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Nabatov, Simon Trio: Picking Order (Leo Records)

Drawing from the spirit of early free jazz, pianist Simon Nabatov's new trio with Dominik Mahnig on drums and Stefan Schonegg on bass, are caught live at the LOFT in Cologne, Germany in 2015 for a superb concert of jazz that balances captivating lyrical material with exciting free passages, taking unexpected directions that constantly engage.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Simon Nabatov-piano

Stefan Schonegg-bass

Dominik Mahnig-drums


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UPC: 5024792076529

Label: Leo Records
Catalog ID: LEOR765.2
Squidco Product Code: 24046

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2016
Country: UK
Packaging: Jewel Case
Recorded at the LOFT, in Cologne, Germany, on May 9th 2015, by Christian Heck.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"After many years of navigating the tempestuous waters of free-improvised music, Simon Nabatov drops anew the anchor in the bay of written material, tunes, pre-determined dramaturgy and gestures - leaving plenty of room for suspense and surprise. His new trio is a purely Cologne based venture and includes two of the brightest talents of its current scene - the bassist Stefan Schonegg and the drummer Dominik Mahnig (who already appears on a couple of Leo Records releases). Every piece of this album tells a unique story, often choosing a specific route and vernacular to get to the core of the story unfolding. Nebulous collective fluctuations get pierced by brutal invasions of well hidden Brazilian origins; a soulful groove disintegrates into a microtonally sliding dirge; a sunny song, seemingly maimed for good in the process, receives a glorious resurrection with a touch of Africa thrown in - all of it, and much more, makes up the musical journey with the Simon Nabatov Trio."-Leo



"Simon Nabatov is a renowned improvising jazz pianist who possesses a hefty discography on Leo Records as a leader and session artist. At times his mode of execution summons a perspective of several tentacles flailing across the keyboard via a cavalcade of intriguing perspectives and much more. But with his Cologne-based trio, Nabatov renders a shift in strategy by leaning more towards conventional song-form initiatives. And from a holistic view, the band's output is often astonishing.

The trio unfolds a manifold perspective, yet this is not boilerplate piano trio fare. Here, the musicians generate gobs of contrasts while interrogating each other's spur-of-the-moment ideas along with crashing cadenzas and succinct melodies. And while the improvisational element remains intact, Nabatov also hones in on trance-like movements while dishing out introspective moments and vividly merging classical, jazz and avant-garde persuasions into the mix. The pianist bridges the gap by transforming old school jazz values into his futuristic vision. With moments of bravado and the artists briskly performed unison choruses, they turn up the heat and throttle matters down to a whisper during various passages.

"Picking Order" is a cascading, rhythmic wonderland. However, "Growing a Soul Patch" is driven by an endearing hook, redesigned by the leader's up-tempo inner-workings along with harmonious block chords and colorific shadings. Moving forward, they bump it up into a staggered rock groove, amped by brief sojourns into the R&B world. Nabatov juxtaposes the structured works on the unbounded, experimental piece, "Turning Point."

The trio pulls out the proverbial stops on "It's a Given," marked by a gorgeous primary theme, abetted by the pianist's Tatum-like runs and a few curveballs tossed in for good measure. In addition, the musicians engage in buoyant conversations, while smashing the main plot into smithereens for the opus. In sum, Picking Order is a progressive jazz music marvel and a top-pick for 2016, or any year for that matter."-Glenn Astarita, All About Jazz


Get additional information at All About Jazz

Artist Biographies

"Simon Nabatov's musical education began at the age of 3, his father, himself a musician, being the first teacher. The Central School of Music and Moscow Conservatory were the next steps. After the whole family emigrated and settled in New York in 1979, Nabatov continued his studies at the Juilliard School Of Music. By that time his interest and involvement in jazz and improvised music grew strong enough to make them his main activity.

Since then he performed and recorded with many fine musicians such as Paul Motian, Tony Scott, Sonny Fortune, Kenny Wheeler, Alan Skidmore, Herb Robertson, Louis Sclavis, Charles McPhearson, Billy Hart, David Murray, Paul Horn, Ricki Ford, Marty Ehrlich, Mark Dresser, Barry Guy, Gerry Hemingway, Jim Snidero, Herb Geller, Dave Pike, Attila Zoller, Matthias Schubert, Barry Altschul, Vladimir Tarasov, John Betsch, Ed Schuller, Arto Tuncboyaci, Adam Nussbaum, Paul Heller, Jay Clayton, Ron McClure, Mark Feldman, Drew Gress, Phil Minton, Michael Moore, Han Bennink, Misha Mengelberg, Wolter Wierbos, Paulo Alvares, Gareth Lubbe, Ben Davis and many others.

He enjoyed continuous work with Ray Anderson Quartet, Arthur Blythe Quartet, Perry Robinson Quartet, NDR Big Band (Hamburg,Germany), Steve Lacy - Simon Nabatov Duo, Nils Wogram Quartet, Nils Wogram - Simon Nabatov Duo, Matthias Schubert Quartet, Matthias Schubert - Simon Nabatov Duo and Klaus König Orchestra.

His own projects and activities included, since three decades, hundreds of solo recitals.In the early 90s Nabatov founded the trio with the bassist Mark Helias and the drummer Tom Rainey; the quartet "Nature Morte" with the British vocalist Phil Minton, multireed-player Frank Gratkowski and trombonist Nils Wogram (both from Germany); and the quintet including his trio plus the violinist Mark Feldman and the trumpet player Herb Robertson.In 2003 another trio was formed, with the cellist Ernst Reijseger and the drummers Michael Vatcher (and later Michael Sarin).

As co-leader Nabatov played and recorded in duos with Steve Lacy, with the German tenor sax player Matthias Schubert, American drummer Tom Rainey, Dutch drummer Han Bennink, German trombonist Nils Wogram, Dutch cellist Ernst Reijseger and the Dutch pianist Misha Mengelberg, just to mention a few. His current duo partners are the South-African born viola player and vocalist Gareth Lubbe, the Turkish clarinetist Oguz Buyukberber and the Brazilian pianist Paulo Alvares.

In the 1999-2000 season a large-scale radio production project (co - sponsored by WDR and Bayer AG) saw him write and record over 6 hours of music for solo piano, duo (with the American reed player Michael Moore), his trio, the quartet "Nature Morte" and the quintet. Beginning of 2000 the Swiss label HatHut Records brought out the first recording - the trio release "Sneak Preview". The next three recordings, quartet "Nature Morte", quintet "The Master and Margarita" and solo "Perpetuum Immobile" have been released by Leo Records.

Two more CD´s - " Chat Room" ( duo with Han Bennink ) and "Autumn Music" ( trio with Ernst Reijseger and Michael Vatcher ) were brought out by this independent English label.The next project produced by WDR in 2004 was a 90 - minute piece " A Few Incidents" based on the texts of Russian writer Daniil Charms. The octet included Phil Minton, Frank Gratkowski, Nils Wogram, Ernst Reijseger, Cor Fuhler, Matt Penman, Michael Sarin and Simon Nabatov. Leo Records released the recording of this composition in 2005. Together with "Nature Morte" and "Master and Margarita" it completed the "Russian Trilogy", 3 musical projects based on the Russian literature.

In 2009 Nabatov, sponsored by the Cologne culture institutions, completed a 5-day project called "Roundup" (involving M.Schubert, N.Wogram, E.Reijseger and T.Rainey), resulting in 3 CD's released on Leo Records: quintet "Roundup", a trio with E.Reijseger and M.Schubert - "Square Down" and another one with N.Wogram and T.Rainey - "Nawora".

Starting around 2000, parallel to his jazz activities, Simon Nabatov developed a deep interest for the culture and music of Brazil. This led him to study the Portuguese language, travel number of times throughout the country and learn a great deal about a number of different musical genres.

Some of the more structured activities in that field were a CD release "Around Brazil" on the ACT label (2006), and the two-months long Goethe-Institut "Artist-in-Residence" in Porto Alegre, which allowed Nabatov to learn more about the regional "musica gaucha". Since 2007 he often performs his solo program based on Brazilian music.

In the recent years Nabatov also delved into the field of electronic music, learning MAX/MSP programming environment; in April 2013 he premiered his new solo program for piano and computer, developed together with the German composer and electronic music specialist hans w. koch. In December 2016 excerpts from this program made up a half of the program of his most recent CD "MONK 'N' MORE".

Another musical adventure of the recent years was Nabatov's solo program dedicated to the music of the great jazz composer and pianist Herbie Nichols. Leo Records released a highly acclaimed CD of that program, and the PanRec label brought out a DVD.2015 saw Nabatov realize a four-part project "...still crazy after all these years" (celebrating 25 years in Cologne), which resulted in forming 4 new trios: with two young Cologne musicians Stefan Schoenegg and Dominik Mahnig, with Andre de Cayres and Rodrigo Villalon (dedicated to Brazilian music), with two giants of improvised music Barry Guy and Gerry Hemingway, and a trio with two string players, Gareth Lubbe (viola) and Ben Davis (cello). The first documentation of the project - Simon Nabatov Trio "Picking Order" was released August 2016 on Leo Records. Other 3 releases are planned for 2017.

Simon Nabatov performed and recorded numerous pieces of chamber music, some of them written specially for him: "Piano Concerto "Baba" by the American pianist/composer Kenny Werner, "Sonata for violin and piano" by the Irish bassist/composer Ronan Guilfoyle,"Trumpet Sonata", "Cello Sonata", "Trio for flute,cello and piano" by the Swiss reed-player/composer Daniel Schnyder. He also performed and recorded some of the more known "crossover" works, such as "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin (NDR Symphony Orchestra Hannover,1998) or "Concerto for Jazz Ensemble and Orchestra" by Rolf Liebermann (NDR Symphony Orchestra and Big Band, Hamburg,1996).

Nabatov was among the winners of the 3rd "International Great Jazz Pianist Competition" in Jacksonville, USA (2nd prize) in 1985, and of the "Martial Solal International Jazz Piano Competition" in Paris, France (3rd prize) in 1989. In 1987 he was awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

Simon Nabatov made numerous radio productions for most of the major European broadcasting companies: WDR, NDR, HR, BR, SFR, Radio France, Radio Zürich, Radio Ireland etc.

He played on countless international jazz festivals including Paris, Antibes, Helsinki, Zagreb, Nevers, Berlin, Dublin, Cork, Vilshofen, Bergamo, Groeningen, Vilnus, Karlsbad, Genua, North Sea, Brugge, Voss, Bergen, Riga, Vilnius, Ulrichsberg a.m.o.

Simon Nabatov gave concerts and workshops in over 60 countries, he appears on ca. 70 recordings, and his own music and projects are documented on over 25 CD's and 3 DVD's (all DVD's on PanRec).

He has taught at the Folkwang Hochschule (Essen), Musichochschule Lucerne (Switzerland) and at the International Jazz and Rock Academy (Remscheid).2012 - 2014 he was the substitute professor of Jazz piano and Ensemble at the Conservatory of Hannover, Germany.

Since 1989 he resides predominantly in Cologne, Germany, but keeps an apartment and a part of his heart in New York."

-Simon Nabatov Website (http://www.nabatov.com/biography.htm)
3/27/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Stefan Schönegg (* 1986)

Born in Heppenheim, grew up in Konstanz. Studied classical contrabass and jazz contrabass in Berlin and Cologne, lives and works in Cologne.

Active in the tension field of improvised music, jazz, new music. Performances all over Europe, including the Moers Festival, Warsaw Autumn, Holiday Courses for New Music Darmstadt.

Founding member of the Cologne collective for improvised music IMPAKT.

He has his own quartet with the name ENSO with Leonhard Huhn, Nathan Bontrager and Etienne Nillesen and a trio with Philip Zoubek and Etienne Nillesen. Beside the Solospiel regularly with Leonhard Huhn and Dominik Mahnig in the Trio DIE FICHTEN ; With Leonhard Huhn, Stefan Karl Schmid and Fabian Arends in the quartet SCHMIDSHUHN ; With Julian Ritter, Dierk Peters and Dominik Mahnig in the Quartet BOTTER ; In SIMON NABATOV TRIO with Dominik Mahnig; With Nathan Bontrager, Nicola Hein and Dominik Mahnig in the quartet THE UNNECESSARY STRINGBAND ; With Gregor Siedl and Niklas Wandt in the trio NOTDURFT ; In the Quartett TOTENHAGEN with Laura Totenhagen, Felix Hauptmann and Leifberger; In the quartet UCHRONIA with Salim Javaid, Marlies Debacker and Dominik Mahnig and with many other great people more."

-Stefan Schonegg Website (translated by Google) (http://stefanschoenegg.de/bio.html)
3/27/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Mahnig received his first drumming lessons at eleven years. In June 2012 he graduated from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences with Gerry Hemingway, Norbert Pfammatter and Marc Halbheer . In the fall of 2012 he took his master's degree at the Cologne University of Music and Dance with Jonas Burgwinkel and Frank Gratkowski ; He has masterclasses and workshops with John Hollenbeck, Heiri Känzig, Henning Berg, Steve Coleman and Christy Doran . He is a member of The Great Harry Hillman, the bands of Frank Haunschild, Jens Böckamp, Tamara Lukasheva and Liza Pflaum, the Move Dove quartet around Luis Reinhard, the trio Botter and Massive Schrage . He presented himself at concerts in Hungary, Germany and Switzerland, among others at the Langnau Jazz-Nights and the Jazz Festival Willisau (with Kenny Wollesen ).

Mahnig is a multiple winner and winner of the Swiss drummer and percussionist competition. At the Convento Jazzpreis NRW 2011, he was honored as the best soloist: "Drummer Dominik Mahnig impressed with his subtle and biting bespoke, which supported the melodies in a tone -colored manner and at the same time rhythmically brushed against the line." Wilhelm-Fabry- He received a special prize for a strong creative statement in 2013. The Great Harry Hillman won the ZKB Jazz Prize in 2015."

-Wikipedia (translated by Google) (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominik_Mahnig)
3/27/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Fill In The Blanks 18:56

2. Aria 6:36

3. Picking Order 7:20

4. Growing A Soul Patch 11:22

5. Turning Point 6:13

6. It's A Given 10:35

7. Chrystal Clear 1:43

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Jazz
European Improvisation and Experimental Forms
Free Improvisation
Leo Records
Trio Recordings
Piano Trio (Piano Bass Drums)

Search for other titles on the label:
Leo Records.


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