He started playing the violin at six and began study of the guitar as a teenager. After studying classical and jazz guitar in Graz, he completed his studies at the New England Conservatory and the Berklee College of Music. His high reputation, even in young years, made him the replacement of Pat Metheny in Gary Burton‘s band.
In 2002 Muthspiel returned to Vienna, founding his record label Material Records, which focuses on publishing own records as well as those of young aspiring musicians.
Besides his own band, the Wolfgang Muthspiel 4tet, he is collaborating with Brian Blade in the project “Friendly Travelers” and with Ralph Towner and Slava Grigoryan in a new Guitar Trio named MGT.
Born in Florence, Italy, in 1966, pianist Alessandro Galati has studied both classical and jazz, under the guiding eye of renowned artist Bruno Tommaso. After playing at numerous clubs and festivals in both Europe and the U.S., Galati began issuing albums on a regular basis, including 1995’s Traction Avant, 1997’s Jason Salad, and 1999’s Europhilia (the latter of which was commissioned by the town council of Sesto Fiorentino, and dedicated to the European United Nations). Since 1988, Galati has been teaching both piano and jazz combo arrangement at the Accademia Musicale di Firenze and the Centro Attivita’ Musicali. In addition to his own recordings, Galati has collaborated with numerous other artists, including Steve Lacy, Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz, and Bob Sheppard.
Eddie Gomez – bass; Billy Drummond – drums; Teriver Cheung – guitar; Li Xiaochuan – trumpet
Jazz bassist Eddie Gomez,was born October 4, 1944 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He grew up in New York and played in the Newport Festival Youth Band from 1959 to 1961, and was later educated at Juilliard.
His impressive resumé includes performances with jazz giants such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans, Gerry Mulligan, Benny Goodman, Buck Clayton, Marian McPartland, Paul Bley, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Steve Gadd, Tony Williams, Chick Corea and Carli Muñoz. Time Magazine lauded: “Eddie Gómez has the world on his strings”. Eddie Gómez would spend a total of eleven years with Bill Evans Trio which included performances throughout the United States, Europe, and the Orient, as well as dozens of recordings. Two of the Trio’s recordings won Grammy awards.
In addition to working as a studio musician for many famous jazz musicians, he has recorded as a leader for Columbia Records, Projazz and Stretch. Most of his recent recordings as a leader are co-led by jazz pianist Mark Kramer.
Eddie Gomez will be supported at this concert by Hong Kong born guitarist Teriver Cheung, who is making a name for himself on stages around the world including USA, UK, Poland, Singapore, China, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico to name but just a few countries. Currently based in New York, Teriver has played with many world renowned musicians including Eddie Gomez, Bernard Wright, George Garzone, Billy Drummond and Taylor Eigsti.
Teriver received his Bachelors of Jazz Studies at the University of North Texas with a scholarship.
Alex Sipiagin – trumpet; Misha Tsiganov – piano; Boris Kozlov – bass; Sasha Massin – drums; Hiske Oosterwijk – vocals
Alex moved from Russia to the U.S. in 1991 and began his trumpeting career shortly thereafter. His first gigs in the U.S. were with the Gil Evans Band and George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band. He has played with Dave Holland, Mingus Big Band, Michael Brecker, Mulgrew Miller and many others. Alex has recorded fourteen albums as a leader, mainly for the Criss Cross Jazz label. He is married to singer Monday Michiru and frequently plays with her band.
Alex is a founding member of the collective Opus 5, along with Seamus Blake, David Kikoski, Boris Kozlov and Donald Edwards. Many of the recordings he has been involved in, has won Grammys. He has also performed with Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Aaron Neville and Elvis Costello, Michael Franks, Dave Sanborn and many more.