New album "Twisted Summer" by three recognised and popular musicians of European improvised, jazz and classical music - Lithuanian saxophonist Liudas Mockūnas, French guitarist Marc Ducret and Swiss trombonist Samuel Blaser.
Inspired by the sound of the legendary jazz clarinettist and saxophonist Jimmy Giuffre's trio, which also featured jazz icons such as guitarist Jim Hall and trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, the Mockūnas – Blaser – Ducret trio creates their own music, original compositions composed by all three members of the trio.
|
Liudas Mockūnas is one of the leading Lithuanian free jazz and free improvisation musicians. He has played with such great masters of the genre as Barry Guy, William Hooker, Vladimir Tarasov and Mats Gustaffsson, and played in the octet of iconic jazz pianist Andrew Hill. Currently, Liudas co-coordinates the Lithuanian-based institution "Improdimensija", which regularly hosts residencies, master classes and concerts of world-class free improvisation musicians, and is also a teaching member of the Jazz Department of the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. This is Liudas second collaboration with Jersika Records - already appreciated by listeners and music reviewers all over the world, is the double vinyl record "PURVS" released in 2021 together with Latvian-Lithuanian saxophonist and contemporary music interpreter Arvydas Kazlauskas.
While studying at La Chaux de Fonds Conservatoire, Samuel Blaser won several awards for classical and jazz performance, and since graduating has played in various big bands, including the European Radio Orchestra and the Vienna Art Orchestra. After receiving a Fulbright scholarship, he studied at the New York Conservatory and later settled in Berlin, where he still lives. The trombonist's musical interests range from jazz and classical to folk, rock and blues. Blaser pursues his creative ambitions by playing both in his own ensembles and in the projects of colleagues. His motto is to exhaust all the possibilities of the trombone and make the most of every creative situation. According to the musician, he is what he is today because of his interaction with the older generation of jazz masters such as Pierre Favre, John Hollenbeck, Gerry Hemingway, Marc Ducret, Paul Motian, Oliver Lake and Daniel Humair.
|
Marc Ducret is one of today's most original improvisers. On stage, he leaves the impression of a man-orchestra. Powered by acoustic and electric guitars, the self-taught virtuoso does not limit himself to a specific style, he plays unique and unexpected music. In 1986, Ducret joined the French Orchester National de Jazz, and in 1987 he was awarded the Django Reinghardt Award, in 1988 and 1989 he was voted the best French jazz guitarist by Jazz Hot magazine, and in 1989 he was hailed as the SACEM ( The Society for the Advancement of Continuing Education for Ministers) star. Since 1991, a collaboration with American saxophonist Tim Berne brought Ducret recognition abroad, and since then he has worked in several Berne-led projects, including Caos Totale, Bloodcount, Science Friction and Big Satan Trio (which also features drummer Tom Rainey). He has collaborated with David Sanborn, Django Bates, Joey Baron, David Friedmann, Michel Portal, Joachim Kühn, Franco Ambrosetti, Didier Lockwood, Miroslav Vitous, Enrico Rava, Adam Nussbaum and Michel Godard, as well as AKA Moon and Louis Sclavis. The guitarist combines his tours with conducting master classes, which he has conducted in France, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Finland, the USA, Scandinavia and the Baltic States. Ducret has recorded more than 20 albums as a leader.
Liudas Mockūnas - clarinet, soprano, tenor and bass saxophone
Samuel Blaser - trombone
Marc Ducret - guitar
Side A track 1 and Side B track 1 composed by Liudas Mockūnas (Koda), Side A track 2 and Side B track 3 composed by Marc Ducret (SACEM),
Side A track 3 and Side B track 2 composed by Samuel Blaser (Edition / Slide in Motion and administrated by Heights - 1630 Music Publishing Services Inc. New. York. Samuel Blaser plays Winfried Rapp trombones and performs on a XO1236RLO tenor trombone courtesy of XO Brass.
Recorded on December 02.-03. 2023 at Riga Recording Studio, Riga, Latvia.
Recording Engineer: Mārtiņš Krastiņš.
Assistant Recording and Tape Engineer: Kristaps Ruņģis.
Analog Mastering at Jersika Studio. Mastering Engineer: Mārtiņš Krastiņš.
Tapes prepared for vinyl release by Mārtiņš Krastiņš.
Produced by Mareks Ameriks.
Photo: Oskars Upenieks.
Sleeve Design: Neringa Žukauskaite and Edgars Ameriks.
Recorded live direct to analog tape using a Studer A 80 1/4” two-track tape recorder without any editing or overdubbing.
2026 Liudas Mockunas - Twisted Summer
2026 - The Sound of Tape - All rights reserved.
