Drori Mondlak

Jazz greats like Joe Williams, Ernestine Anderson, Frank Foster, Don Friedman, Danny Mixon, Lynn Seaton and many others have employed Drori Mondlak for his exceptional skills as a creative accompanist and soloist.____________________________________________________ ______________________ A presence on the New York City jazz scene since the mid 1980’s, he has now made Cologne, Germany his second home, in order to participate more fully in the European creative music scene.______________________________________________________ ____________________Drori’s touch, subtlety, feel and interactive approach to the music, have brought him international critical acclaim on stages worldwide as well as performing and recording opportunities with many musicians, including: John Hicks, Bill Charlap, Lew Tabackin, Chris Potter, Warren Vache, Bucky Pizzarelli, Karolina Strassmayer, Ralph Lalama, Eric Person, Wycliffe Gordon, Randy Sandke, Chico Freeman, Phil Markowitz, Ron McClure, John Goldsby, Vic Juris, Cary DeNigris, Dave Stryker, Fritz Pauer, Sunday Night Jazz Orchestra, Cologne Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, Bach, Blech & Blues, Staatorchester Rheinische Philarmonie, Joachim Schoenecker, Martin Sasse, Paul Shigihara, Tony Lakatos, Lutz Haffner, Barbara Dennerlein, Greetje Kauffeld, Ferdinand Povel, Lynne Arriale and many more._______________________________________________________ ____________________He has performed in many New York jazz clubs over the years such as Birdland, Visiones, The Jazz Gallery, Smalls and the Blue Note, toured throughout the United States, Japan and Europe, appearing at international jazz festivals, including: JVC, Newport, Montreux, Bern, Copenhagen, Graz, Salzburg, and Mexico City._______________________________________________________ ____________________He has also performed for Jazzmobile, Shea Center for the Performing Arts, Princeton Jazz Festival, SS Norway Floating Jazz Festival, Crested Butte Music Festival, The Jazz Cruise, MOMA Jazz series, The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Stamford Center for the Arts, Grove Street Music Festival, Jazz Arts Music Society, Gainesville Friends of Jazz and Blues, S.W. Oklahoma Jazz Festival, U.N.T. Jazz Festival, NC jazz festival, Midland/Odessa Jazz Society, Outreach Jazz Festival in Schwatz, Austria, Marianne Mendt Jazz Festival in St. Polten, Austria, Nurnberg Sacred Music Festival, Bingen Swingt Jazz Festival and the WDR in Germany.____________________________________________________ _______________________“Wake-Up Call” was Drori’s debut CD release as a leader of his group, Straight Circle. It featured original works and arrangements of standards. His work can also be heard on bassist, Lynn Seaton’s newest trio CD release, "ZOOM BLEWZ" with pianist Stefan Karlsson, guitarist Cary DeNigris’s CD release, “BETWEEN THE LINES” and saxophonist, Karolina Strassmayer’s debut CD release, “KLARO!”________________________________________________ ___________________________Just released in the US and in Europe on LilyPad Music - "POINT IN TIME" This is Drori's brand new recording as a leader of his quartet. It was recorded live at Avatar studios in NYC and features original compositions and arrangements written for the date by Drori and fellow group members. The musicians on this recording are: Karolina Strassmayer on saxophone and flute, Cary DeNigris on guitar, Steve LaSpina on bass and Drori Mondlak on drums.______________________________________________________ _____________________Drori can also be heard on the soon to be released "ADVENTURES" on LilyPad Music. This is saxophonist Karolina Strassmayer's newest recording. Recorded in NYC at Avatar Studios. It features Karolina's original compositions and some jazz standards.__________________________________________________ _________________________Drori Mondlak also conducts workshops on jazz drumming and improvisation, teaches privately and is a contributor to jazz publications in the US and Europe, such as “DRUMS & PERCUSSION” and “MODERN DRUMMER”._________________________________________________ __________________________