Channel Crossing 2010

Jazzpool NRW meets Europe

The importance of Britain with regard to the development of a specifically European version of originally “American” jazz music was not understood in an appropriate way for a long time. But it was there where, especially in the 1970s, new paths were trodden. Musicians like Kenny Wheeler, Evan Parker, John Taylor and Norma Winstone left their marks then with their concept of a more open mode of playing, thus influencing both the view and the interpretation of jazz on the European continent in a crucial way.

On of the upcoming Jazzpool projects – “Channel crossing” – will feature the compositions of German-Indian piano player Jarry Singla, who was born and raised in NRW. The impact of British jazz on his work has mainly two origins. On the one hand his playing reveals the influence of John Taylor, who was his teacher at the German “Hochschule für Musik” in the 1990s. On the other hand he has been working with British jazz musician Julian Argüelles for the past ten years. As a consequence, his compositions can be seen in the context of what could be called the “New British Way” and characterize him as a typical “channel crosser”.

The “Jazzpool NRW” is an open musical project with changing themes and musicians, co-led by Wolfgang Schmidtke and Peter Weiss.