AB BAARS
Ab Baars is a Dutch saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and improviser. Born in 1955 in Magrette, he started playing the saxophone at age 15, and played in the Philips Marching Band and other local bands in Eindhoven. From 1976 until 1981 he studied under Leo van Oostrom at the Rotterdam Conservatory of Music, and later under Roscoe Mitchell. He received a scholarship from the Dutch Ministry of Culture in 1989 and studied under clarinetist and composer John Carter in Los Angeles. In the same year Baars was awarded the prestigious Boy Edgar Award. In 2005 he began learning to play the shakuhachi (a Japanese bamboo flute) under Christopher Blasdel and Takeo Yamashiro.
For more than twenty years he has been leading a trio (as well as a duo) with Ig Henneman, but Baars is perhaps best known for his work with ICP Orchestra.
He has played, toured and recorded with some of the most notable figures in jazz and free improvisation: Han Bennink, Jaap Blonk, Alberto Braida, Anthony Braxton, John Carter, The Ex, Cor Fuhler, Ben Goldberg, Tristan Honsinger, Francois Houle, George Lewis, Michael Moore, Sunny Murray, Sonic Youth, Fabrizio Spera, Cecil Taylor, Roger Turner, Ken Vandermark, Veryan Weston, Wolter Wierbos, Michiyo Yagi and Misha Mengelberg.
He has also collaborated on various interdisciplinary projects with poets H.C. ten Berge and Diane Régimbald, and dancers Beppie Blankert, Hisako Horikawa and Masako Noguchi.
ZLATKO KAUČIČ
Born in 1953 in Postojna, Slovenia, he emigrated to Italy in the early 70s, where he recorded and toured with the band Hero. In 1975 he collaborated with numerous Swiss artists, working with Irene Schweitzer, Radu Malfatti, Duško Goykovich and Allen Blairman.
In 1976 Kaučič moved to Barcelona and played at Spain’s various clubs and festivals both as a solo artist and alongside artists such as Peter Delphinich, Eric Peter, Tete Montoliu, Claude Guillot, Paul Stocker, Mike Osborne, Burton Greene, John Lewis, Steve Lacy and Kenny Wheeler. In 1979 he toured Portugal with Paul Stocker. He also joined Portuguese bassist Ze Eduardo and pianist Antonio Pinho – the trio toured extensively across Portugal, and also played some shows in Macau, China. He went on to play with Don Rendall, Michael Garrik, and tenor saxophonist Rao Kyao.
During the years 1981 to 1983 Kaučič was teaching percussion at the Taller de Músicos jazz school and participating in workshops alongside Chuck Israels, Ron McClure and David Schnitter.
He has been living in Amsterdam since 1984. He has played North Sea Jazz Festival twice, tours Spain on a regular basis with his trio, leads his own octet and composes music for theatre and dance groups.
Kaučič visited the US twice: in 1987 for musical and theatre workshops in Ithaca (New York), and in 1989, when he performed in Atlanta with a European jazz quintet.
In the Netherlands he has played with a vast array of artists: Misha Mandelberg, Rose Toon, Paul Stocker, Sean Bergin, Arnold Dojewerd, Wiebe Wilbers (Skidoo), Frank Graso Big Band, Peter Guidi, Paul Bley, Esiet „Okun” Esiet, Michael Moore, John Patituci, Paolo Fresu, and the Phone Booth theatre group.
In 1992 he returned to Slovenia to pursue projects with Paul Bley (Lent Festival, Maribor), Steve Lacy, Thelonius Monk Project (Kontrada Festival, Kanal ob Soči), Enrico Rava, Gianluigi Trovesi, Chico Freeman, George Cables, Albert Mangelsdorff, Kenny Wheeler, Alexander Balanescu, Dave Biney, Paul McCandless, Irene Aebi, Trevor Watts, Javier Girotto, Frank Gratkowski, Szilárd Mezei, Marc Ribot, Greg Cohen, Saadet Türköz, Peter Brötzmann, Jean-Luc Cappozzo, Louis Sclavis, Evan Parker and Herb Robertson. He has also created music for two documentaries.
In 2011 Kaučič received the Prešeren Fund Award – the highest decoration in the field of artistic creation in Slovenia. Kaučič received an award from the municipality of Brda in recognition of his services as a creative musician esteemed throughout the world. Peter Amalietti, in his book The Masters of Fire, included an interview with Kaučič alongside conversations with artists such as Archie Shepp, Sun Ra, John Cage, Paquito D’Rivero, Pat Metheny, Odeon Pope, Reggie Workman, Dennis Gonzalez and Woody Shaw.
Tickets 30 PLN in advance, 40 PLN on the day of the show
Ab Baars – saxes, clarinet
Zlatko Kaučič – drums, percussion
