Artist of the Month : Sabin Todorov

How to combine traditional music and jazz ? Sabin Todorov has the answer !

In his last CD release, the Todorov trio plays with a vocal quartet, the Bulgarka junior quartet.

http://www.igloorecords.be/IglooJazz/albums/inside-story-ii/

Sabin Todorov was born in 1966 in the town of Burgas, Bulgaria.
He graduated from Sofia Conservatory, in the Department of Classical Music Theory.
In 1997 he arrived in Belgium and continued his education at the Royal Conservatoire in Brussels.
He graduated in June 2004, specialising in jazz piano.
Todorov formed the trio with Sal la Rocca on bass and Lionel Beuvens on drums in 2002, with the idea of implementing a musical project that combines modern jazz and rhythms with melodies from the treasure house of Bulgarian folklore.

See videos on Youtube :

Ritual

Prayer

Take the time to enjoy !

Céline

http://www.myspace.com/sabintodorov

Artist of the Month : Massimiliano Rolff (Italy)

Shared by R. Moreno

Massimiliano Rolff (1973), graduates at the Jazz Conservatory of Groningen (Holland) in Electric Bass and Music Pedagogy in 1999, where he followed over 40 clinics and workshops with some of the best musicians worldwide.In 1999 with a scolarship of the Dutch government he also follows a master at the Bass Collective in New York City with John Pattitucci and Lincoln Goines.

In 2010 he graduates with a master degree in Jazz Music at the Conservatory “N. Paganini” in Genova (Italy).
He works and live in Genova, Italy. He is teacher of Electric Bass at the Conservatory of Messina

As freelance bassist in the last years he has performed in some of the most important clubs and festivals of Italy, Holland, France, Austria, Switzerland, California, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Missisipi, Georgia, North and South Carolina, with Jesse Davis, Herb Geller, Rachel Gould, Sangoma Everett, Andrea Dulbecco, Andy Gravish, Luca Begonia, Marco Tamburini, Gianpaolo Casati, Carlo Atti, Andrea Pozza, François Chassagnite, Claudio Chiara, Luca Santaniello, Karen Edwards, Johannes Faber, Emanuele Cisi, Enzo Zirilli, Jasper van’t Hof, Alessio Menconi, Tom Kirkpatrick, Mattia Cigalini e altri.
He played in many festivals as: Folkest (I),SXSW festival (USA), UCLA Festival (USA), Mantova musica festival (I), Nu summer groove (I), Dolomiti Sky Jazz (I), Lille Jazz festival (F), Gurten Up town festival (CH), Roma Primo Maggio (I), Milano in musica (I), Grande Jazz all’universita di Castellanza (I),July Jazz Fest (BG), Alassio Jazz Festival (I), Sestri Jazz (I), Dal missisipi alla Bormida (I), Valdarno Jazz, Versilia Jazz, Serravalle Jazz Festival, …

In 2003 he has published with Oleo the album “Next Beat” for Scenario Music, with a worldwide distribution, followed by many other compilations in many different countries.
In 2006 Rolff published his first jazz album as bassist, composer and leader “Unit Five” (Music Center/IRD).
In 2009 he published is new album as composer and bassista “Naked” for Effemusic.
Both records won the 1st price as “Best Album Jazz LightHouse” in 2006 and 2009
He is endorser for D’Orazio Strings.
He’s musical director of the Count Basie Jazz Club in Genoa, Italy.

http://www.rolff.it/index_e.html

http://www.rolff.it/audio/myideal.mp3

Artist of the Month : Sal La Rocca (Belgium)

Shared by Céline DAVID, written by Sal La Rocca

After a stint with rock playing guitar, at age 23, Sal LA ROCCA discovers jazz in the early 80’s and switches to double bass which he intensively explores on his own, taking as a model Paul CHAMBERS. It is aside Jacques PELZER that he meets and plays with Jon EARDLEY.

– 1986, he works with French pianist Michel GRAILLIER (Fr.) and American drummer Leo MITCHELL (US).

Steve GROSSMAN (t.sax) hires him, together in 1987, for a tour in the Benelux and south of France, to appear in the major Festivals.

– In 1988, he is hired for a 6 weeks tour in Singapore as a member of the Steve HOUBEN (a.sax) band, with Jacques PIROTTON (gt) and Rick HOLLANDER (drs) to play at the “jazz club” there.
That same year he tours Germany with John THOMAS (gt),us. Sal is invited to replace Riccardo DEL FRA (bass) within an international quintet with Ack VAN ROOYEN (tp), at the Montreux festival playing with the Mikesch VAN GRUMMER (p) quintet, Christopher HIRSON

– In 1990, he plays with Sal NISTICO (t.sax), Jacques PELZER (a.sax) and Mal WALDRON (p) at Gouvy jazz festival.

– In 1991, member of “Raffaela RENZULLI (voc.) Ensemble” with Charlie MARIANO (a.sax).

– 1994, tours with Pierre VAIANA (s.sax), Salvatore BONAFEDE (p) and Dre PALLEMAERTS (drs) as well as with Harold LAND (t.sax), Mike DEL FERRO (p) and Hans VAN OOSTERHOUT (drs).
– Participated in the Liege festival with Dave TURNER (a.sax), Vic VOGEL (p) and Felix SIMTAINE (drs), their appearance was recorded by Belgian television.

– 1995, concerts in France and Belgium with Lee KONITZ (a.sax), Jean-francois PRINS (gt) and Bruno CASTELLUCCI (drs), and a live CD. Participation in the Montreal Festival with the trio of Nathalie LORIERS (p).

– 1996, a week tour in Syria and Jordan, with Nathalie LORIERS Trio at the occasion of the 1st Euro-Arab jazz festival “Jazz Caravan ’96”, followed with a tour, with Lee KONITZ (a.sax), Bruno CASTELLUCCI (drs) JF PRINS (gt) and Judy NIEMACK (voc.) in Corsica. He joins the Bruno CASTELLUCCI Stringtet with Erwin VANN (t.sax), Michel HERR or Eric LEGNINI (p) and a string quartet. (1 CD)

– 1997 With Nathalie LORIERS Trio in Quebec, with Philip CATHERINE as guest, with Ivan PADUART (p) Quartet, guest Toots THIELEMANS,

– 1999, live CD with Toots THIELEMANS (Palais des Congres)

– 2000, Irland, Romania, Benelux…. with, Toots THIELEMANS “quartet”

– 2001, CD recording with Anne Ducros (voc.) “quintet” with Gordon BECK (p) Didier LOCKWOOD (v., tp.) – Bruno CASTELLUCCI (dr)

– 2002-2003, Benelux tour with : Steve HOUBEN (a.s.) / Gordon BECK (p).

– 2003 : Few concerts with Philip CATHERINE “trio”. International tour with : Anne DUCROS “quartet”. CD rec. “Close your eyes” Anne DUCROS + guest. On tour with Nathalie LORIERS “trio” (Japan , Brazil). As a leader, Sal LA ROCCA presents his own quintet, of which a first album came out in 2003, titled “LATINEA”.

– 2004, Emirate Tour with : Stanley JORDAN (gt) “trio” – Bobby DURHAM (drs)

– 2005, CD recording with Anne DUCROS “PIANO, piano” / Personnel : Chick COREA – Jacky TERRASSON – Enrico PIERANUNZI – Rene URTREGER… + Guest : Bob FRANCESCHINI (t.sax). On tour with : Anne DUCROS “quartet” : Olivier HUTMAN (p), H. VAN OOSTERHOUT (drs) + guests : Randy BRECKER (tp) – Bob FRANCESCHINI (t.sax) – etc… Italy tour with Philip CATHERINE / Nathalie LORIERS “quartet”. And with Philip CATHERINE “trio” (Tunis, Bulgaria, France, Germany…)

– 2006, “Jazz a Liege” with Steve HOUBEN “trio” + Richie BEIRACH (p), (recorded by Belgian TV). He is now a member of VAYA CON DIOS (band) with Dani KLEIN, and a live DVD.

– 2007, International Tour with V.C.D….( Russia, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, ect….). CD recording with : Olivier HUTMAN (quartet). Olivier HUTMAN (p), Jasques sCHWARZ-BART (t.sax), Hans Van OOSTERHOUT (drs). CD rec. April 2008 “apres un reve” With : Julie MOSSAY/Gregory HOUBEN. 2 concerts with Bob Moover “quartet”: Bob Moover (a.sax), Roni Ben Hur (guit.), Steve Williams (drums)

– 2010 2 CD’s (Comme on est venu + Bonus Live) with “VAYA CON DIOS” featuring: Dani KLEIN + European Tour

– 2011 CD with “G.Houben/P.Pedron 5tet +Belgian tour:  G.Houben (tp), P.Pedron (a.sax), P.Mohy (p), Sal La Rocca (b), Rick Hollander (drs). Belgium & Lux. tour with Denise King (US) + Olivier Hutman “trio”. D.King (voc), O.Hutman (p), S.La Rocca (b), H.Van Oosterhout (drs). Jazz a Liege fest. with Jacques Schwarz-Bart The Quartet. J. Schwarz-Bart (ts), B.Trottignon, (p) S.La Rocca (b) L. Parker (dms). Steve Grossman (US) Two Tenors Quintet at: “Dinant jazz night” fest.  S.Grossman (ts), V.Pontrandolfo (ts), N.Menci (p), S.La Rocca (b), Alvin Queen (dm)

 MORE ABOUT SAL LA ROCCA

www.myspace.com/sallarocca

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/sallarocca

www.numberonemusic.com/sallarocca/

youshowcase.com/artist.php