Album Notes

HUMAN SPIRIT - bassic sound 009 JIM RIDL piano Jim Ridl is a pianist, composer, arranger and educator and resides in New Jersey. He performs locally, nationally and internationally with the Jim Ridl Trio and Quintet, the Dave Liebman Big Band, in duet with Diane Monroe, the Denis DiBlasio Quintet, the JD Walter Quartet, the Ant Farm Quartet and the Manhattan Bones. Jim has 5 critically acclaimed CD releases: Your Cheatin’ Heart and Other Works (2005) with Ron Kerber, JD Walter, Steve Varner, Jim Miller and Jef Lee Johnson; Door In a Field (2003, DBM); Jim Ridl Trio/Live (2001, DBM); Blues Liberations - solo piano (2000, DBM); and Five Minutes to Madness and Joy (1999, Synergy). Jim’s current compositional projects are Sol Llena Suite (Spanish influenced pieces for clarinet, voice, violin, guitar, piano, bass, drums and percussion); a new interpretation of Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata for piano; arrangements of classic children’s beginning piano pieces for various ensembles; an art song cycle Songs of the Green River for voice and piano; arrangements of Czech and Norwegian folk songs for small orchestra; a piano concerto for youth... As an educator, Jim has taught piano for over 25 years and maintains a private studio of 10 advanced students. He has conducted piano master classes at schools and universities, including the University of the Arts (Philadelphia, PA), Metropolitan State College (Denver, CO) and the University of Toledo (the Art Tatum Scholarship Artist in Residence). Jim’s ten-year tenure with jazz guitar legend Pat Martino received many critically acclaimed reviews of performances around the world and produced 3 outstanding recordings. Jim’s inventive arrangement of the Sonny Rollins' classic Oleo can be heard on the Grammy-nominated release ”Pat Martino Live at Yoshi’s” with Joey DeFrancesco and Billy Hart. Jim’s composition Sun On My Hands can be heard on Martino’s Grammy-nominated release “Think Tank” in duet with Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Jim is a member of the Dave Liebman Big Band, whose recording Beyond the Line is on the Omnitone label. (Jim also can be heard on vocalist JD Walter's collaboration with Liebman, Clear Day on Doubletime.) Jim has also performed and recorded extensively with baritone saxophonist, Denis DiBlasio. They have recorded 5 CDs together, including Duets and Rhino on Encounter Records, and have performed most major jazz festivals and venues in the region. Additionally, Jim has performed and/or recorded with the following artists: Randy Brecker, Marc Johnson, James Moody, Slide Hampton, Clark Terry, Mickey Roker, Billy Hart, Mark Murphy, Ravi Coltrane, the Woody Herman Orchestra, the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, Cab Calloway, Bill Stewart, Rich Matteson, Ralph Bowen, Donny McCaslin, Mark Walker, Jean Michel Pilc, Dick and Ted Nash, Ari Hoenig, Jimmy Bruno, Tim Warfield, Terrell Stafford, Vic Juris, Paul Nash, Carla Cook, Francois Moutin, Bruce Williamson, Matt Wilson, Sherman Ferguson, Tyrone Brown, Rosanna Vitro, Duane Eubanks... Jim was raised on a farm and ranch in North Dakota, and discovered his love for piano and jazz at an early age. He attended college at the University of Colorado at Denver, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Scoring and Arranging, and was awarded its Student Achievement Award for composing "Ocean Sojourn," an orchestral tone poem which he performed with the Denver Symphony Orchestra, James Setapen, conducting. He is listed in the Who's Who of American Colleges and Universities. In Denver, Jim began his professional career performing and touring with local and nationally-recognized musicians, including the Grammy-nominated vocal jazz group, Rare Silk. In 1990, Jim moved to the East Coast to be part of its great music scene. From 1991-1993, Jim took part in the workshop of the NYC BMI Jazz Composers Orchestra under the direction of Manny Album, Jim McNeely and Roger Kelleway and composed two pieces for the orchestra. His composition “Five Minutes to Madness and Joy” was again part of special performances in 1994 and in 1998 for the workshop’s 10th anniversary. selected Discography: 2005: your cheatin' heart and other works: Jim Ridl, piano - Ron Kerber, soprano saxophone - JD Walter, vocals - Jef Lee Johnson, guitar and mandolin - Steve Varner, bass -Jim Miller, drums 2003: jim ridl's door in a field: Jim Ridl, piano - Darryl Hall, bass - Mark Walker, drums - Diane Monroe, violin - Kathy Ridl, viola, accordion - Jeffrey Solow, cello 2001: The Jim Ridl Trio LIVE: Jim Ridl, piano Steve Varner, bass, JIm Miller, drums 2000: Blues Liberations: Jim Ridl, piano 1999: five minutes to madness and joy: Jim Ridl, piano - Darryl Hall, bass - Jim Miller, drums with Pat Martino: The Maker (Evidence Records ECD-22121-2) '95 Night Wings (Muse Records) '96 Interchange (Muse Records) '94 Yule Be Boppin' (Blue Note) '97 Givin' Away the Store (32 Jazz) '99 with Dave Liebman: Beyond The Line (Omnitone Records) (Liebman Big Band) '03 On A Clear Day (Doubletime Records) (with JD Walter, vocals) '01 with Denis DiBlasio: Perpetual Baggage Claim (Dreambox Media) '99 Rhino (Dreambox Media) '98 Reflections of Childhood/Duets (Dreambox Media) '96 Seven Giants Steps to Heaven (Liscio Records) '94 Catch Me (Liscio Records) '93 THOMAS STABENOW double-bass, teacher, composer, arranger, producer Born in Kirchberg, Germany September 9, 1952 Studied double-bass with Prof. Ulrich Lau in Stuttgart from 1975-1980 Since 1986 living in Munich, Germany. Mostly freelancing with musicians such as Johnny Griffin, Charlie Rouse, Clifford Jordan, Lee Konitz, Sal Nistico, Mel Lewis, Mark Murphy, Bobby Shew, Mose Allison, Billy Cobham, Toots Thielemanns, Tom Harrell, Buddy deFranco, Peter Bernstein 3 LP‘s and 24 CD‘s on his own label "Bassic Sound" with Mel Lewis, Benny Bailey, Harvey Wainapel, Rachel Gould, Jimmy Cobb, Mike Clark,, Kenny Wheeler, Frank Foster, Lee Konitz etc. http://www.jazzrecords.com/bassic As a member of Peter Herbolzheimer´s "Rhythm Combination and Brass" 1986-98 concerts and recordings with Stan Getz, Eartha Kitt, Philip Catherine, Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan, Charlie Mariano, Etta Cameron, David Friedman, Dianne Reeves Recordings and concerts with the Al Porcino Big Band, Joe Haider Jazz Orchestra, WDR Bigband with Rob McConnell or Jerry van Rooyen, SDR Bigband with Bill Holman or Jens Winther and the Munich Jazz Orchestra (Projects with Joe Haider, Roger Jannotta, Kenny Wheeler & Rob Pronk), Member of the Generations Festival Frauenfeld (CH) Bigband (1998 Bill Holman - 2000 Peter Herbolzheimer - 2002 Matthias Rüegg) Winner of the "Jazz Prize Of Baden-Württemberg" in 1986 Member of the European Broadcasting Bigband (EBU) in 1990 Editor of the "1st German Realbook" Professor for double-bass at the Musikhochschule Mannheim 1996 1999 Förderpreis für Musik der Stadt München selected recordings (CD only): Peter Herbolzheimer RC & B + Dianne Reeves: Colours of a Band - 1997 Koala Johnny Griffin-Sal Nistico-Roman Schwaller: 3 Generations of Tenorsax - 1997 jhm Thomas Stabenow: Straight Four" feat. Ack van Rooyen - 1999 Bassic Sound 018 Roman Schwaller feat. Jimmy Cobb "Live at Nachtcafe" - 1999 Bassic Sound 019 Thomas Stabenow: Straight Four II feat Lee Konitz - 2000 Bassic Sound 020 Roman Schwaller Nonet "The Original Tunes" - 2001 jhm Munich Jazz Orchestra & Kenny Wheeler "Sometime Suite" - 2002 Bassic Sound 026 Thomas Stabenow „12 Miniatures for Clarinet & Piano“ – 2003 Pirouet Roman Schwaller Sextet "Thuegovian Suite" - 2005 TCB Jürgen Seefelder & Ingrid Jensen "Birds" - 2006 westwind MICHAEL KERSTING drums & percussion A Jazzenthusiast, Michael jumped into the scene and started playing with musicians like Wolfgang Engstfeld, Wolfgang Dauner, Michel Herr, Ed Kröger, Bernd Konrad and more. He played throughout Europe Jazz Clubs with Chet Baker, Mal Waldron, Jimmy Woody, Carrie Smith, Ack van Rooyen, Joe Gallardo. Joerg Reiter. He was a member of "Toto Blanke's Electric Circus" feat. Stu Goldberg, Toni Lakatos, Trilok Gurtu and Christof Lauer. In 1980 he made a rhythm section with Thomas Stabenow and Klaus Wagenleiter. In the following years he toured through the world and played concerts, events, radio and TV shows with Jaco Pastorius, Richie Beirach, Jack Bruce, Bireli Lagrene, Steve Lacy, Karl Berger, Thomas Heidepriem, Albert Mangelsdorff, Klaus Doldinger, Urszula Dudziak, Lauren Newton, Ernie Watts, Kenny Wheeler, Vanessa Rubin, Carla Cook, Terumasa Hino, Toni Scherr and "Roots" feat. Benny Golson, Arthur Blythe Chico Freeman and Buster Williams. In 1986/87 he worked and lived in New York. Back to Germany in 1989 he won the Jazz prize of Baden- Württemberg and this reward brought him new projects like Exotic Showcase in Yokohama, Olympic Games in Barcelona, World Athletic Championship in Stuttgart, Yak Jazz in Jakarta, NAFSA Convention in Chicago, San Diego, performed and recorded in April 2002 in NYC.USA with Tim Sund,Tom Christensen,Ben Allison and played at the Jazzopen Festival 2002 with the Stuttgart SymphonicOrchestra feat. Randy Brecker, Charlie Mariano, Richie Beirach, Heather Greene , Ron Spielman, Alain Mion, Patrick Boman, Pietro Tonolo, Romano Patresi, Gitte Hänning inJazz Lee Konitz, Asia Tour 2003, Carlo Morena Portugal Tour 2003, Dubai, Madrid, Rom Tommy Emmanuel , Sirone, etc. and more to come