Marty Ehrlich

The American saxophonist and composer Marty Ehrlich performs on 14 November at CentroCentro, as part of the official programme of JAZZMADRID, the Festival Internacional de Jazz de Madrid. The musician appears at the head of his trio to offer a concert focused on avant-garde jazz and free improvisation.

A multi-instrumentalist who plays the saxophone, clarinet and flute, Marty Ehrlich began his career in his youth within the multidisciplinary collective Black Artist Group of San Luis. Since then he has established himself as a reference point of the New York music scene, sharing a generation with artists such as Tim Berne, Ray Anderson and Myra Melford. Over five decades of career he has collaborated with key figures of experimental music such as George Russell, Anthony Braxton, Muhal Richard Abrams, Lester Bowie and John Zorn, taking part in numerous ensembles and recording projects.

On this visit to Madrid, the musician leads an acoustic line-up completed by two outstanding instrumentalists from the European scene: British double bassist John Edwards and drummer Mark Sanders. John Edwards brings a technique marked by versatility and solidity in the low register, while Mark Sanders has extensive experience in improvised music alongside musicians of the stature of Evan Parker or Wadada Leo Smith.

In the CentroCentro concert, the trio will play without a script, starting from original pieces and specific melodies to let themselves be carried along by improvisation, with Marty Ehrlich alternating between saxophone and clarinet while John Edwards holds the rhythm on double bass and Mark Sanders sets the pulse on drums.

Line-up:

Marty Ehrlich – Saxophone and clarinet

John Edwards – Double bass

Mark Sanders – Drums and percussion