MARTIN SCHABERL chamber jazz + string quartet [Austria]
MARTIN SCHABERL – electric and acoustic guitars, loops, composition, arrangement (AT)
MICHAEL RINGER – double and electric bass (AT) WEB
MATHIAS RUPPNIG – drums (AT) WEB
PATRICK DUNST – saxophones clarinets, flutes, oboe (AT) WEB
ANDREAS SEMLITSCH – violin (AT)
ELISABETH KOVAL – violin (AT)
KATHARINA VOGT – viola (AT)
SIGRID NAROWETZ – cello (AT)
Testimonials
Martin Moro
The Chamber Jazz Project is an exciting thing. Because: To musically lump a jazz quartet together with a classical string quartet is something you have to dare to do. Too great is the danger of a musical stew that sounds intentional. There is a simple reason why this is not the case at all: the ingredients are right.
This is due to the intelligent, but never intellectual compositions of Martin Schaberl. In the middle of the piece, 6/8 and 7/8 bars come into play, it swings well, and then lyrical melody arcs take you on a widely ramified journey without getting lost in arbitrariness.
Then there are the strings, which suddenly bring in completely new timbres to weightlessly unite with the wildly grooving jazzers and open a whole new barrel together.
And then there is the fact that all eight musicians are masters of their trade.
Rude, noble jazz, excellent craftsmanship, film music for advanced students, or, condensed in one movement:
Martin Schaberl’s Chamber Jazz Project makes music at its best.
Thomas Schweitzer
Exceptionally cast and exceptionally well presented. This is a brief summary of the concert by Martin Schaberls chamber jazz + string quartet on 25.01.2013 at the – almost bursting at the seams – Seelsorgezentrum Graz Süd. Despite the bitter cold that day, so many music lovers had accepted the invitation to the concert that it became cramped even in the large hall of the center.
With this new program, Martin Schaberl fulfilled a long-cherished wish and rearranged his own pieces for larger ensembles. And those who know Martin Schaberl know that he never makes things easy for himself: the instrumentation he has chosen has expanded his proven Trio+One formation [in this case with Patrick Dunst (reeds, flute, bass clarinet, oboe) as a trio-expanding member] to include a string quartet, known to be the royal class of chamber music. The arrangements for a total of 18? pieces were written by Martin Schaberl himself in meticulous and intensive work. And the result was something to be heard!
Visitors were greeted by an extremely homogeneous body of sound, which quickly made them forget that two very different instrumentations are actually at work here. The pieces benefited greatly from the string quartet, which acted as both an accompanying and melodic instance. Through the soloistic emergence of the strings both in the movement and through improvisation (Andreas Semlitsch, Elisabeth Koval), the actually rigid roles of accompanying and accompaniment were also constantly redefined. The entire formation thus stands out very strongly from the traditional structure of soloist + accompanist and acts as an integrating whole, which also greatly supports the lyrical, floating character of the pieces.
The ensemble was audibly well attuned to each other, the pieces well rehearsed and also rhythmically very “tight”.
Nevertheless, two important soloists should not be forgotten: Martin Schaberl was characterized by highly melodic improvisations, in which – like Beethoven’s “developing variation” – new melodic arcs were constantly unfolded and continued from short motives. Although Schaberl had long since found his own voice as a guitarist, associations with the playing of a Pat Metheny or Wolfgang Muthspiel did not escape the attentive listener. Patrick Dunst enchanted the audience with several instruments at once and showed himself virtuoso on the soprano saxophone, the bass clarinet, the flute as well as on the oboe. Like Martin Schaberl’s playing, Patrick Dunst’s also captivated the audience with clever phrasing and exciting melody leading and let the listener easily “fall” into the respective piece. Patrick Dunst’s flute playing deserves special praise, which made it clear that he also uses this instrument – which saxophonists like to treat with stepmotherly care – with great enthusiasm.
For all those who were not able to attend this event and who missed the live recording broadcast on Radio Styria, the only hope (and the author’s hint to the band leader) is that this music of Jazz Aficionados will be made available on CD. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Dietmar Gruber
Dear Martin, I know your musical career from the very beginning and had the honor of playing with you in the very first beginnings. You have decided to pursue a musical career and that is a good thing. It is incredibly exciting how your musical personality has developed and I am happy with you that one of your musical dreams has come true.
I really enjoyed the concert and I am looking forward to the CD. The audience, the room and the musicians were somehow a unity, and the audience was so concentrated that you could have heard a pin drop.
The combination of a classical jazz quartet and a string quartet opens up the possibility to “wrap” new worlds of feelings in your music.
Above all, the use is not limited to the usual “string accompaniment – drumming up – slime” when it comes to classical and jazz music.
Apart from that, I think it’s great that you don’t overwhelm your audience with your “less is more” guitar style away from all the “who’s the fastest guitarist” airs and graces and that people really listen.
Thomas Allmayer
Absolutely great! I was captivated by your music, it still resonates. You have earned international attention! Congratulations!
Wolfgang Seiner
Yesterday I had the great pleasure to listen to the concert of Martin Schaberl’s new project. Besides the young, but – as I think – well-matched rhythm section, I found the solo parts of the string quartet especially interesting and successful. Also the “horn” deserves a lot of praise because of its playfulness and the variety of the built-in instruments. Once again, the skills of Martin Schaberl – in terms of composition, arrangement, etc. – are convincing. So much so that my accompaniment has also mutated into a jazz fan. I wish you much success with this project!
Wolfgang Potocnik
Feel good evening! – Dear Martin, thank you and your ensemble for the concert yesterday. After a few minutes of ‘arriving’ I gave myself two hours of listening and enjoying. Jazz with an extraordinary line-up on the one hand in front of an audience with very different jazz affinity on the other. Full stage, full hall, full success! See you next time, Wolfgang
Birgit Pawlitschek
Congratulations – a great and atmospheric concert evening, with a young dynamic ensemble, which will remain unforgettable for me and my friends. The compositions “Sleep…”, “In The Country” and “Hope” I personally liked very much and showed that jazz combined with chamber music harmonizes wonderfully. A diversified evening to let your soul dangle and to bring yourself into other spheres.
Gustavo Bassi (Brazil)
Man, this recording has real potential to be released, its really good man, international quality, very modern jazz. I am listening to great albums of actual jazz, You have space. Try to send to CRISS CROSS RECORDS… Really good man…
Johann Sparowitz
Congratulations!
Herbert Grassegger
Dear Martin! Once again thank you for the wonderful evening. It was a great concert. These wonderful and demanding compositions deserve a larger audience.
Gerhard Probst
Remarkable compositions, cool performance. Simply great. We will be back at the next concert!
Birgit Draxler Al-Shami
I enjoyed the concert evening so much! It was wonderful!!! Congratulations again, Martin. Love greetings from Vienna.
Wolfgang Radl
It was very good – guys, let’s go to the next concert!
Markus Orthaber
It was a fantastic concert with great arrangements! Further numerous successes are to be wished you absolutely. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)