Lena Bloch

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I was self-taught first... In search for more information for myself, I decided to immigrate to Israel and was accepted as a student at the Rubin Academy of Music and Dance, for study with Boris Gammer. I remained in Israel one more year and performed at the Red Sea Jazz Festival in the summer, as well as at some clubs with Boris and Art Bloch.In 1990 I moved to Europe and started my own group in Cologne, Germany, with Art Bloch on piano, Henning Gailing on bass, Darren Beckett on drums and Stefan Meinberg on trumpet. At this time I began my study at the Jazz Department of Cologne Conservatory. There I met great American and European musicians: John Taylor, John Marshall, Keith Copeland. With my own quartet I was touring around the country, playing in jazz clubs in Hamburg, Leverkusen, Dusseldorf, Bonn, Munich, Dresden, being a part of festivals like Leverkusener Jazz Tage, Ingolstadter Jazz Herbst. At the “Jazz Newcomer Competition” in Leipzig, Germany our quintet won the first prize.In Cologne, I met the great jazz saxophonist Lee Konitz and became his student. In 1999 I recorded a first CD “Pyramid”, featuring John Marshall on trumpet, Boris Netsvetaev on piano, Chris Lachotta on bass and Stefan Noelle on drums. In the spring of 1999 I received a full scholarship for a Jazz Workshop in Banff Centre for the Arts, Canada, where I enjoyed lessons and sessions with Joe Lovano and Kenny Werner. I participated in a studio recording with vocalist Judy Silvano and Chicago-based drummer Jerry Steinhilber.In 2001, our band recorded another CD with more originals, this time with a drummer and friend David Mason, pianist Boris Netsvetaev and bassist Chris Lachotta. Same year, in Munich, I met Steve Reid, a legendary percussionist, and an interesting collaboration began immediately. Several festivals followed, and a live-recorded CD “Steve Reid Live In Europe”, featuring the original “Farewell To Arms”.One of the most exciting and unforgettable experiences was my performing with Johnny Griffin and Horace Parlan, with Mal Waldron, Keith Copeland, John Marshall and Alvin Queen. In 2002 our band was invited to Russia to perform at Igor Butman’s “Le Club” and at the Voronezsh jazz festival. In Germany, I continued to perform with many talented young musicians: Matthias Bergmann,Daniel Buttner, Francois De Ribaupierre, Markus Rieck, Fedor Ruscuc, Joe Hertenstein, Christian Ramond, Felix Astor, Guido May, Thomas Rueckert, Henning Gailing.In 2003 I was offered a scholarship for a Masters of Music study at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Studying jazz composition with Jeff Holmes, I also took lessons with a great New-York based saxophonist Adam Kolker and studied with him sound production. I became a part of the jazz scene, playing in Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire. As a soloist with Vermont Jazz Center Big Band, multimedia group “Ambassadors Of Light”, “Safari East” as well as with my own trio, I had a wonderful experience working with such musicians as Dave Shapiro, Vishnu Wood, Claire Arenius, Paul Arslanian, Eugene Uman, Howard Brofsky, Rod Levitt, George Kaye. In 2005 I was a soloist at the “Women in Jazz” Festival, which also featured Allison Miller on drums.During my UMass years, I have met composer and contrabassist Salvatore Macchia, exceptionally inspiring artist. Living now in Brooklyn, NY, I enjoy my stay in the United States, playing with Vishnu Wood, Doug Abrams, Arturo O'Farrill, George Kaye, writing original compositions, teaching, too.