Tim Armacost’s Triad

Tim Armacost (saxophones)
Michael Janisch (double bass)
Klemens Marktl (drums)
Eintritt: € 15 | special for all students € 8

Grammy-nominated saxophonist and composer Tim Armacost has spent a lifetime of world traveling which has enhanced this multi-instrumentalist’s absorption of cultural musics.  A marquee artist of his generation currently based in NYC, Armacost has recorded for Concord, Smalls Live and Whirlwind Recordings to worldwide acclaim and is known for his rich and robust tenor sound and in-the-moment improvisations which are both steeped in the full breadth of the tradition yet singular to his own original voice.  He’s written for Wynton Marsalis & The Lincoln Center Orchestra as well as countless small groups and big bands while performing as a guest soloist in orchestras the world over, and now bears it all with an upcoming tour in the classic saxophone trio format.

After a life of travel and discovery on three continents, Grammy-nominated saxophonist Tim Armacost has established himself as one of the most important improvisers on the New York scene today. Armacost was born in Los Angeles, but came of age as a musician in Tokyo, New Delhi and Amsterdam, where he burnished his reputation as an upcoming talent, with a big tenor sound and an impeccable rhythmic sense. He tours regularly around the world both as a sideman and a leader. Armacost has worked with a phenomenal number of jazz greats, including Al Foster, Jimmy Cobb, Kenny Barron, Tom Harrell, Billy Hart, Victor Lewis, Jeff „Tain“ Watts, Peter Erskine, Ray Drummond, Roy Hargrove, Don Friedman and Randy Brecker. He has recorded 14 critically acclaimed records as a leader, performed on more than 50 as a sideman, and has composed for Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.  In addition to his own groups, Armacost co-leads the New York Standards Quartet, and the Brooklyn Big Band, for which he composes and arranges.

He is a widely respected educator, teaching at the Jamey Aebersold and Stanford Summer Jazz Workshops, at Queens College in New York City and as a clinician at Universities throughout the U.S., Japan and Europe.

Michael Janisch is an electric & double bassist, composer, bandleader, producer and record label owner originally from the USA currently based in London, England. As a bassist he’s known for his versatility, full-toned sounds and passion for playing time and groove with authenticity and dedication, no matter the context. A keen improviser, he has been described as „virtuosic and emphatic“ (The Guardian) and Bass Musician Magazine asserts „Janisch is one of the few bass players out there who plays both electric and upright with equal facility, passion and musicality.“

As a composer and bandleader Janisch has released five critically-acclaimed albums to date: The TransAtlantic Collective’s Traveling Song (co-led with Patrick Cornelius) in 2008, Purpose Built (debut solo album) in 2010, Banned in London (co-led with Aruan Ortiz) in 2013, and First Meeting: Live in London, Volume 1 (co-led with Lee Konitz, Dan Tepfer & Jeff Williams) in 2014. His debut solo album Purpose Built established his international reputation as one of the premier bassist-bandleaders-composers working in contemporary improvised music, and drew together his sure-footed bass work (both electric and acoustic), original compositions, and arranging skills along with some characteristically strong performances from a group comprised of prominent musicians from both sides of the Atlantic, including Jim Hart, Walter Smith III, Mike Moreno, Jason Palmer, Paul Booth, Aaron Goldberg, Phil Robson and Johnathan Blake. JazzTimes Magazine called it „the complete package“ while Jazz Journal noted it was a „perfect blend of tradition and modernity“ and was received with high critical acclaim by fans, press, musicians and fellow bassists, while making a number of ‚Best of the Year‘ critics‘ lists. Purpose Built was also the impetus for the creation of Janisch’s new record label, Whirlwind Recordings which made an immediate impact on both sides of the Atlantic. Described as „the new label of the moment, releasing a diverse cross section of excellent music.“ (BBC Radio 2) and „one of Europe’s busiest and most creative independent labels.“ (The Irish Times), Whirlwind has been featured as a label in Jazz Journal, Downbeat, Jazz Thing and Record Collector Magazines as well as The New York City Jazz Record.

Janisch’s new electro-acoustic six piece band Paradigm Shift has been thrilling audiences across Europe and Jazz Mann notes it’s a „stellar international sextet… catch them if you can,“  while The Jazz Breakfast states „A wealth of imaginative, engaging jazz has been produced by bands that expertly bridge the styles of free-flowing acoustic jazz and electronic styles, but Michael Janisch’s Paradigm Shift must surely be one of the most accomplished.“  Perhaps Mumble Music sums it up best with their experience of Janisch’s band in Glasgow, Scotland: „Paradigm Shift finished off the night with a tour de force display of instrumental firepower that ranks alongside any jazz gig I’ve been to in the past and I’m including some very big names in that list.“ In addition to performing Michael is an adjunct Professor of Double Bass at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire and the Royal Academy of Music in London, and regularly gives private lessons and music career consultations from his own studio in London while performing masterclasses at universities and festivals around the world.

Drummer, bandleader, composer & arranger Klemens Marktl was born in Austria in 1976. After studying classical piano at a very young age Klemens Marktl discovered his passion for playing the drums. He studied drums in Austria, The Hague, Amsterdam and New York with Carl Allen, Ralph Peterson, Greg Hutchinson, Ari Hoenig, among others. Between 1997-2003 Klemens was living in the Netherlands and worked professionally as a drummer/bandleader in the international jazz scene. He has toured and recorded with great jazz artists such as George Garzone, Seamus Blake, Aaron Goldberg, Chris Cheek, Matt Penman, Johannes Weidenmueller, Barry Harris, Jesse van Ruller, Ferdinand Povel, Michael Erian, Rick Margitza, John Swana, Rob Bargad, Kenny Werner… In Jannuary 2001 Klemens won the 1st price at the Leidsche Jazz Award (Netherlands).

After 5 ½ years living in the Netherlands he moved to New York in 2003 and has lived there for 2 years. He jumped right in the New York jazz scene and worked with Wes Anderson, Mark Rapp, Rob Bargad, Waldrin Riks, Anthony Wonsey, Toru Dodo, Rick Germanson, John Swana. During that time he also formed his own quartet with Chris Cheek, Aaron Goldberg and Matt Penman which features his own compositions. Klemens went into the studio with his new band to record his first Fresh Sound New Talent release called ‚Ocean Avenue‘. Klemens currently lives in Vienna and tours as a sideman and with his own projects all over Europe.