SASS NEWS

-Welcome to the Jon Sass blog!  I have started a news letter which will keep you informed on recent and upcoming activities . 

NEWS AND UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

(For infos on upcoming dates, visit the website calender)

CHECK THIS OUT !!!

Check this out, from one of the writers of the HBO show “The Wire”. http://undercoverblackman.blogspot.com/2008/11/free-john-sass-download.html

 “IF EVERYONE WERE TO FOLLOW YOU…WHERE WOULD YOU LEAD THEM ? “  I will soon be launching my new seminar program…THE CORPORATE GROOVE. This 2 day seminar welcomes up to 8 corporate or institutional members to participate in an experience that provides a truly unique perspective on how we think about ourselves using creativity, bringing to light an effective understanding for successful teamwork related objectives.  

“Rhythm is a musical understanding and the oldest form of communication…Groove is rhythmic understanding played with feeling…a team playing with that same feeling and understanding is strong and productive.  The same team making use of improvisation opens the door to a culture of innovation !”

Horn and Tuba - Jazz hornist, Arkady Shilkloper and I are planning a new duo program for next year…stay tuned!!!

-THE JON SASS BASSLINE BOOK is now available from EDITIONS BIM in Bulle ,Switzerland !!  Over the years tubists, bass trombone and bass players have come to me needing information on my approach to playing bass lines.  This is an informative book with play along cd. It contains recordings of original bass lines from earlier recordings as well as the CD Sassified. The book contains several bass lines each having harmonic and rhythmical exercises.  A guide to Jon`s unique vocal percussion technique as well as an informative guide to working with amplification.  The play along CD was specially designed to allow the user to practice progressively into the different rhythmic and melodic elements of each track. 

GET SASSIFIED 

There are several new projects. At the end of November, Jon will present-  GET SASSIFIED-“ Breathing, Improvisation, Rhythm and Groove for Brass Teachers”  an interactive course  for music teachers given by groove master Jon Sass . Jon is world known as the most creative and versatile tubist to date . Jon will share his insights into the learning processes for different musical styles and rhythms with the focus on the groove. Communicative methods which are based in African American culture are also explored. There is a focus on providing a healthy basis and understanding with students for beginning improvisation. This course is for teachers who are focused on brass. Participants are invited to bring their instruments.

NEW BRASS QUARTET -  After having performed  successfully together at the OUTREACH festival  Jon together with New York Studio and Jazz stars, Dave Taylor, John Clark and Dietmar Kublböck ,solo  trombonist with the Vienna Philharmonic, have decided to set our efforts towards a few tours for next year…….Stay Tuned-more to come……. 

A new formation has been out of Folke Tegethoff’s Fabelhaft Festival. It is called The Storyband, features Grammy nominated African American Storyteller Diana Ferlatte, from Oakland, California…”HER TAILS NEVER FAIL TO TURN HEADS”. The succesful Asian American duo ETH-NOH-TEC, Nancy Wang and Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo, weave storytelling with movement & music to create a unique kinesthetic theater experience. ETH-NOH-TEC originates from San Francisco, California. The new program is called DNA-THE JOURNEY. No matter who we are or where we come from, we all share the same DNA…HUMAN DNA. A cross cultural storyband finds common ground through music, stories & songs, knowing that DNA is the essence…Dreams Need Affirming. 

YEAH !!!    This is a personal congratulation to Senator Barack Obama for winning the Presidency !!!

 BLAUKLANG  by VINCE MENDOZA  nominated for the GRAMMY AWARDS

The album Blauklang (ACT 9465-2) by Vince Mendoza was nominated in the category ’Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album’.

The Grammy is awarded annually to artists, composers and arrangers in 110 categories by the National Academy of Recordings Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles. The award ceremony will take place on February 8th, 2009. Four-time Grammy award winner Mendoza is one of the most sought-after arrangers and a giant in both jazz and pop. On his new masterpiece Blauklang the tonal colors and colored tones were realised by an ensemble of top-class musicians that were brought together exclusively for this occasion: Nguyên Lê, Markus Stockhausen, Claudio Puntin, Steffen Schorn, Frank Sackenheim, Arkady Shilkloper, Jon Sass, Lars Danielsson, Ulla van Daelen, Peter Erskine, Christopher Dell and the String Quartet RED URG 4.

RECENT GROOVES ON THE ROAD

Blauklang - I have recorded a few CDs early in the year which were recently released. The CD Blauklang, which has the music of Vince Mendoza was recently released. There was a great crew of musicians…Markus Stochause, Arkady Shilkloper, Nguyên Lê - guitar, Christopher Dell - Vibraphone, Lars Danielsson - bass,  Peter Erskine - drums….

Erika Stucky Bubbles and Bangs - Just returned from the road with Erika again. Man was it a great tour - as usual. Erika touched her audience deeply.The great swiss drummer who grew up in Africa, Lucas Niggli, is a fantastic partner…we had some serious fun!

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF BRASS- I enjoyed a tremendous time at the brass festival recently this fall .  The artists participating were Wycliffe Gordon, Jens Lindermann, Wayne Bergeron, Michael Bertonchello-who gave a mean barbeque, Barry Tuckwell and many other fantastic musicians !  Jens is on seriously funny cat . There festival staff and friends when fantastic. Wycliffe and I played on each other’s shows. He is an amazing musician and gift to the world of music. All together it was seriously happening !! Let’s keep the vibe guys !

Shortly before Melbourne I had a feature performance with The VORARLBERG JAZZ ORCHESTRA at the Remise in Bludenz Austria. The musicians were great and all I know is that after having such an incredible concert we will surely appear on the calendar for next year…!

BRASS FESTIVAL-St Veit an der Glan  Austria -I was  recently in the St. Veit an der Glan Brass festival towards the end of July and met up with some old long time friends, the members of Canadian Brass. We have met often over the many  years and, as always enjoyed a great vibe and unforgettable times together. All I know is that I was deeply inspired and touched not only by their music but by the wonderful humanity in their presence . I must  say though that the evening went by with a generous  portion of laughter! The festival was  fun and insightful for all ,and well organized.  To see photos of some seriously funny happenings check out  my good friend  Jeff Nelson’s  Backstage Brass at http://www.canbrass.com/backstagebrass/. 

OUTREACH Austria-  I attended Franz Hackl’s OUTREACH FESTIVAL  in Schwarz, Tyrol. This was as well serious fun. I met up with Dave Taylor, John Clark, Dietmar Kublböck, Lew Soloff, Raoul Desouza and many other great musicians. We had a great time jamming together and putting together a concert program. The concept Franz had for the event was one which I missed a lot in festivals. The idea was to mix the pot of musicians present for experiences playing together in smaller and diverse combos. The energy was always fresh and exciting! 

-ART OF BRASS VIENNA is now on the way with our new Trumpet player Florian Klingler. Florian has proven to be a valuable member musically and chemistry wise. Hans Gansch left the group to explore other avenues of playing. We still play together such as the short upcoming tour we have in Taiwan in December.August was a busy month with concerts in Greece, Austria and St. Moritz in Switzerland where we played on a mountain peak over 3100 meters. One might say that was a bit over the top.

-MARY ELLEN CARROLL- What is art? What does color mean with our identifications? One of my most unique experiences was working with a world famous concept artist. The event happened in September. Mary called me from New York about her upcoming exhibition in Vienna. Well this  challenge was not like playing in other art exhibitions of the past. Well all I can say is that I was Mary for that evening! 

-ERIKA STUCKY’S SUICIDE JODELS- We have just returned home from tour in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Was huge fun as usual with Erika. Sebastian Fuchsberger – the voice-will unfortunately no longer be on the stage  with us. But we wish him much happiness and success for his new Operatic career.