CJS: Marcus Bartelt Quartett

Marcus Bartelt (baritone saxophone), Martin Sasse (piano), Martin Gjakonovski (bass), Joost van Schaik (drums)

CD Presentation "At Ease"

Marcus Bartelt has long been regarded by many colleagues and fans as one of the outstanding jazz soloists on baritone saxophone in Europe. For his new CD "At Ease" on the Cologne label JazzJazz Records he has gathered an absolute dream line-up around him. In his compositions and arrangements for this quartet, the full versatility of Bartelt and his bandmates is evident; the music sounds timelessly modern and at the same time deeply rooted in the classical jazz idiom that the four musicians master so virtuously. Marcus Bartelt can point to often long-standing and ongoing collaborations with artists and bands as diverse as De-Phazz, the Lionel Hampton All Stars, Bob Brookmeyer's New Art Orchestra, Michel Herr's Life Lines, Chili Gonzales and the Paul Kuhn Big Band. In 2002 he was also the initiator and founder of the Cologne Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, which is still active after 20 years, of course with himself on the deep wood.