Chris Hirson, the New York saxophonist and jazz composer, is a master of conventional technique as well as myriad unusual sounds on his instrument. His music has great esthetic appeal. In some ways it is puzzling. Sometimes it can be strictly categorized as jazz with classical elements. Then again suddenly freely improvised...It is a highly intelligent, witty, and very musical music...
-Die Zeit
Chris Hirson is considered to be one of the finest soprano-saxophonists of his time.
He studied at CUNY and with Ralph Towner and Steve Lacy. Since the beginning of the 80s he has worked in Europe with his own groups, appearing at major concert venues and festivals. Central to all his projects is his longstanding work in Duo with guitarist Geoff Goodman, whose recorded works include Hirson /Goodman (1989, K+M records) and Paint it Blue (1990, K+M records). He also developed a Quartet with Geoff Goodman, Henning Sieverts and Peter Perfido, which released an Album in 1995 (K+M records). His world-music project, Misery Loves Company (enja records) also was released in 1996. In the 90s he additionally worked with dance groups, and composed and arranged for theater and film projects.
Highly recommended by Rowohlt Jazz Lexicon is "Human Lives" (1996, Acoustic Music ). Charlie Mariano says of his music, " The variety of moods is pure listening pleasure".
Festivals:
Montreux Jazz Festival, Leipzig Jazztage, Leverkusen Jazzfestival, Strasbourg Jazz d’Or, Museum d’orsay Paris, Balver Höhle, Münchner Klaviersommer, St. Petersburg, Warschau, Istanbul and many others
Hirson-Beirach Duo:
Chris Hirson is presently working in Duo with the legendary jazz pianist Richie Beirach.
Richie Beirach is a renowned jazz pianist whose inexhaustible creativity as performer and composer and his innovative chordal vision is reflected in innumerable recordings with some of the greatest musicians in the jazz scene.
He has recorded over 250 CDs either as a leader or as a sideman with stars like Freddie Hubbard, Lee Konitz, Chet Baker, Sarah Vaughn, Stan Getz, Jack DeJohnette , and Dave Liebman to name a few.
He wrote jazz history with some of his compositions of which ELM, EON and HUBRIS are the most known . John Abercrombie says: ’As an improviser, Richie is one of the most innovative componists of jazz’.
In this further examination of the art of the duo, these two modern masters take the experiment to the edges of harmony, form, and mood.
Hirsons compositions are designed to give the musicians both the structure and freedom to investigate and express, and with these two inventive musicians, the possiblities are endless. Blending his unique compositional style with a variety of moods and colors, Hirson has created a moving picture which can be compared to storytelling at its best. Themes are introduced, varied, and set free. Rhythms and moods are opened, then allowed to travel on....evolve or evaporate. The result is a witty, inventive, and emotional dialogue between two master composers and musicians.
Chris Hirson Seta Tunes:
His newest project, based in Berlin, Germany, is the quintet formation „SETA TUNES“ and includes the young Bengali vocalist Mithila Motaleb and a notable rhythm section: Pianist Carsten Daerr, Bassist Oliver Potratz, and Drummer Sebastian Merk.
About the album „Trivial Things“
„The great things in life leave us, eventually. But the little things, the trivial things, stay with us forever.â€
Hirson’s compositions and songs (in collaboration with Mithila Motaleb) are inspired by the details of their lives in Berlin. “Mithila and I have had an enormous influence on each other’s style and directionâ€, he says. “ In terms of our songwriting, we feed off and complement each other. The lyrics often deal with the details of everyday life – what people say, and do, and the implications behind their words and actionsâ€. The compositions are designed to give the musicians both the structure and freedom to investigate and express myriad emotions and moods, and with these inventive musicians, the possiblities are enormous. The result is a witty, inventive, and emotional musical drama, full of nuance, movement and expression.
Bios:
Hirson, Chris (ss, fl, comp, ld),
*20.12.1955 New York
Chris Hirson studied at City University of New York with Ralph Towner and Steve Lacy. Since the beginning of the 80’s he has worked in Europe with his own groups, appearing at major concert venues and festivals. Central to all his projects is his longstanding work in Duo with guitarist Geoff Goodman, whose recorded works include “Hirson /Goodman“ (1989) and “Human Lives“ (1996). Along with this Duo activity he developed a Quartet which altogether produced 5 albums of original compositions up to 2001 In the 90‘s he additionally worked with dance groups, and composed and arranged for theater and film projects. Highly recommended is „Paint It Blue“ (1990). Chris Hirson presently lives and works in Berlin.
-Jazzlexikon, Rowohlt
Mithila Motaleb – Vocals, composition
The vocalist and composer Mithila Motaleb was born in Bangladesh, lived for a time in England, Bangladesh and Germany, and is now living permanently in Berlin. She studied History and Sociology and SouthAsian Art History at the Humbolt University and the Free University of Berlin. Her first musical collaboration with Chris Hirson resulted from a Theater Ship Tour of the Baltic. Since then, Hirson and Motaleb have been composing songs fo a variety of Music and Theater projects in Berlin.
Carsten Daerr – Piano
Born in 1975 in Berlin, he studied classical piano. He was multiple first-prize winner of the „Student composition“ Contest. Carsten studied Jazzpiano atr the UdK Berlin with Kirk Nurock and Hubert Nuß. He st uudied compostions with, among others, James Knapp und Maria Schneider. Since 1998 he has his own projects, including, „TUOMI“ (mit Carlos Bica und Kristiina Tuomi), Carsten Daerr Trio, Marc Wyand Quartett and Duo with the Trumpetplayer Sven Klammer. He also composes regularly in the area of New Music for diverse chambermusic ensembles...
Live and/or in the Studio he has worked with Michael Schiefel, Till Brönner Quintett, Ed Schuller, Mack Goldsbury, Owen Howard und Bobby McFerrin.
Oliver Potratz - Kontrabass
Kontrabassist Oliver Potratz was born in Hamburg in1973. He studied Orchestermusic in the H.d.K. Berlin with Prof. Michael Wolf and Prof. Rainer Zepperitz (Berliner Philharmoniker) and Jazz with Siggi Busch, David Friedman und Prof. J.Granelli.
Oliver Potratz has worked with: Wencke Myre, Peter Fulda, John Schröder, Hayden Chisholm, Mircea Tiberian, Tomasz Stanko, Gitte Haenning, Christof Lauer, Christopher Dell, Kalle Kalima, Tim Fischer, Daniel Erdmann, and many others.
Sebastian Merk - Schlagzeug
Sebastian Merk was born in 1977 in Frankfurt am Main. He studied Schlagzeug at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. Sebastian Merk has worked with Lee Konitz, Ack van Rooyen, Till Brönner, Mark Murphy, Ernie Watts, Paul Heller, Tony Lakatos, Torsten de Winkel, and many others.
He is presently working with a variety of projects including Till Brönner Band, Mark Wyand- Quartett, Spaniol4, UNKL, and his own band, „Merkur“.
Hirson-Goodman Duo:
Chris Hirsons affinity for the small formation is well known through his long-standing duo work with the guitarist Geoff Goodman.
As masters of the clever musical dialogue (Jazz Podium) they move between composition and improvisation effortlessly, always full of surprises. Their five CD’s of original compositions and appearances at major Jazz Festivals have ensured their reputation as one of the great duos of jazz... real editor best profile tools real editor best profile tools
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