Monika Kabasele feat. Martin Sasse/ Mini Schulz/ Bernd Reiter
+ Special Guest Jon Boutellier
Monika Kabasele (GRE) (vocal), Jon Boutellier (FRA) (tenorsax), Martin Sasse (D) (piano),
Mini Schulz (D) (bass), Bernd Reiter (A) (drums)
Monika Kabasele is an outstanding talent, a true jazz singer who interprets the classic repertoire of the Great American Songbook authentically, charmingly and truthfully. She is from Athens, but lives in Paris, where she also studies at the Conservatory. As a "shooting star" of the scene, she can already be heard regularly at the Parisian clubs Duc des Lombards and Sunside, as well as at selected festivals in France, Morocco and Greece. It was also at the Duc des Lombards that she began her collaboration with saxophonist Jon Boutellier, absolutely the leading young saxophonist in France, who now lives in Paris and New York. Boutellier has been connected to jazz since early childhood, his father is the founder of the Vienne Jazz Festival, he became internationally known as soloist and arranger of the "Amazing Keystone Bigband". He has been decorated with various awards and is part of the house band of the Duc des Lombards in Paris.
Monika Kabasele and Jon Boutellier are supported by an outstanding and well-rehearsed international trio. Martin Sasse from Cologne has been one of Europe's leading pianists since the 1990s and has worked as a leader and sideman with the most important soloists from the USA and Europe such as Al Foster, the New York Voices, Jimmy Cobb, Steve Grossman, Peter Bernstein, Vincent Herring, Roberta Gambarini, Till Brönner, Dick Oatts, Dennis Mackrel, Philip Catherine, Dusko Goykovich, Steve Grossman, Scott Hamilton, Tony Lakatos u. v. m . Mini Schulz is one of the most sought-after bassists in Europe due to his subtle and accomplished playing style. He has played countless concerts with international jazz legends and is also active as an organizer and teacher in Stuttgart. The Austrian drummer Bernd Reiter, who studied in Graz and New York and now lives in Paris after several years in Munich, has performed worldwide with many jazz greats such as Harold Mabern, Kirk Lightsey, Don Menza, Steve Grossman, Jim Rotondi u. v. m.
This great band presents standards and originals of the Great American Songbook with a lot of joy and swing, simply "Jazz at its Best"!