Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
“…Their music is fresh, spontaneous and challenging. I hold them and their music in a very high regard…”
www.johntaylorjazz.com) - John Taylor – ECM recording artist
“Florian Weber met his partners, bassist Jeff Denson and drummer Ziv Ravitz, while studying in the U.S.A. After they were introduced to one another, they formed a trio, which communicates and plays together so well that they seem to trust each other blindly ... Listening to the trio's CD (which is like a journey through the land of creativity) you will witness breathtaking technique, perfect timing, and great melodic richness; experimental techniques are utilized to build a perfectly-formed arc whose climax exhibits vivid expression and strength.”
- Hans-Jurgen von Osterhausen,
Festival Review - "... ‘Minsarah’ selflessly communicated with concentration and ease while maintaining powerful intensity. The trio has energy, nobody would doubt this. It was more often about improvised music rather than jazz, which binds the three together and challenges them ... The group understands itself explicitly as a band, everyone writes music and no one disrupts or destroys it. Especially beautiful and dramatic, “The Flow”; weightless, thematic, rousing, not static ... Often the pieces are reminiscent of thrilling mind cinema in which Kieslowski or Rohmer conjured the pictures. As with “Scar Tissue”, written by Denson, an ingenious catwalk of mature playfulness fed from an unconsumed view of life of the three musicians who really have something to say. No fights, nothing artificial, no babble; that’s probably the secret to ‘Minsarah’. They understand each other, as do their listeners. It can be said that they made a real statement, one, which could be described as the miracle of Cologne. We can state: that was music; the most beautiful compliment for a concert...”
(– Freelance Journalist) - By Ingo Petz
“…The trio led by the internationally renowned young jazz musician performed Friday night at the very well attended hall of the conservatory … The scales, modal sound layers, and rhythm are meanwhile decreased to a common tool which the three young men developed with diligence and creative inspiration on the highest level … all songs had an introverted, ballad-esque, meditative aura. They sounded as pure as water. It was wonderful to listen to and had a powerful effect on the audience.“
- T. Schwabe
“The Trio provided listeners with lyrical (sensual) and partly meditative arrangements of a fulfilling jazz. Every piece of these young jazz players presented ongoing changes from dramatic to deep emotional tones, which created intense passages of music. Minsarah presented itself to be a first class Trio just by the interaction of the musicians. The audience could tell that Minsarah had something to say with their music.”
(- September 2004) - Rheinische post Newspaper
“Minsarah the German-Israeli-American piano trio presented us with a very intense and unbelievingly individualist, contemporary jazz. A new discovery.”
(- September 2004)
- Neue Ruhr Zeitung
“…Florian's art of improvisation never allowed any boredom to arise … Improvisation was the focal point. Around this subtle theme both Jeff Denson with his Contrabass and Ziv Ravitz could display their mastery. All of the pieces gave enough freedom for all the soloists to shine … multiple encores and long applause was the final reward for the concert...”
- Stefan Metzler
Discography
Minsarah 2006 (Self-titled)-Enja
Minsarah 2003-Hubermusic
For streaming video contacts us @ Andrea@lifelineaudio.net
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Minsarah
The members of Minsarah (Florian Weber-piano, Jeff Denson-bass, and Ziv Ravitz-drums) met in September 2000 while attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. An intense musical connection developed during this time, which produced an exceptionally unique and personal sound. In this early part of the groups development Minsarah began to experiment in different settings while performing in Boston.
In February 2002, Minsarah traveled to Detmold, Germany to perform a solo concert at the Detmold Concert Hall. The event was promoted with radio and television interviews and covered in multiple newspapers (which can be viewed on www.minsarah.com). In January 2003, Minsarah received a recording contract from the German record label hubermusic and traveled to Germany to record their debut album, Minsarah. The album was recorded at the Loft in Cologne on February 20th and 21st, 2003 and Minsarah followed this with a critically acclaimed tour of some of Germanys most prestigious jazz clubs.
Minsarahs self-titled debut album has been airing on WDR (West German Radio) and Deutschland Radio (National German Radio) since its release, being heard in Germany, parts of France, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
In December 2003, Minsarah returned to Germany to perform at Cologne Jazz Night 2003 jazz festival, and again in September 2004 on a tour that included a performance at the International Jazz Festival Viersen (all in which received rave reviews). 2005 has been an active year thus far for Minsarah that started in January with a tour in Florida, which was followed, by a densely scheduled three-week tour throughout Germany (highlights which included Berlin, Hamburg, and Cologne) in April and May. In July 2005 Minsarah went on their first U.S. east coast tour; performing in cities including Jacksonville and Tallahassee, FL, Winston-Salem, NC, Washington D.C., Woodstock, VT, Boston, MA, and Oswego, NY. Their second U.S. tour during August 2006 included dates in snowshoe, WV (Annual Taste of the Mountains Jazz Festival) new orleans, LA (Snug Harbor Jazz bistro), and New York, NY (Tea Lounge). The year has continued to be just as busy with performances scheduled at the JVC, Berlin, and Cologne jazz festivals during their fall tour. Minsasrah will continue touring both the east and west coasts 2007 before they return to the studio to begin work on their sophmore album with Enja records.
Florian Weber
www.florian-weber.net/
Florian Weber was born 11. Nov. 1977 in Detmold/Germany. By the age of 4, Florians father (professor of piano at the Musikhochschule Detmold) recognized an unusual discipline in his son who daily, upon returning home kindergarten, headed straight for the piano to practice. Florian began taking private lessons and by the time he graduated from high school he had participated in both classical and jazz ensembles, winning 1st place competition prizes as an ensemble member and as a soloist. At 22, Florian was accepted to the Musikhochschule Cologne and had the opportunity to tour as a soloist with the Russian Philharmonic. In 1999 won a stipend to study abroad at Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 2001, Florian won the Steinway & Sons prize at the Montreaux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition, performed with Albert Mangelsdorff and Benny Bailey, completed his studies at Berklee and received his well-earned diploma from Musikhochschule Cologne. Florian studied with Hans Ludemann, John Taylor, JoAnne Brackeen, Paul Bley, and Richie Beirach. Ms. Brackeen comments, Hes very inventive, has a beautiful sound, vitality and rhythm and is also a prolific composer. I highly recommend him.
Ziv Ravitz
www.zivravitz.com
Ziv was born in Beer-Sheva, Israel, on January 10th, 1976. Born to a family of musicians in Beer-Sheva, Israel, on January 10th, 1976, Ziv was drawn to music at an early age, playing the guitar, keyboard and drums. When he was 9 years old, Ziv started focusing on drums and by the age of 13 began his professional career, playing at various clubs in Beer-Sheva and Tel Aviv, acquiring experience in a variety of musical styles, such as Jazz, rock and avant-garde. In 1999, Ziv was the Camelot Jazz Club of Tel Avivs reserved drummer for guest performers from Europe and the United States.
Ziv moved to the US in the summer of 2000, to attend the Berklee School of Music, to expand his musical experience and to grow as a Jazz composer. In the winter of 2003, he became an official recording artist of the Huber Music Management and Recording label of Cologne, Germany. In June 2003, Ziv won the Zildjian Scholarship Award. Since then, he has toured extensively across Europe with various groups such as TAQ, Minsarah, Sin, Nicolas Simon Group and Iasi Romanian Philharmonic Orchestra. In December 2004, Ziv graduated from Berklee School of Music with a Jazz Composition Degree.
Ziv has performed with Hal Crook, Greg Hopkins, Joe
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