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Alexey León is a saxophonist, flutist and composer, born in Manzanillo, Cuba and based in Spain. Trained in classical music and jazz, ten years ago he arrived in Valencia, with a scholarship from Berklee College of Music, to study his Master's Degree in Contemporary Music, with Perico Sambeat among others. In addition to receiving several awards, he has recorded five albums and has been able to play with Perico Sambeat, Danilo Perez and Global Jazz Ensemble, Jack Walrath and Sedajazz Big Band, Javier Massó "Caramelo de Cuba", Pepe Rivero, Iván "Melón" Lewis, Carlos Sarduy, Reinier Elizarde “El Negrón”, Rodney Barreto...Previous albums: "Cuban connection" 2018, "Okudzhava for my mother" 2020, "Influenciado" 2021, Lecuona "el color" de Cuba, 2023.
Alexey León’s Continental Quintet is an evolution of his previous album, Influenciado, a tribute to the Afro-Cuban jazz tradition and to the pioneers of Latin Jazz.
With Continental Quintet Alexey continues his endeavor towards a contemporary sound with funky grooves and hard bop influences, aspiring the aesthetic of the Blue Note with elements of Latin music (Cuban rhythms and Bossa nova).
This impetuous and dissonant jazz with an emphasis on melody and a contemporary language has been inspired by classics, such as Chano Pozo, Julian Cannonball Adderley, Lou Donaldson, Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, Chucho Valdés & Irakere, Paquito D’Rivera.
“The project Continental quintet started in Jimmy Glass, an authentic jazz club in the heart of Valencia, where I was fortunate to continue developing my musical taste during last twelve years, performing regularly with my own repertoires, as well as tributes to Cannonball Adderley, Charlie Parker or Ernesto Lecuona. In Jimmy Glass I had an opportunity to see perform in a meter distance musicians like Lou Donaldson, Kenny Garret, Jerry Bergonzi, Vincent Herring, Perico Sambeat, just to name a few, and there in 2015 I presented my first album, “Cuba meets Russia”.
For me Continental Quintet unites many things on multiple levels the quintet exude on stage an extensive subjective, vital and musical experience... All of them - all five - are complex and diverse, humanly and musically, in line with the purest existential and critical tradition.
All of them, together and individually, pursue the ultimate meaning of musical texts, in particular, and interpret them in a deeply rational way, dialoguing with them, knowing the context in which they were created.
And all of them, separately and together, probably share what, back in 1930, Alban Berg, a composer well revered at the time, stated very seriously, when George Gershwin, confused with admiration, showed him his Lyrical Suite, hesitating before the icon of the highly respected avant-garde Viennese of the time:
“Mr. George... music is music!”
At the piano, CARL WINTHER, known as one of Denmark's best piano players, is a jazz musician with a deep love for African and Latin rhythms. Son of famous Danish
composer and trumpet player, Jens Winther, he started touring at an early age. Carl performs with the likes of Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone and Walt Weiskopf.
On the double bass, MAKAR NOVIKOV is a rising star on the European Jazz scene. An experienced accompanist and virtuoso soloist, he has performed with artists like Jimmy Cobb, Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath and James Spaulding. Based in Italy, he works extensively with Italian musicians like Rosario Giuliani or Maurizio Giammarco, and to teach jazz bass at the Siena Jazz University. He regularly appears as a member of Alex Sipiagin’s and Antonio Faraò’s as well as with the Olivia Trummer Trio and the Isfar Sarabski Trio, touring worldwide.
On the drums MARC MIRALTA, Spanish percussionist, has performed at festivals and venues around the world, with musicians such as Pat Metheny, Wynton Marsalis, Paquito D'Rivera, Tete Montoliu, Joshua Redman... In addition to receiving distinguished awards, he has recorded several dozens of albums, with various formations and co-leader of the almost mythical trio CMS, with Javier Colina and Perico Sambeat.
The trumpet is masterfully performed by the legendary ALEX SIPIAGIN, he is one of the absolute top players in his field. He won the renowned Louis Armstrong Competition of the Th. Monk Institute, released numerous albums on the infamous Criss Cross label and worked in formations with Michael Brecker, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Eric Clapton, Donny McCaslin, Seamus Blake, Dave Holland or the Mingus Big Band.
This work, deeply rooted in the contemporary jazz, blues and Cuban musical tradition, symbolizes Alexey’s evolution as a musician and as a human being, reflecting his constant search for personal and musical identity.
The repertoire transmits exuberant energy of the two inexhaustible sources of inspiration: the Cuban music and jazz.
Alexey León - Saxophone / ES
Alex Sipiagin - Trumpet / RS
Carl Winther - Piano / DK
Makar Novikov - Bass / RS
Marc Miralta - Drums / ES
Odense Jazz Festival er støttet af Odense Kommune, Statens Kunstfond, Syddansk Musikkonservatorium, Radiojazz og Jazzpuljen.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Frølageret, Farvergården 5, 5000 Odense C, Danmark,Odense, Denmark
Tickets
