December Concert with Karolina Strassmayer & Drori Mondlak - KLARO!

Speak Your Truth

Karolina Strassmayer & Drori Mondlak - KLARO!

with

Karolina Strassmayer (alto saxophone, alto flute)

Drori Mondlak (drums, percussion)

Ruud Breuls (trumpet, flugelhorn)

Hans Vroomans (piano)

Hans Glawischnig (bass)

Performing Strassmayer’s original compositions, KLARO! fuses the romanticism of European classical and folk music with the rhythmic fire and swing of American jazz and the harmonic sophistication of contemporary improvised music. The musical spectrum ranges from powerful, lively grooves to poetic ballads and explosive swing. No matter what genre the musicians of KLARO! play, their music is always full of passion, curiosity and joie de vivre.

The readers of the American jazz magazine DownBeat have repeatedly voted the exceptional musician Karolina Strassmayer among the world's top five alto saxophonists. She has earned an excellent reputation in the New York jazz scene and was the first woman to play in the Grammy-winning WDR Big Band Cologne, where she has been a member since 2004.

Drori Mondlak is one of the outstanding jazz drummers and bandleaders. His eclectic work spanning more than twenty years in New York has brought him together with jazz legends such as Frank Foster, Joe Williams, Chris Potter, and Ernestine Anderson. Mondlak has also made a significant mark on the European jazz scene, performing with artists like Lee Konitz, Sonny Fortune, Barbara Dennerlein, David Friedman, Lynne Arriale, and Nicolas Simion.

Ruud Breuls plays the trumpet and flugelhorn. He was a member of the Metropole Orchestra and the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw from 1996 to 2014. Since 2014, he has been a member of the WDR Big Band Cologne. Breuls can be heard on more than 300 recordings by various artists and has also contributed to numerous commercials and film scores.

The Dutch pianist Hans Vroomans is not only a member of the Grammy-winning Metropole Orkest but also a highly sought-after accompanist, having recently worked with Al Jarreau, Ivan Lins, and John Scofield. He is a faculty member at the Amsterdam Conservatory and conducts workshops and master classes worldwide.

Austrian-born Hans Glawischnig is one of the most sought-after bassists on the New York jazz scene. Renowned artists such as Chick Corea, Paquito D'Rivera, and Billy Hart admire his powerful playing. Since autumn 2018, Glawischnig has been a member of the HR Big Band.

Tickets are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. We kindly ask you to only reserve the number of tickets that you will definitely use.

The concert is divided into 2 sets of 60 minutes each, with a 30 minute break.

This event is kindly supported by the Federal Foreign Office.

We look forward to an inspiring and joyful evening with you!

Host or Publisher AmerikaHaus NRW e.V.