Space is the Place: Counterblue + Igor Osypov/Max Mucha/Tristan Renfrow

Wednesday, November 4, 20:30, entrance € 10

IGOR OSYPOV/MAX MUCHA/TRISTAN RENFROW
“There’s a lot of blood and guts evident in Osypov’s playing and in his tunes. Dark undercurrents and traces of Osypov’s formative rock energy and punk anarchy turn up on I in the oddest places, which only add to its overall charm” (allaboutjazz.com)

Igor Osypov was born in Ukraine in 1988. He started playing guitar at the age of 10 and as a child was really into punk and rock music, but at some point turned his way to jazz, and this passion still leads in his musical world. He was active on both Ukrainian and Russian jazz scenes, taking part in major jazz events there and making concert tours through Ukraine and Russia. Igor moved to Germany in 2012, to dive into Berlin vibrant jazz scene. Currently he is attending Jazz Institute Berlin and studying with a renowned jazz guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel. Among his other teachers are John Hollenbeck and Greg Cohen. Igor’s been playing concerts and taking part at festivals all over Europe both with his own band and as a sideman. He is not limited within the genres, but plays mostly jazz – although, all kinds of it. Igor’s original compositions not only draw inspiration from the Jazz idiom, but other genres such as Classical and Rock.

Both his tunes and his playing tend to be really emotional and complex. The influences of highly raged musical interests made Igor’s music intellectually developed but still clear for all kinds of audience.

Shortly after arriving in Berlin, Igor founded his Quintet, featuring some of his favorite musicians from all over Europe and the USA. Since it’s inception, the Quintet has performed at festivals all around Europe including the Copenhagen Jazz Festival in Denmark, Burghausen Jazz Woche and HFM Jazz Preis in Germany, Jazz nad Odra in Poland and Jazz a Montauban in France. Has worked with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Josh Ginsburg, Wanja Slavin, Greg Cohen and others. In the summer of 2014, Igor Osypov recorded his debut CD with American saxophonist Logan Richardson, due out in the spring of 2015 on Unit Records.

Igor Osypov – Guitar
Max Mucha – Bass
Tristan Renfrow – Drums

COUNTERBLUE
This quintet is Jonathan Nagel’s take on improvisation-based music. It combines elements of American jazz, European theatrical Lieder, Indie-Rock and insanity.

Jonathan’s songs tell stories about unfulfilled desires, bizarre situations and the overlap of reality, dreams and fallacy, sometimes comical, sometimes grotesque, lunatic and desperate.

For his band he gathered four fine musicians and strong characters who play with force and great subtlety. The group has a powerful, rough sound and plays with driving, energetic rhythm. Their music leaves a lot of space for interplay and improvisation, allowing each musician to express his own character and voice.

All music is especially written for those specific musicians to feature their individual qualities and make the band sound strong and organic.

Suzana Lasçu – Voice,
Ziv Taubenfeld – Bass Clarinet,
Giuseppe Doronzo – Baritone Saxophone,
Aleksandar Škorić – Drums,
Jonathan Nagel – Acoustic Bass