(Jazz, Contemporary Jazz) Reinhardt Winkler - Let's Face the Music - 2021, MP3, 320 kbps

Reinhardt Winkler, drums
Harry Allen, tenor saxophone
Simone Kopmajer, vocals
John Di Martino, piano
Boris Kozlov, bass
Wolfgang Puschnig, alto saxophone

Reinhardt Winkler
is a jazz drummer, composer and music educator.
Teaching experience: Since 1993, he has taught at the music school in Kirchschlag i.d. Buckligen Welt. He has also led many workshops in Austria, as well as other countries. Since 2013, he has taught drumming at the Wimmer Gymnasium in Oberschützen in cooperation with the Kunstuniversität Graz.
As a performing jazz drummer, he has toured for many years throughout Europe, the USA, and Asia, and worked with cutting edge artists such as Wolfgang Puschnig, STS, Terry Myers, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, to name just a few.

Famous standards played by a remarkable ensemble lead by drummer Reinhardt Winkler.
"I’ve known most of the songs of my new album for a long time. As a child, I got my first jazz records and all the songs were on it. I fell in love with this music, the sound, the instruments, the vibe, I just liked everything. Over the years I’ve always stayed tuned to these particular songs and some of them have become my absolute favorites. So I decided to record these songs with musicians I appreciate so much." (Reinhardt Winkler)
Born in Pöllau, Austria, Reinhardt Winkler started playing music in a marching band when he was barely 7 years old. After studying percussion in Graz, he perfected his skills at Thames Valley University in London. Drummer particularly appreciated in his country, he worked with Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Steve Swallow or Wolfgang Puschnig who can be found on this album and well known as one of the founders of the Vienna Art Orchestra alongside Mathias Rüegg; he will also perform with Jamaaladeen Tacuma notably in a jazz-funk duo.
With "Let’s Face The Music", Reinhardt Winkler takes up a series of standard songs that he says he has known and played for a very long time to the point of becoming his favorite repertoire. For the occasion, he brings together some big names among which the saxophonist Harry Allen with a very classic style close to Scott Hamilton, the viola of Wolfgang Puschnig, the pianist John Di Martino, frequent partner of Houston Person and Freddie Cole, and the drummer Boris Kozlov, regular member and musical director of the Mingus Big Band and the Mingus Dynasty, which we have also often heard on the Criss Cross label.
About ten standards follow one another with a guest for each track, a few tracks being played as a trio such as the very convincing "Beatrice" by Sam Rivers or "Emily", a piece often performed by Bill Evans. We also note an original version of "Poinciana", Ahmad Jamal's hit. Two short pieces of less than two minutes are played solo by Reinhardt Winkler, small interludes which highlight the drummer's beautiful technique, especially with brooms.
An opus that can be listened to with pleasure, especially by fans of the mainstream.