Elumen shines with a powerful expression of lyricism and cohesive

Elumen shines with a powerful expression of lyricism and
cohesive intensity. A distillation of trombonist Allen's groups,
Elumen combines the contrapuntal interplay and dynamic compositional sense of the chamber duo Brainkiller (with pianist Koller),
the raw immediacy of the improvisational Synapse Trio (with saxophonist Malaby), and the primal rhythmic drive and electronic
inflections of his Mexican Quartet (with drummer Hecht). As a
result, the combined forces of the quartet resemble something of a
horn and percussion ensemble capable of melody, harmony and
rhythm with a direct and focused sound.
With Allen's associations with Malaby beginning in 1999 in
NYC on a summer trip, Koller via chance meeting in a Canadian
airport in 2000, and Hecht in 2007 made possible by Brian's grant
from Meet the Composer to the Yucatan, the band seems to have
assembled itself by destiny. Both Malaby and Koller hail from
Phoenix, Arizona and have an extensive playing history together as
well. Further deepening the ensemble are the rich cultural experiences each member brings as the in-demand Malaby roams the
globe with his own bands and jazz's brightest luminaries such as
Charlie Haden and Paul Motian, Koller divides time between
Arizona and Japan working in jazz and electronica, Argentinianborn and D.F.-based Hecht constantly tours worldwide with jazz and
rock artists alike, and Texas-based Allen collaborating with and
composing for symphonic, chamber, rock, and otherwise uncategorizable bands.
The quartet fashions all of these diverse elements into
creative and honest statements of melodicism and emotion
empowered by a strong sense of unity and interconnectedness.
Tony Malaby - Tenor Saxophone
Jacob Koller - Piano & Electronics
Brian Allen - Trombone & Electronics
Hernan Hecht - Drums & Electronics
Originally from Tucson, Arizona ,Tony Malaby has been permanently based in New York since 1995 and has been a member of
many notable jazz groups including Charlie Haden’s Liberation
Orchestra, Paul Motian's Electric Bebop Band, Mark Helias' Open
Loose, Fred Hersch's quintet and Walt Whitman project, and bands
led by Mario Pavone, Bobby Previte, Tom Varner, Marty Ehrlich,
Angelica Sanchez, Mark Dresser and Kenny Wheeler.
His debut cd "Sabino"(Arabesque) made the NY Times and Philadelphia City Paper's top ten jazz lists for 2000. He has three brand
new releases: "Adobe" available on Sunnyside in the US, featuring
Drew Gress and Paul Motian; Apparitions" on the Songlines label
featuring Tom Rainey, Mike Sarin, and Drew Gress; and "Alive in
Brooklyn" featuring Angelica Sanchez and Tom Rainey.
Tony leads several projects of his own including: APPARITIONS featuring: Drew Gress, Tom Rainey and Mike Sarin. The Tony
Malaby Trio, featuring Drew Gress and Paul Motian. Sabino, featuring: Michael Formanek, Tom Rainey, and Marc Ducret.
TONY MALABY QUOTES
..."Malaby's embracing sound is reminiscent of the more lyrical sax
players from both American as well as European traditions; he is
thus quite unique in the American landscape these days.”... Gautee
Solaas
...“Rarely does a player considered such a superb technician in the
traditional sense also display such gifts for freer forms.”... All
About Jazz
...“For though Malaby offered plenty of noise-driven soliloquies…he
also drew unabashedly on bebop and post bop harmonic and
rhythmic ideas. Morever, just when the listener began to decode
Malaby’s improvisational techniques, the man darted into unexpected territory, offering austerely expressive melodies not usually
encountered among players with comparably avant-garde
leanings”... Chicago Tribune
www.tonymalaby.com
At the age of 4 Jacob Koller began studying classical piano.
At age 5 he gave his first piano recital and before entering high
school he won over 10 classical piano competitions (including
the Arizona Yamaha Piano Competition).
In high school he devloped a new passion for jazz and
improvisation. He began working professionally in the Phoenix
area from the age of 14, playing with the finest jazz musicians in
the valley including Dennis Roland, Jesse Mcguire, Margo Reid,
Dwight Killian, Dom Moio, and Fred Forney. He attended
Arizona State University on a full jazz scholarship and studied
under Chuck Mahronic.
He has also studied privately with world class pianists such
as Kenny Werner, Fred Hersch and Uri Caine and has performed
all around the globe with the likes of Mark Dresser, Terrence
Blanchard, Tony Malaby and Martin Denny.
JACOB KOLLER QUOTES
...”Koller is an advanced colorist on the acoustic piano, adding
shading, texture, and density. He presents delicate musings
heavily laced with a near-foreboding aura”...
One Final Note
...“One of the most impressive things about Koller's tunes is that,
despite all manner of diversions and mood changes, the direction never seems to change. And when they're over, I feel like I've
just been told a short story”...
Pitchfork
www.jacobkoller.com
Texas Based trombonist, composer and improviser Brian
Allen has performed with Anthony Braxton, Dave Ballou, Gerald
Cleaver, Mark Dresser, Ellery Eskelin, Satoko Fujii Duo and
Orchestra NY, Frank Gratkowski, Drew Gress, Roswell Rudd, and
Michael Sarin. Brian's current projects include Synapse with
Tony Malaby and Tom Rainey, Brain Killer with pianist Jacob
Koller and Sketchy.
Brian has released six CDs: Synapse - Trio with Tony
Malaby and Tom Rainey, six years L8R (amplified trombone,)
Duo (with Reuben Radding,) Solo Trombone, Brain Killer and
Sketchy and toured extensively.
Brian is a recent recipient of a Meet the Composer Global
Connections Grant for Mexico in 2007. He has had compositions
premiered at several international, national and regional festivals, including works for wind ensemble, electronica, chamber
ensembles, Mexican Banda and jazz. Dedicated to education,
Brian teaches privately and at Brazosport College. He is also a
clinician for the Edwards Instrument Company.
BRIAN ALLEN QUOTES
...“Trombonist Brian Allen brings a burst of energy to contemporary creative music”... All About Jazz, New York
...“An adventurous trombonist”... New York Times
...“Allen has nevertheless found very personal ways to break
down his slippery bop-honed trombone chops. He takes the instrument apart, removes the mouthpiece to vocalize through the
bare tubing, raps the mouthpiece against the bell, and employs
multiphonics – but there’s that polished jazz-trombone sound
cutting through all of the instrumental deviations”...
Paris Transatlantic
www.braintone.com
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1975, he studied the career of
drums performance at Argentina’s Technological Institute for Contemporary Music (ITMC), and has taken master-classes and internacional
seminars with musicians like Fred Frith, Alex Acuña, Will Kennedy, Bill
Bruford, Pat Mastelotto, Allan Holdsworth, Gary Husband, Danny
Gotllieb, Mike Stern, Joey Heredia, Joe Zawinul, Alphonso Johnson,
Makoto Ozone, John Scofield, Giovanni Hidalgo, Dave Weckl and
Clarence Penn.
He has also played with Bill Carrothers, Dave Fiuczinsky, Brian Allen,
Dean Bowman, Frank Gambale, Scott Henderson, Gabriel Hernandez
(Cuba), Pere Soto (España), Statements Duo (Alemania), Tyler Mitchell
(USA), Jarry Singla (Alemania), Dave McMurdo (Canada), Brent
Jensen (USA), Randy Vincent (USA), Rob Walker (USA), Ken Basman
(Canada), Dave O’Higgins (UK), Tom Cawley (UK), Jack De Keyzer
(Canada) and David Rotundo (Canada), as well as with most recognized
jazz musicians in Argentina and Mexico.
He leads two projects: "X-Pression Quartet", whose first CD titled
"X-Pression Quartet.Mx" was released in 2005, and "Gru-B Project",
with whom he will release a CD in late 2007. He’s also the drummer of
the seminal free-jazz cooperative trio Craneo de Jade, and member of
Brian Allen’s Mexican Project, Nicolas Santella Trio, Israel Cupich’s
Quartet and Quintet, RHA Trio, Trio SHO, and singer Ely Guerra’s
touring band.
He has recorded in over 45 CD’s in Mexico, 12 of which have worldwide
distribution. He has played in Argentina, Mexico, USA, England, Spain,
France, Thailand, Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Chile.
He created and coordinated the festivals "JazzHabito" (2002), "ArtLife
JazzFest" (2003) and the “Jazz Marathon for the Victims of the Hurricanes in Chiapas and Quintana Roo” (2005). He wrote the music for the
Mexican film “Todos los Besos” (2007) and for the documentary "Omine
Patris", based on the work of the British visual artist Damien Hirst.
He is currently working in the post-production of the first CD of his
band Gru-B Project and the first recording of the RHA Trio, writing the
music for the new CD of his X-Pression Quartet and organizing a new
quartet with Tony Malaby, Jacob Koller and Brian Allen.
He is sponsored by Zildjian and DW Drum Workshop.
HERNAN HECHT QUOTES
...“Hernan Hecht is one of the best musicians that have arrived to
Mexico. Few people have worked so much for our jazz, and even less
people have done it with such finesse, talent and emotion.”
Antonio Malacara, La Jornada
www.hernanhecht.com
Rider
1- Grand Concert Acoustic Piano, (tuned)
2- Drums: Kick 18', Tom 12', Floor Tom 14', 3 cymbal
stands, 1 snare stand, 1 HiHat Pedal, 1 seat, 1 bass drum
Pedal, coat, drumheads (Remo Ambassador or Remo Fiber
Skin or Evans)
3- 4 audio monitors w/ different mixes
4- 1 Mic SM58 (Trombone), 1 Mic SM58 (Sax), 2 Condensers (Piano), 2 Condensers + 2 Shure SM58 (Drums), 1
Direct Box (Trombone), 1 direct Box (Drums), 1 Direct Box
(Piano)
6- Water, Fruits and towels
Contacto:
Lourdes Alzate
Art Manager
loualzatez@gmail.com
skype: lou_alzate
www.artmanager.org
design by Hernan Hecht