CHRIS JENNINGS Piano trio +
(Future album for 2021)
Patrick Goraguer - piano, keyboards, Iranian santour
Eric Schaefer - drums, percussion
Chris Jennings - double bass, saz, compositions
( photo by Evy Ottermans)
“…postcards of jazz somewhere in between Canadian Country music in Paris, and music from the Middle East & North Africa.”
photo by Phuong Nguyen
CHRIS JENNINGS Piano trio +
In preparation for his 8th album as a leader & composer, the CHRIS JENNINGS’ PIANO TRIO + returns to his grass roots of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and his deep love of performing in the jazz piano trio for which he is so well known as a sideman in Europe and abroad.
A more traditional instrumentation than his last project DRUM’N KOTO TRIO (with the Japanese koto of Mieko Miyazaki) as usual he adds a twist, transforming the normal piano trio setting with himself playing a hybrid version of Turkish saz. One could summarise that the result somewhere in between Canadian country music and Middle Eastern music, which Chris’ vast resume and discography will easily confirm.
Chris and Patrick Goraguer have collaborated together since 2003, as sidemen and with Patrick always present with his extreme diversity and musicality in the many projects and albums of Chris. Chris and Eric Schaefer met in 2015 when they both were invited by renowned pianist Joachim Kuhn to start his “New Trio" which has gone on to make two albums so far for ACT MUSIC which won prestigious prizes in Germany.
CHRIS JENNINGS PIANO TRIO + a dynamic fresh blending of influences, creating songs like postcards of musical events along his rich musical journey’s from the four corners of the globe.
(background photo © tbc)
Patrick Goraguer
Chris Jennings
Eric Schaefer
Piano, keyboards & Iranian santour
A musician equally known for his astounding qualities as pianist and drummer, PATRICK GORAGUER also performs on Iranian santour. An extremely humble musician, he accompanies the very best musicians in Jazz, World Music to Chanson Française as well as composing and arranging music for well known films. Residing in Paris, he performs on an international level with renowned musicians such as Femi Kuti, Wasis Diop, French pop star Aurthur H to Mamanie Keita, Juliette Greco and Maxime Le Forestier. Crossing also into the jazz world he also works with saxophonist Bill Evans, George Russel or Liz McComb, Jim Black, Chris Cheek and Jean-Luc Ponty and touring europe with bassist Richard Bona and “Toto Bono Lokau.” Jazz, Afro Beat, Funk, World Music, producing and arranging film music are some of the many diverse circles which keep Patrick Goraguer a highly solicited musician
Double bass, saz & compositions. (photo by Evy Ottermans)
Based in Paris France since 2002, Canadian bassist CHRIS JENNINGS has established himself with the Dhafer Youssef Quartet with Tigran Hamasyan and Mark Guiliana, with several bands of guitarist Nguyên Lê with his "Fire & Water Trio," his quartet with Rita Maroctulli, Danny Gottlieb, ou Karim Ziad and Bojan Z, "Streams Quartet," as well as with Turkish ney master Kudsi Ergüner and the Thomas Enhco piano trio. He is bassist in the Joachim Kühn "New Trio" and the 'El Gusto' Algerian traditional Chaabi orchestra, the Gregory Privat Trio, the Titi Robin "Nargis Trio" and the Céline Bonacina Quartet featuring Gwilym Simcock. "Drum'n Koto," his 7th album as a leader in trio with japanese koto player Mieko Miyazaki & Patrick Goraguer on drums & Iranian santour was "Disc of the Month" by Jazz News magazine France, and he anticipates the release of the album of his latest Chris Jennings Piano Trio + featuring Patrick Goraguer on piano & drummer Eric Schaefer.
Drums & percussion (photo©joergsteinmetz.com)
Drummer and composer ERIC SCHAEFER lives in Berlin and is one of Germany most recognized drummers, working with different ensembles of his own and as a sideman. The range of his musical expression is incredibly wide and combines a huge range of influences from Jazz, contemporary music to post-rock, dub and noise. He is commissioned to compose pieces for orchestras, piano-trios and jazz-rock-bands. The use of gongs and small percussion as well as modular synthesis broaden the spectrum of Schaefer’s unique sound possibilities. His work with Michael Wollny, Joachim Kühn or his own formations “The Shredz” and “Kyoto Mon Amour” is documented on numerous albums and is broadcasted in radio-shows and on television.