Start program autumn '09 zo 01 nov '09

Pianolab 1 nov '09 - 15.00; Greene, Robinson, Sassoon

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Julie Sassoon By Bob Meyrick Julie in pianolab Burton Greene By Marek Balata
JazzKlezImpro
Oude meesters - jonge zielen

Burton Greene-piano & Perry Robinson-klarinet Duo:  “Two Voices In the Desert”

Julie Sassoon - solo piano

Net zoals de serie ruimte wil geven aan jonge musici, is er een hartelijke belangstelling voor de muziek van oude meesters. In dit geval hebben wij deels te maken met twee heren die heel jong van geest zijn gebleven. Hun Duo - Album is verschenen op het befaamde label "Tzadik"van de Amerikaan John Zorn.

De Britse pianiste Julie Sassoon - nu woonachtig in Berlijn - is geen onbekende in Amsterdam.  Haar solo CD is op het bekende label Babelrecords verschenen. Beide labels zijn niet de minste in het internationale Jazz circuit.

"A solo performance by any of these exceptional musicians would have an audience spellbound; together, they seemed capable of miracles" 5* James Griffiths, The Guardian on 'Azilut!'

"Julie Sassoon, a pianist of astonishing resources, applies a concentrated beam of intelligence to everything she does . .. an earnest, brilliantly gifted player." Mike Butler, JazzUK		 Perry Robinson by Marek Balata


Burton Greene: "Perry Robinson and I have had the longest musical collaborations, starting in New York in 1965, until the present time.  And with time our friendship and music together gets deeper and better, like a good vintage wine.  Since 1994, Perry is our featured clarinetist in our large klezmer, Sephardic, Balkan jazz band Klezmokum, which is based in Amsterdam.  More recently Perry and I have made 2 recordings for John Zorn’s Tzadik label, music on the cutting edge of the contemporary Jewish experience.  The first with our recently formed group Klez-Edge is called “Ancestors, Mindreles, Na-Gila Monsters” (May, 2008 release).   The 2nd CD due out in June, 2009 features our duo and will be called “Two Voices In the Desert”.   

Our duo music is intimate, intense, refined, yet with the “raw edges” of the music exposed, where they are intended or need to be.  Featured on the new CD and in the follow-up CD presentation concerts is the Desert Suite with the co-composition Desert Wanderers by composer Silke Rollig and myself, and Eitan a piece I arranged by John Zorn.  Eitan is the name on an old biblical desert.  Many Jews feel our ancient history connected to our desert lives of the past and our wanderings.  

When I was 16 years old I looked intensely at myself in a mirror and said “What an old face you have for a 16 year old!  You look like you’ve been around for at least 6,000 years, not just 16!”  There are 2 dance pieces in the repertoire, 2 freylekhs  based on ancient Jewish scales and roots.  One is called  Syl’s Freylekhs (co-composition with Silke Rollig and myself), and Burty’s Freylekhs which I’ve composed.   There’s also  A Lamentation, a poignant, meditatve prayer with a liturgical background.    Last but not least is a tender piece composed by Perry Robinson for his pet turtle Ella, called Ella Turtella."
More on Perry Robinson is at http://www.myspace.com/perryrobinson


Julie Sassoon

Pianist and composer Julie Sassoon is classically trained on piano and violin. She graduated in music and visual arts from Lancaster University in 1988, winning the university prize for piano performance, and later completed postgraduate studies in jazz piano and Indian violin at Leeds College of Music.

Julie formed the trio Azilut! in 2000 with Bart van Helsdingen, (twice nominated Best Jazz Drummer in the Netherlands ) and Lothar Ohlmeier (tenor and soprano saxophone, bass clarinet). They released their album To The Power Of Three in 2001 on the Babel Label. Azilut! have performed at major venues and festivals throughout the UK and Europe , receiving outstanding reviews.
She has been a key member of ensembles including Inside Colours a dynamic duo with Lothar Ohlmeier; Piano Circus , the international contemporary music ensemble for six pianos; Martha Lewis's Caf Aman with Antonio Forcione and Frank Tontoh; a duo with accordionist Karen Street and the quartet Freefall with Tom Arthurs, Milo Fell and Lothar Ohlmeier.

Julie has performed her music throughout UK, Europe, the Baltic States and USA, at venues including Queen Elizabeth Hall; Royal Festival Hall; Barbican; BIMhouse, Amsterdam; Vilnius Concert Hall; Royal Northern College of Music Concert Hall; Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho; The Jazz Caf, Camden; Djanogly Recital Hall, Nottingham; Guildhall, Bath International Music Festival; University of Pennsylvania.

She has also performed with Stan Sulzman, Ingrid Laubrock, Dylan Bates, Nikki Isles and Mike Walker. As a visual artist Julie has exhibited her paintings in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Berlin.
Julie has recorded a solo piano album entitled New Life on the Babel Label. Released in July 2006.