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CURRENT GROUPS
LARRY PORTER QUINTET
The
quintet features a rich panorama of music composed and arranged by Larry
Porter. Florian Trübsbach - alto and David Beecroft - tenor are a formidable
front line crafting a particularly resonant blending of their saxophones
and contributing strong and inventive solos. The rhythm section of Porter
on piano, Johannes Fink - bass, and Andrea Marcelli - drums plays with
a combination of drive and openness allowing the group to climb to climactic
peaks or hover in dramatic suspense during their improvisational flights.
All in all, beautiful and fascinating interpretations of refreshingly
original music.
listen to the Larry Porter Quintet: Bazaar
Blues (Larry Porter) 10:57
recorded live at the Badenscher Hof, Berlin, by Robert Hügle September
28, 2002
FLORIAN TRÜBSBACH - alto sax
Born in Munich in 1976, a musician’s son, and began to learn violin at the early age of 3. He later became a member of the world famous Tölzer Boys Choir appearing as soloist under conductors such as Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado und Lorin Maazel in Israel, Italy, and Japan. Florian then turned to saxophone and performed with the Bavarian State Jazz Orchestra and the National Jazz Orchestra. He studied composition with the renowned composer, Hans Werner Henze, as well as at the Hamburg Conservatory. In 2000 he was awarded the Bavarian State Prize for Young Artists. Florian moved to Berlin in 2001 and has been involved in several projects including Goethe Institute tours to Syria, Jordan, South Africa and Japan. He has played with the Munich Saxophone Family, Peter O’Mara, Bill Holman and Joe Lovano.
DAVID BEECROFT - tenor and soprano sax
Born in Toronto, Canada. After beginning on piano, he switched to his father’s instrument, tenor sax. He won “Most Outstanding Player” award in a Canada-wide competition at age 18 and started working with his own quartet in local clubs. In 1979, David was invited to Amsterdam to play and record with musicians such as John Clayton, Toots Thielemans, and Wilbur Little. Throughout the 80s, he worked with his father’s dance band and continued his collaboration with Canadian jazz musicians. In the early 90s, he played with the Norman Marshall Villeneuve Sextet, Don Thompson, Bob Mover, Neil Swainson, Lorne Lofski, Moe Kaufman, Guido Basso, Rob McConnell, Pat LaBarbara, and American jazz vocalists Chris Connor and Chris Bennett. In 1994, David moved to Berlin where he performs for Jazz Radio Berlin and leads his own group, Unsung Heroes, together with vocalist Gigi Andersson.
LARRY PORTER - piano
Born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1951, received his first piano lesson at age 6. He founded the group Children At Play with vibraphonist Tom van der Geld in Boston in 1971. Larry went to Germany in 1973 and played with Bobby Jones, Sal Nistico, Leszek Zadlo, Volker Kriegel, Kai Winding, Mel Lewis, Günter Lenz, and Head Heart and Hands. In 1976 he journeyed through Asia studying music in Afghanistan and India. From 1977-80 he lived in New York, worked as a pianist in the jazz scene, as a rebab and sarod player in the Indian music scene, and accompanied storyteller Laura Simms and dancers such as Merce Cunningham. Porter returned to Germany in 1981, worked with Bobby Stern, Frank St. Peter, Airto Moreira and Thad Jones, and formed a quartet with Allan Praskin, which recorded First Date in Spain and stayed together 11 years. From 1986-1994 he was very active playing with Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Archie Shepp, Benny Bailey, Heinz Sauer, Leo Wright, Don Menza, Al Cohn, Harvey Wainapel, Monty Waters, Conexiòn Latina, and singers Sheila Jordan, Mark Murphy, Jay Clayton, Rachel Gould, and Jeanne Carroll, as well as recording two CDs for Enja. Back in New York in the late 90s, Larry recorded the highly acclaimed CD The Magical Rebab of Larry Porter. He moved to Berlin at the turn of the century.
JOHANNES FINK - bass
Born February 28, 1964 in Erlangen, Germany into a musical family; his father is a jazz pianist. Johannes began lessons in 1969 and over the years studied piano, drums, jazz guitar, cello, and double bass. Now a freelance musician in Berlin, he keeps busy with CD productions, recordings for radio and television, and live concerts in America, Asia and all over Europe. He has worked with Marc Ducret, Lee Konitz, François Théberge, Herb Robertson, Tim Berne, Ack van Rooyen, Marty Cook, Adam Pieronczyk, Aki Takase, Rudi Mahall, Allan Praskin, John Betsch, and many others.
ANDREA MARCELLI - drums
Born in Rome, Italy in 1962. He graduated from the L. Refice Conservatory in classical clarinet and jazz composition and subsequently attended drum clinics with Peter Erskine and Tommy Campbell. Andrea worked as featured drummer for RAI Television starting in 1981 and moved to the U.S. in 1989 spending 8 years in Los Angeles and 4 in New York. During this period he lead an active musical life playing with Bob Mintzer, Don Menza, Dave Liebman, Eddie Gomez, Rick Margitza, Allan Holdsworth, Mike Stern, Mitchell Forman, Ralph Towner, Chuck Loeb, Marc Johnson, Arild Andersen, Cameron Brown, Bob Berg, John Patitucci, Billy Drewes, Steve LaSpina, Gary Thomas, Harvie Swartz, Alphonso Johnson, Jeff Andrews, and Bennie Maupin. He recorded two critically acclaimed CDs with original music for Verve/PolyGram, Silent Will with Wayne Shorter and Oneness. Andrea is a resident of Berlin since 2001.
