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In 1994 Mack
Goldsbury and I decided to put together a co-operative group. At
that time guitarist Frank Möbus and bassist Ed Schuller were our
partners. We released our first CD, "At night when you go to Sleep" (Phonector) in 1996
Photo : Sigi Klee
Trumpeter Herb
Robertson moved from New York to Berlin, and since he had already
played a lot with Mack and Ed when they were all living in New York,
we invited him to join us. Our second CD, "Next Move" (BEV-Records),
with Herb as Guest, followed. Meanwhile, Ed married and returned
to New York, and Frank decided to concentrate on his own group,
"Der Rote Bereich" and his recording projects with ACT records.
That left us
free to experiment and led us directly to Hammond B3 organist Matthais
Bätzel. A new quartet was formed - and a new CD was recorded: "A-Live at the A-Trane" (Konnex Records).
Later Herb Robertson moved back to New York and ever since the instrumentation of the Quartet constantly changed with:
Herb Robertson - trumpet
Wilson de Oliveira - sax
Rolf Römer - sax
Frank Möbus - guitar
Önder Focan - guitar
Karl Schloz - guitar
Matthias Bätzel - hammond B3
Reggie Moore - piano
Ed Schuller - bass
Martin Lillich - bass
Stefan Weeke - bass
the current Band since 2016:
Mack Goldsbury
- reeds
Saxophonist
and flautist Mack Goldsbury was born in Texas, and lived and worked
in New York for many years. He moved to Berlin in 1992, and has
since made it his permanent residence.
A professional
musician since he was 17, Goldsbury has contributed to been involved
in) a large number of CD productions. The borderline between jazz
and pop has never gotten in his way: he has worked with such pop
stars as the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Cher, and Frank Sinatra
Jr., and with such jazz greats as Jaki Byard, John Scofield, Paul
Motian, Billy Hart, Tim Berne, and Ray Anderson. He is equally at
home with traditional and more experimental big bands - he has been
a member of the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, the RIAS Radio Big Band,
and the New York Composer's Orchestra under the direction of Wayne
Horowitz and Bobby Previte. With his deep personal commitment to
the music and unique "expansive, full-bodied tone" (Jazz Podium),
Mack infuses creative excitement into every project he is involved
with. This is particularly true for the current band. Besides his recordings
with the Ernst Bier - Mack Goldsbury Quartet, he has recorded the
album "Songs I love to Play" (Timescraper) with his own group, the
Mack Goldsbury and the New York Connection, and the CD "Art of Duo
- Savignyplatz" (Tutu Records) with bassist Ed Schuller.
Rolf Zielke - piano
Since the mid-eighties, Rolf Zielke has been an active member of the international jazz scene, presenting his own projects or accompanying renowned artists such as Charlie Mariano.
Through years of intensive concert touring in Germany, Europe, Asia, Africa and the USA he has developed an individual but international sound. He currently teaches jazz piano at the ‘Hanns Eisler’ College of Music, ‘Universität der Künste’ and the ‘JAZZ INSTITUT BERLIN.’ Rolf Zielke is the author of the music book: “Global Groove - Working with ‘Odd Meters’ in Contemporary Music - method for learning ‘uneven’ rhythms, polyrhythm and polymeters”.
Erik Unsworth - bass
A native of Northern New York State and a graduate of Indiana University, Erik Unsworth has been a member of music faculty at the University of Texas at El Paso since 2003, where he has served as Professor of String Bass, Electric Bass, Jazz and Commercial Music studies.
Since moving to El Paso, he has been heard in performances with the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, Ernie Watts, Bobby Shew, Allan Vache, Brad Leali, Wycliffe Gordon, Dave Pietro, Karrin Allyson, Tia Fuller, Maciej Fortuna, Joe Gallardo, Ray Vega, Harry Allen, Randy Sanke and Roseanna Vitro, among many others. Mr. Unsworth can be heard on a host of recent internationally-released recordings, including Dream Dances (Al Hermann and the New Impressions Trio – Summit Label), Live at CoCo’s (Mack Goldsbury Quintet – Cadence Label), and Place/Space Project for the Konnex label out of Berlin, Germany.
Ernst Bier - drums
A former student
of master drummers Billy Brooks, Charlie Persip, Vernell Fournier,
and Elvin Jones. His drumming has been lauded for its "high level
of sensitivity, self-abandon, and invention"
The Magazine
Bonner Rundschau
highlighted his "musicality and scintillating play". Like
many European jazz musicians, Bier felt the magnetic pull of jazz's
Mecca, and so in 1982 Bier turned up on the New York scene where
he would remain until 1987. It was in New York that Bier began his
continuing musical relationships and personal friendships with Mack
Goldsbury, Ed Schuller, and Herb Robertson. Whether with the Perry
Robertson Quartet, the Christoph Adams Trio or with such stars as
Atilla Zoller, Chet Baker, Lester Bowie, and Walter Norris, Ernst
Bier is seldom involved simply as a sideman. Besides his solid musical
input, he is known for his enormous organizational talent. Since
returning to Europe, Ernst has been continually on tour, working
on and in a number of different projects. Looking for the liveliest
music scene he could find, Bier settled in Berlin. His continuing
series of workshops keeps Ernst in contact with the fundamentals:
for young musicians his "Living School" has developed into an institution.
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