European piano trio and yet another fresh angle on this time-honoured instrumental format.
Support 8-8.30pm Laura Armstrong on cello and Ella Hohnen-Ford on voice.
