NOTHING BUT SWING TRIO FEAT. MARTIN UHEREK (SK)

Martin Uherek – sax

Klaudius Kováč – piano

Róbert Ragan – kontrabas

Peter Solárik – perkusja

WSTĘP: 20/25 pln

NOTHING BUT SWING TRIO biography:

Nothing but Swing Trio (NBS Trio) was formed in 1998 in Banská Bystrica and has existed ever since in its original set-up: Klaudius Kováč – piano, Róbert Ragan – double-bass and Peter Solárik – drums. The formation of the trio evolved from the cooperation of its members in the period from 1996 until 1998 when they performed in the jazz band Swing Q of the saxophonist Štefan Čeman.

The title itself indicates that Nothing but Swing Trio follows the tradition and the musical heritage of the significant jazz musicians’ generation of the Forties and Fifties of the 20th century, such as Lester Young, Bud Powell, Charlie Parker and others. However, their repertoire goes far beyond the boundaries of the Fifties. The considerable musical potential of the trio’s members enables them to draw upon the influences ranging from classical music, ethnic folk to modern jazz. These influences are – to a great extent – reflected in their own original compositions, also the arrangements and interpretation of already existing compositions and standards.

The band has quickly become a stable part of jazz scene in Slovakia and abroad. It has performed in jazz clubs – e.g. Jazz Club at Thirsty Monk – Banská Bystrica, Art Jazz Gallerie – Piešťany, Jazzland – Vienna (AT), Dakig – Gassendorf (AT), Tygmont – Warszaw (PL), Jazz Club at Muniak – Krakow (PL), Boogie Woogie – Krakow(PL) as well as at significant domestic and European concert venues – e.g. ORF Radiokulturhaus Vienna (AT), Bratislava Jazz Days Horizont 2001 (SK), Summer Jazz Festival Krakow 2000 (PL), Bohem Festival Kecskemeth (HU), Brno Jazz Fest (CZE), European Jazz Festival Athens 2004 (GR), VII. Civis Korzo – Debrecen 2005 (HU), etc.

In 1999, after only a year of its existence, the band became the laureate of the festival Jazz Christmas in Bratislava and received an award for solo performances. In 2002, NBS Trio recorded its debut album titled “Soul Station”. The album has met with a very favourable reaction both at home and abroad. The same year the trio extensively participated in interpretations and arrangements at the profile album of the singer Dáša Libiaková titled “To nič…” (Never mind).

In 2004, Hevhetia recording company released their second album titled “Stano Palúch & Nothing but Swing Trio”. The band invited as its guest the phenomenal Slovak violinist Stano Palúch and recorded with him a string of jazz standards, their original compositions and jazz arrangements of national folk songs.

In April 2005, the trio undertook a successful Slovak-Austrian concert tour with the legendary world-class saxophonist Scott Hamilton from the USA.

MARTIN UHEREK biography:

Saxophonist Martin Uherek, born on September 22, 1987, was in contact with music since the earliest age, through a church choir led by his father. He soon showed a lot of interest in music, having a good time playing around with different instruments. At 12, he focused onto clarinet and after finishing high school switched to saxophone. A change in his musical life came in 2004/2005, his 3rd year of high school, when he participated in a 1-year exchange study program at SMC High School in Menasha, Wisconsin. Here, after his friend played him a recording of Charlie Parker called Confirmation, Martin fell in love with jazz music more than ever before and decided to pursue music career, with focus on jazz. He went on to study saxophone at Conservatory of J.L.Bella under leadership of Mgr. Art. Radoslav Solárik, which he finished in 2012. Besides the conservatory he also attended private music school, where he has studied jazz music for 6 years under leadership of great jazz pianist Klaudius Kováč.

In 2008 he founded his band Martin Uherek Quartet, with strong roots in jazz tradition, which still functions today and is focused on interpretation of jazz of the 30’s to 50’s. In October 2008 Martin competed with his band in the 1st Tarnow International Jazz Contest in Poland, where their band won 2nd prize in the younger category and in addition, Martin was awarded as soloist in this category. In December 2008, their band became the laureate of Slovak national jazz competition “New Faces of Slovak Jazz 2008”. In 2012 his band won in a Contest of Young Talents SLSP on B stage of Bratislava Jazz Days and on October 2013, he and his band opened on the main stage of the biggest Slovak jazz festival, Bratislava Jazz Days 2013, with his newest program – Remembering Monk, with line up Martin Uherek – tenor, Jakub Tököly – piano, Peter Korman – double bass, Pavol Blaho – drums.

Throughout his career, Martin took part in many other musical projects, among them Ľuboš Brtáň Quartet, Andrej Urminský Quartet, big band Swingless Jazz Ensemble, as well as prestigious Matúš Jakabčic CZ/SK big band which puts together the best of Slovak and Czech jazz players. He has also played with many of Slovak and foreign jazz musicians, such as Klaudius Kováč, Róbert Ragan, Peter Solárik, Jozef Döme, Juraj Bartoš, Jeff Gardner and others.

His most recent project is called The Stories of Jazz, where Martin has embarked on a journey to introduce jazz and its beauty to wide public. Playing of his trio is interlaced with interesting stories about jazz musicians, jazz history, which “answer many questions, that a lay member of the audience might have, but fear to ask”.

Martin doesn’t only promote jazz through his playing, since 2014 he has been editor of the biggest Slovak jazz web portal www.jazz.sk and since January 2015 he has been editor and MC for Slovak national radio Devín with program called Music of the youth – Jazz Start Up.

http://martinuherek.com/en/