In the media

Gronau – Ein Abend swingender Jazz live – die Euregio Bigband machte es möglich. Sie hatte einige Gäste
geladen, die munter in ihren Reihen mitmischten und als Quintett den zweiten Teil des Konzertprogramms
gestalteten.

Martin Borck

„Sing, sing, sing“: Der Swing-Hit von Louis Prima aus den 1930er-Jahren wurde durch die knackige Interpretation des Benny-Goodman-Orchestras berühmt. Und wer saß zumindest in den letzten Jahren dieses famosen Orchesters – in der Reihe der Saxofonisten?

Genau: Scott Hamilton. Derselbe Scott Hamilton, der am Sonntagabend als Stargast der Euregio-Bigband in der
Bürgerhalle auftrat. Und bei „Sing, sing, sing“ mitspielte.

Ära der Swing-Bigbands wurde lebendig

Das nach Livemusik lechzende Publikum erlebte ein Konzert, das die große Ära der SwingBigbands aufleben ließ. Ein kompakter Sound, rasantes Tempo wie bei dem Louis-PrimaStück, aber auch pulsberuhigende Tiefe bei den Balladen wie Cole Porters „Night and Day“.

Nicht nur das Kollektiv unter Leitung von Natalie Schiemann verbreitet Wohlklang – auch die solistischen Fähigkeiten der Musiker sind erstaunlich. Bernd Nawrat (Posaune) – um ein Beispiel herauszugreifen – vermittelte große Souveränität in der Ballade „Summer never ends“. Saxofonist Jan Oude Grote Bevelsborg setzte solistisch mehrfach Kontrapunkte zum Sound der Band, zum Beispiel beim Bossa „Softly as in a Summer Sunrise“.

Von pathetischem Schmelz bis zur knisternden Spannung

Mit pathetischem Schmelz vollführten die Musiker den Oktavsprung zu „Over the Rainbow“ –
nun: Das Stück hat auch etwas leicht Kuschelig-Kitschiges. Dafür vermittelte die Interpretation von Adeles „Skyfall“ knisternde Spannung – Sängerin Dina Niehaus versuchte erst gar nicht, Adeles Stimme zu kopieren; ihr gelang dadurch erst recht eine eigenständige Version des Hits, intensiv und dynamisch.

„Blue Bossa“ von Kenny Dorham spielte die Bigband in Gedenken an ihren verstorbenen Vorsitzenden Gert Poltrock, kündigte Moderator Stefan Busch an. Jos Machtel hatte den Bass-Part in der Bigband übernommen. Die anderen Stargäste des Abends, neben Hamilton, Martin Sasse (Piano), Joost van Schaik (Drums) und Bert Boeren (Posaune) – hatten sich immer wieder solistisch und in Duos ins Geschehen eingemischt. Bei „A Night in Tunesia” standen sie alle mit der Bigband auf der Bühne.

Konzentration stand ins Gesicht geschrieben

Nach 14 Titeln einschließlich Zugabe war der erste Part beendet – den zweiten gestaltete das Martin-Sasse-Trio mit Hamilton und Boeren. Und auch wenn Sasse und Boeren der Qualität der Bigband zurecht Respekt zollten und ohne deren Leistung im geringsten schmälern zu wollen: Da merkte man denn doch den Unterschied zwischen den Voll- und
Halbprofis.

Während den Bigband-Mitgliedern die Konzentration oft ins Gesicht geschrieben stand, sind die Profis eins mit der Musik. Hamilton verschmilzt geradezu mit seinem Instrument. Dazu der geschmeidig-sonore Ton, die Eleganz, mit der die Soli fließen, die Art, wie er die Töne formt, mit ihnen spielt – das hat eine eigene Klasse. Besonders gut zu spüren bei „Pure Imagination“.

Die Quintettformation erlaubte es, genau zu beobachten, wie sich die Musiker die Bälle zuspielten, wie sie aufeinander eingingen. Van Schaiks dezentes Spiel auf Fellen und Becken, Sasses virtuose Klangfarbenspiel, die gezupften und gestrichenen Saiten des Kontrabasses vibrierten dazu und dann shakerte Boeren auch noch bei „Makin‘ Whoopee“ mit der gestopften Posaune, der er witzige Töne entlockte.

Ein gelungener Konzertabend ging nach fast drei Stunden zu Ende.

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Top-class jazz awaits the guests at the “Swingin’-Together” concert by the Euregio Big Band on November 28th (Sunday) in the Gronau Citizens’ Hall. We have again succeeded in attracting excellent musicians.

Scott Hamilton, Martin Sasse and his trio as well as Bert Boeren will support the Euregio Big Band as soloists and organize the second part of the evening as a combo.

The star guest on this evening is saxophonist Scott Hamilton. The American has already been a guest at the Gronau Jazz Festival several times. He is considered to be the leading representative of classical mainstream jazz. His great career began in the 1970s with Joe Eldridge and the Benny Goodman orchestra. He has been touring around the world regularly since the 1980s. Scott Hamilton has recorded over 40 albums.

His playing has a unique signature, as British jazz critic Dave Gelly put it: “Following a Scott Hamilton solo is like listening to a great conversation partner in full swing. First the voice, the inimitable, secure sound of his tenor saxophone, then the informal style and finally the amazing fluency and eloquent mastery of the jazz language. “

Starguest Scott Hamilton

Martin Sasse has been one of the most sought-after and outstanding jazz pianists in Germany for many years. His first album “Here We Come” received the best international reviews and was at the top of American and Japanese playlists. For his publication “Good Times” with Charlie Mariano received the German Record Critics’ Prize. In 2011 he toured Europe with Sting and performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Martin Sasse is a lecturer in jazz piano at the Institute for Media and Music at the Robert Schumann University in Düsseldorf.

Prof. Bert Boeren is one of the most famous trombonists in the Netherlands. After studying classical music, he continued his training at the Academy for Jazz Studies in Hilversum. He teaches at the universities of Amsterdam and Tilburg and taught jazz trombone at the music academy in Rotterdam. Bert Boeren has been a member of the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw Amsterdam for ten years and played in the Dutch Swing College Band for many years. He can be heard on CD as a soloist with the Metropole Radio Orchestra and on recordings by Herman Brood, Anouk, Paul Young and others.

The Euregio Bigband is directed by Natalie Schiemann. She studied music in Ukraine with a focus on piano and choral conducting. Schiemann received an award for her graduation as a music teacher and continued her education in jazz and big band workshops.

Admission to the concert is at 5.30 p.m. Tickets are available in advance from Touristik-Service Gronau and from www.euregio-bigband.de. Tickets cost 15 euros in advance and 17 euros at the box office.

https://www.wn.de/muensterland/kreis-borken/gronau/exzellente-musiker-bei-swinging-together-2481883

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Scott Hamilton plays together with the Euregio Bigband

World star of the swing saxophone

The Euregio Bigband sees itself in good company. She invites you to a concert evening with saxophonist Scott Hamilton on November 28th.

Saxophonist Scott Hamilton is the focus of the concert “Swinging‘ together “, which the Euregio Bigband is organizing on November 28th in the Bürgerhalle. Hamilton will perform solo on some pieces with the big band as well as perform as a combo with the Martin Sasse Trio and trombonist Bert Boeren.

The Euregio Bigband has tried for many years to win Scott Hamilton, the last world swing saxophone star, for a concert. This has so far failed due to long lead times and short-term financial commitments from the State Music Council of
We are happy that we made it this year.

Tickets available now

“We are happy that he has promised us this year,” said organizer Ralf Zurloh from the Euregio Bigband. Tickets are now available from Touristik Service and by email at info@euregio-bigband.de.

Jazz fan since childhood

Hamilton was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1954. In his early childhood he listened to a lot of jazz through his father’s extensive record collection and got to know the jazz greats. He tried different instruments. When he was about eight years old, he took clarinet lessons, the only formal music lessons he ever had. Even at this age he was drawn to the sound of Johnny Hodges, but it wasn’t until he was 16 that he began to play the saxophone in earnest.

In 1976 he moved to New York and got a six-week gig in Michael’s pub through Roy Eldridge. Eldridge also paved the way for him to work with Anita O‘Day and Hank Jones. Though it was the end of the old New York scene, many of the greats were still active – and Scott Hamilton played along and learned from them.

Released more than 40 albums

In 1977 he founded his own quartet, which later became a quintet. In the same year Carl Jefferson heard him and began to record him for his Concord record label. More than 40 albums later, he’s still recording for her.

His playing was best described by tenor saxophonist and writer Dave Gelly: “Following a Scott Hamilton solo is like listening to a great conversationalist in full swing. First comes the voice, the inimitable, secure sound of his tenor saxophone, then the informal style and finally the amazing fluency and eloquence of the jazz language. “

Hamilton was named “Ronnie” for International Jazz Saxophonist of the Year at the 2007 Ronnie Scott‘s Jazz Awards. No wonder it is in demand around the world.

Westfalische Nachrichten

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The Euregio big band sees itself in good company. On November 29 – in the vicinity of the catch-up dates of the Jazz Festival – she invites you to a concert evening with saxophonist Scott Hamilton.

Saxophonist Scott Hamilton is the focus of the concert “Swinging ‘together”, which the Euregio big band is organizing in the Bürgerhalle on November 29th. Hamilton will perform with the big band on some pieces as well as appear as a combo with the Martin Sasse Trio and trombonist Bert Boeren.

The Euregio Bigband has tried for many years to get Scott Hamilton, the last world star of the swing saxophone, to go to a concert. This has so far failed due to long lead times and short-term financial commitments from the State Music Council of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Tickets available now

“We are glad that he agreed to this year,” said organizer Ralf Zurloh from the Euregio big band. Tickets are now available from the Touristik Service and by email at info@euregio-bigband.de.

After last year’s concert was sold out, the organizers are again expecting great demand. “After some top-class jazz festival events were postponed at the end of the year, we see our event well embedded in a compact Gronau jazz series, so to speak in” good company “,” said Zurloh. Especially since Hamilton has performed several times at the jazz festival.

Jazz fan since childhood

Hamilton was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1954. In his early childhood he heard a lot of jazz through his father’s extensive record collection and got to know the jazz greats. He tried different instruments. When he was about eight years old, he had clarinet lessons, the only formal music lesson he ever had. At this age he was already attracted to the sound of Johnny Hodges, but only started to play saxophone when he was 16.

In 1976 he moved to New York and was given a six-week appearance in Michael’s pub through Roy Eldridge. Eldridge also paved the way for him to work with Anita O’Day and Hank Jones. Even though it was the end of the old New York scene, many of the greats were still active – and Scott Hamilton played along and learned from them.

More than 40 albums released

In 1977 he founded his own quartet, which later became a quintet. The same year, Carl Jefferson heard him and started recording for his Concord record label. More than 40 albums later, he’s still recording for her.

His playing was best described by Dave Gelly, a tenor saxophonist and writer: “Following a solo by Scott Hamilton is like listening to a great conversation partner in full swing. First comes the voice, the inimitable, sure sound of his tenor saxophone, then the informal style and finally the amazing fluency and eloquence of the jazz language. “

Hamilton was recognized at the Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Awards in 2007 as “Ronnie” for the international jazz saxophonist of the year. No wonder that it is in demand worldwide.

Original from Westfälische Nachrichten

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Gronau – Musiker aus zwei Ländern, die auf hohem Niveau Bigband-Literatur einstudieren und präsentieren: Das ist die Euregio Bigband. Am Sonntag gab sie gemeinsam mit Gast-Solisten ein Konzert in der Bürgerhalle. Von Martin Borck

Das ist das Schöne am Jazz: die Freiheit zu improvisieren – nicht nur solistisch, sondern auch im Duett. Wenn sich dabei zwei Musiker verstehen, erleben die Zuhörer besondere Höhepunkte der Musik.

Weiter lesen bei WN+

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