Matt Clohesy – db Scott Kinsey – keyb Jordan Perlson – dr Seamus Blake – sax
Seamus Blake, domiciled in New York, is deemed as one of the best interpreter of the contemporary jazz. His music is known for sophisticated and bold improvisations. John Scofield who hired Seamus for the project “Quiet Band” calls him “Incredible, total saxophonist”.
Blake was born in 1970 in England, but was raised in Vancouver, Canada. As a 21-year-old student of the prestigious Bostonian Berklee College (where he studied with Kuba Stankiewicz), he was invited to record a piece with the drums legend Victor Lewis. After graduation Seamus moved to New York, where he made an appearance on the local jazz scene. In 2002 he won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition in Washington, DC. This gave him the opportunity to perform with Wayne Shorterer and Herbie Hancock.
As a leader, Blake recorded 6 albums with his bands, beginning with The Call (1993). His bands comprised David Kikoski, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Larry Grenadier and Bill Stewart, just to name a few. The album Live in Italy (2009) was graded 4.5/5 in the prestigious music magazine Downbeat. In 2010 he was a guest of honor at the the International Saxophone Symposium, hosted by the United States Navy Band. The list of artists Blake has been working with goes is very long and comprise of such decent musicians as Scott Kinsey, Tal Wilkenfeld, Jane Monheit, Kenny Barron, Sam Yahel, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Wayne Krantz, Ingrid Jensen, Maria Schneider, Mark Turner, Brad Mehldau, Al Foster, Brian Blade, Jeremy Pelt and Jack DeJohnette, and many others. As a sideman he recorded 6 albums with Mingus Big Band. Recently he has been associated with the formation Antonio Sanchez & Migration. It is the first time he performs in Poland!