Zurich Jazz Orchestra «Best of Don Ellis» feat. Thomas Gansch

The trumpeter Thomas Gansch from Vienna appears as a guest of the ZJO at regular intervals: he is the perfect choice for Done Ellis’ challenging mixture of jazz, 70’s fusion and uneven meters. For the audience these concerts are always a delight – equally for the band, even if the tough arrangements are usually considered internally as “musical development”. In addition to some highlights from the last program, the evening will also feature new material.
Gratitude is due to the contacts of guitarist Theo Kapilidis so that the ZJO could invite Milcho Leviev and motivate him for some collaboration. Milcho Leviev brought the number “Bulgarian Bulge” into Don Ellis’ band and was thus directly responsible that not only Indian, but also East European influences can be found in Ellis’ music. Born in Bulgaria, Leviev worked as pianist and composer, led the Bulgarian Rundfunk Big Band and moved to Los Angeles during the 70’s, where he played with, amongst others, Don Ellis, Billy Cobham, and many more. In Moods, Leview will direct some numbers, such as “Bulgarin Bulge” and “Tribute Piece”, which was written as a tribute to Don Ellis and will be premiered in Switzerland.