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Chris Merz
is Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Northern Iowa.
He has also taught at the University of Wyoming, the University of Massachusetts,
and the University of Natal in Durban, South Africa. Chris has toured
four continents with Dave Brubek and other members of the Brubek family
and played lead alto saxophone with several East Coast groups, including
the Cecil Bridgewater Big Band. His own projects include Equilateral and
the X-tet, a 12-piece big band. Bandleader of the Counterculture and member of Darius Brubeck's Nu Jazz Connection,
Chris is a virtuoso saxophonist.
Albums:
- Art Gecko
Counterculture
Counterculture
are Chris Merz on soprano and tenor saxophone,
Melvin Peters on piano, Fezil 'Faya' Faku on trumpet and flugelhorn, Monde
'Lex' Futshane on bass and Vincent Pavitt on drums. Founded initially
as an outlet for some of Chris's compositions, it soon became clear that
the band was evolving into anything that Chris could have labelled the
'Chris Merz Quintet'. As Chris says, "the group interplay made the
compositions much more than I, as composer had envisioned".
'Feya' Faku's
trumpet playing creates light and shade with beautiful simplicity, calling
and responding with the sax of Chris Merz in an almost uncanny fashion.
Vincent Pavitt doesn't just provide rhythm, his drumming is responsible
for an equal share of the melody structure and links brilliantly with
Melvin Peters' piano. 'Lex' Futshane's bass is a revelation, taking the
lead on some numbers, and proving a firm foundation for the melodic figures
drawn in sound by Chris and 'Feya'. Their album Art
Gecko (BW025) released in 1993 is a showcase for their remarkable
combined talents.
All of the
South African-born members of the group were active prior to the arrival
of Chris in South Africa. Melvin, Lex and Feya were part of the influential
Melvin Peters Quintet, as well as routinely serving as backup musicians
for the greats of South African jazz, such as Winston Mankunku Ngosi,
Pat Matchikess, and Thandi Klassen. Vince is a veteran of many pop and
rock groups, and very active on the Durban music scene having appeared
with Syd Kitchen, Joe Delew, Nu Jazz Connection and Lifehouse.
Prior
to leaving the US Chris had been working with the Stephen McCraven
Band, and had his professional recording debut, 'International World'
on ASP compact disc. He is lecturer of jazz saxophone at The University
of Natal in Durban. Other playing credits include the Ernest Mothle
Orchestra, Jazz Comrades, Double Vision (with Darius Brubeck) and the
Nu Jazz Connection. In 1998 Chris Merz moved back to the USA.
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