Vincent Thekal Origami Trio + 1

For this third concert of 'Carte Blanche', saxophonist Vincent Thekal will be presenting some his latest compositions for his core trio - built around Slovenian bassist Robert Jukic and Italian drummer Armando Luongo - with a one-time band featuring great pianist Casimir Liberski. As noted by Downbeat's Ron hart when listening to his critically acclaimed trio album ‘Origami’, Few tenors in the 21st century have captured the expanse between beauty and complexity quite like Thekal - indeed, the trio really is the prime vessel of Thekal's unique expression, both as a composer and instrumentalist. Vincent Thekal has recorded 4 solo albums - from intricate originals to straight-ahead tradition - and has performed with Bob Mover, Dre Pallemaerts, Jerome Sabbagh, David Bryant, Franck Agulhon & many others - at top jazz clubs (Jazz Keller, Sunset/Sunside, Sounds…) and high-profile European festivals (Jazz à Vienne, Nancy Jazz Pulsations, Millau en Jazz, Dinant Jazz...) The trio is my main voice, but for this edition of 'Carte Blanche' I've written special arrangements for a 4-piece with the genius and original playing of Casimir, a pianist steeped in the jazz tradition, but with wide-ranging interests from contemporary classical to cutting-edge electronic music - it's going to be exciting to hear these tunes through the different perspective of expanded instrumentation and interplay.