Sandro Zerafa's White Russian quintet at Warehouse Nº8

Fringe! Productions presents the launch of a new CD by Paris-based jazz quintet, White Russian. Led by Maltese guitarist Sandro Zerafa, White Russian is a dynamic 5 piece set-up for which he wrote the compositions drawing on various influences ranging from folk to free-jazz, Keith Jarrett to the Beatles, Ornette Coleman to Thelonious Monk.

Sandro was born and bred in Malta and has been living in Paris since 2002. Prior to that he studied at the Lyon Conservatoire after having finished his musicology degree at the University of Malta. Since then he has established for himself a name on the Parisian and European jazz circuit working and associating with some of the most sought-after and names on the scene. Besides his own band, Sandro can be heard with the Nico Gori ‘European’ quartet Alien in your head (Feb 2008), and Brazilian instrumental group Botafogo (2007) amongst others. He has won awards including Conservatoire de Lyon (Medaille d'or jazz guitar), 3rd prize at La Defense National Jazz Contest (Paris), Special Mention for Composition at La Defense National Jazz Contestat.

The award winning-band comprises much-sought after musicians including Yoni Zelnik (double bass), David Prez (tenor sax) , Olivier Zanot (alto sax) , David Georgelet (drums) all names not new to Maltese audiences. They have performed individually on various occasions in local jazz-haunts the likes of the Bridge Bar, Veċċja, tat-Taraġ and Ristorante La Rosa, as well as collectively on two occasions organized by Fringe!, namely Jazz yo Azz (MITP'06) and Jazz Fringe! in the Summer Arts Festival 2007.

The launch of their debut CD comes with two evening concerts and will include a matinee aimed for secondary school children with the aim of improving informal education in the arts.

White Russian CD will be sold on the night and will be available in all leading local music stores from the launch date onwards. DJ will be in attendance for after concert party on the 25th April.

Fringe! Productions is a subsidiary of NGO il–Mahzen. It aims to entertain its audiences with an independent calendar of music events and art- happenings. These activities are now being sought out for their originality and entertainment value whilst retaining their high artistic and cultural value. These events have a general appeal and are slowly becoming established with a growing, enthusiastic and well-discerning audience, who are opting for smaller quality events rather than mass appeal.

Fringe! has come about by responding to the need to fill the niche of local and international contemporary jazz and world music, aiming to showcase worldwide artists to local audiences otherwise absent in the local cultural calendar.

Date:

25, 26 April 2008

Time:

20:30 till late

Venue:

Warehouse Nº8, Off Racecourse Str, Marsa (near BOV Marsa )

Tickets:

Call on 21 223216 or 7940 4134

Price:

€11 available at St. James Cavalier or at the door.