Many years before the term world music was coined, Charlie Mariano transcended his Boston-born background in Jazz; travelled the world in his search of sounds and began to blend different musical traditions. He spent years playing in Japan (with pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi), then in South-India (with Karnataka College of Percussion). He has worked with many Jazz giants- from Quincy Jones, Stan Kenton, to Astrud Gilberto and Charles Mingus (hear him on ‘The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady’ and 'Mingus, Mingus, Mingus').

Sept 2009 Enja Records released a live CD " The great Concert" one of the last concerts Charlie Mariano was to play. In May 2008 he performed at Stuttgart Theaterhaus together with Philip Catherine and Jasper van´t Hof. This CD documents a beautiful and moving concert apppearance where quite audibly these three long time musical friends and partners each played their best.
I would like to recommend this recording to all of Marianos many long time friends and fans togther with his very last studio recording with Chauki Smahi on oud, Bobby Stern, sax and Billy Cobham drums.

His European collaborations include peformances with Embryo, The United Jazz and Rock Ensemble and Rabih Abou-Khalil. By now the 83 years young sax player has become a legend in his own right. He resides in Cologne, Germany and continous to perform nationally and internationally.

“Mariano´s whole career has been an object lesson in gradual artistic growth. Like Miles Davis, he has, at every stage, played contemporary music, always remaining open to new ideas. Mariano shows a great emotional range. His solos are often quite extraordinary, his soprano and alto sounds project a powerful, almost anguished lyricism, as if the music were being wrung out of him. Mariano’s playing is melodious, sensitive and full of passion, his ballads send shivers down the spine. Unique. There are few parallels in Jazz to the voluptuous austerity of Mariano´s later work.” (Jazz Rough Guide)

Charlie Mariano

Lange bevor das Wort Weltmusik erfunden war, verband Charlie Mariano die Klänge der verschiedensten Musikstile. Er verbrachte Jahre in Japan, wo er mit der Pianistin Toshiko Akiyoshi auftrat, dann in Indien mit dem Karnataka College of Percussion. Der 84-jährige Saxophonist aus Boston/USA ist mittlerweile zur Legende geworden. Als einer der ersten Musiker integrierte er ethnische Elemente im Jazz, und prägte damit seit den 70er-Jahren auch stark die europäische Jazzszene mit.

Auf seinen musikalischen Reisen musizierte er mit vielen bekannten Jazzgiganten- von Quincy Jones, Stan Kenton, zu Astrud Gilberto und Charles Mingus (Man höre ihn auf ‘The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady’ und 'Mingus, Mingus, Mingus'). Zu seinen Europäischen Kollaborationen gehören Auftritte mit Gruppen wie Embryo, dem United Jazz und Rock Ensemble, so wie Rabih Abou-Khalil.

"Schöne gediegene Musik, und dem 1923 in Bosten geborenen Altsaxofonisten, der einst noch mit Charlie Parker spielen durfte, musste man keineswegs einen Altersbonus zubilligen - und zeitlos und zierlich, fit und flüssig wirkt seine Musik immerdar." (The Jazz Pages 2006)

"Mariano´s ganze Karriere ist ein Anschauungsunterricht in graduellem künstlerischem Wachstum. Vergleichbar mit Miles Davis, spielte er in jeder Phase zeitgenössische Musik- und bleibt dabei immer offen für neue Ideen. Sein Saxophonspiel ist melodiös, sensibel, und immer noch von glühender Lust, seine Bühnenpräsenz bewunderbar. Charlie Mariano's Balladen jagen dem Publikum angenehme Schauer über den Rücken. Unverwechselbar." (Jazz Rough Guide)

ALBUM-RELEASES

THE GREAT CONCERT - enja records
SADAKA, Charlie Mariano and Chaouki Smahi, independent
SILVER BLUE (ENJ-9507 2)
DUE - Dieter Ilg & Charlie Mariano (fullfat 04)
EISENHANS - Dieter Ilg & Charlie Mariano (fullfat 03)
A LA CARTE - Charlie Mariano & Dieter Ilg (fullfat 02)

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