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Fritz K Renold

Fritz K Renold is a Saxophone Player, Composer, Producer and Festival Director

About Me

Saxophonist, composer, bandleader, teacher and festival director Fritz Renold maintains his home base in Aarau, Switzerland, took a decade off from the road to firm up his production company, compose 500 compositions and arrangements, spend time with his wife Helen of 21 years raising their three children Lydia (guitar), Benjamin (drums) and Sharon (bass). Currently he is working on his new Sax Concerto.

Early years

Fritz Renold was born February 27, 1960, in Wettingen, Switzerland. His father played accordion and introduced Fritz to Tango and Dixieland. As a boy clarinetist, Renold played Mozart's Concerto, “Saints,” gospel, and Beatles songs. He joined the school band at 14 in order to get an alto sax, even though he hated marches (and still does!) He heard Charlie Parker then, but remained unimpressed until, at 18, he joined a big band and played Sammy Nestico's Basie Book. When he discovered Miles Davis' Funny Valentine and Kinda Blue in the LP bins at Montreux, he ‘got hooked’ on jazz. Renold flew to Boston and thrived in Berklee College’s international music community. Three ‘audition’ big band scores — Take The A Train, Thus Spoke Zarathustra and Blues For Susy – earned him the Quincy Jones Award and a full scholarship with advanced placement. Since Berklee recommended that he compose, he took every composition course he could, including ‘amazing’ ones with Herb Pomeroy, Bob Freedman, Greg Hopkins and Corey Allen. He had Joe Viola and Bill Pierce as his Saxophone teachers and was in best hands in improvisation classes of Gary Burton and John LaPorta among others. Renold graduated in 1987; through 1990 he served as Berklee's first Swiss faculty member. In Boston, Renold co-founded a band called Bostonian Friends with Christian Jacob, the world-class French pianist. They debuted at Berklee's Performance Center, featuring guest percussionist Greg McPherson, sax legend Jerry Bergonzi, bassist Bruce Gertz, and drummer Ian Froman. When manager Ed Keane sent a tape to WCNY-TV's All American Jazz, it made their Top Ten.

Touring Years

The Friends first European tour in 1989 with a band from across the sea led them through Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Germany and Switzerland. After a 1992 tour brought the Bostonian Friends back to New York, Washington, and Boston, they cut their first album for EPM [France]. In 1991, EPM signed Bostonian Friends to its first CD, Peace For Africa. “I was glad to have as guests,” says Fritz, “two of my most influential teachers, Jerry Bergonzi and Herb Pomeroy.” In 1993 Renold toured Switzerland and recorded another CD for EPM with bassist Gildas Bocle, drummer Tommy Campbell, and Bergonzi. “On this three-week tour, my Aarau school ensemble played with American jazz masters — a tremendous charge for the kids!” Renold helped form the Jazz Orchestra of Canton Aargau and sent the project band overseas, for learning on the bandstand with “real heavy cats.” This concept blossomed into one of Europe’s biggest and best education camps, Jazzaar Concerts Aarau; the guest list reads like a Who’s Who of Jazz. The 1994 Bern Jazz Festival invited Renold to host an international band with Randy Brecker, Miroslav Vitous, Jacob, and Nussbaum, a Bostonian Friends edition that worked annually until today. Also in 1994, Swiss National TV produced JazzIn hosted by Peter Jaques, New York based pianist Mark Soskin. Renold led the show’s band, The Empire State Group, which featured Randy Brecker, Victor Lewis, saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, bassist Harvie S. and others. Renold toured often with top players like the late Bob Berg, Benny Golson, Randy Brecker, Cecil Bridgewater, Buster Williams and recorded two albums for Sony Columbia. “Here we are, twenty years later,” Renold marveled recently, “with the same rhythm section: Adam, Miroslav, and Christian!” They’ve made lots of festivals and well-received recordings. When Renold signed with Sony Music in 1997 as the first Swiss jazz musician on Columbia Records, the Friends made European tours to Glasgow, London, Paris, Bordeaux, Krefeld, Kaiserslautern, Basel, Milano, Vienne, Lustenau, Stuttgart. The Friends’ second album is about to come out again on Sony/BMG – Columbia Records containing the second 1998 session, with Cecil Bridgewater, Golson, Jacob, Williams, and Jackson. Renold remarks, “Benny has always been an idol for my composing.” Berklee was right in suggesting he focus on composition: his writing has strengthened, harking back to classical influences. Bostonian Friends and the Aargauer Symphonie Orchestra premiered in 1998 the Jacob/Renold collaboration, Helvetic Suite for Jazz Quintet and Symphony at the newly formed Jazzaar festival. Commissioned by Möbel Pfister Stiftung, the 50-minute suite reenacts scenes from Swiss history. The work caught the ear of Sony Classical’s European CEO Norman Block, who was in the audience. In 1999 Renold united all the living Ellington band alumni with alto saxophonist Bobby Watson, cast as Johnny Hodges at Jazzaar. It was the largest assemblage of Ellingtonians during Duke Ellington’s centennial year. The band performed classic Ducal suites: The Queen’s Suite, Far East Suite and Such Sweet Thunder. Eight Ellington alumni filled the brass and rhythm chairs: trumpeters Benny Bailey, Bill Berry (also conductor), Barrie Lee Hall; trombonists Buster Cooper, Art Barron, Britt Woodman; Aaron Bell (as ‘boy pianist’), John Lamb on bass, Charlie Persip on drums. Touring Switzerland, Bill Berry recalled, “The band got back the old spirit of hangin’ in hotel lounges, playin’ til 4 a.m. and almost missing planes. The last time this happened was at the White House in 1968.” A 1999 CD featuring Brecker, Berg, Nussbaum, and bassist Mike Richmond, helped Renold discover the creative joys of record production and finding the right chemistry for musicians working together. He's produced over a dozen CDs for his bands, and those of Christian Jacob, Herb Pomeroy, Markus Hauser, and Ruth Juon. Included in the recording were tracks of the Friends’ tour of Europe with another all-star line up: Golson, Bridgewater, Williams, and Ali Jackson.

Years in Switzerland and “Jazzaar Festival”

1999 was a turning point when Renold quit touring to stay with his family, with one noteworthy exception. The Swiss Embassy in Thailand commissioned Renold and Jacob to collaborate on The 6th Cycle, a composition for jazz quintet and symphony dedicated to King Bhumibol of Thailand, a well-known – and darn good — amateur clarinetist. Thai Kings are celebrated as having 12-year life-cycles; when Bhumibol turned 72 he made it to his sixth cycle. Each 12-year period was depicted as a movement. The recorded performance sold out a pressing of 5,000 CDs. In 2000, Renold organized and produced and featured in the Saalbau Jazzorchestra’s performance of Jacob’s jazz adaptation of Kurt Weill’s Three Penny Opera. Saxophonists Bobby Watson, Renold, Shelley Carroll, Walt Weiskopf, Bernd Konrad, trombonists Bergeron, Gardner, Cooper; trumpeters Hall and Brecker, Chris Albert, Tom Garling, Vitous, Lewis, Jacob. That was the keystone piece commemorating Weill’s centennial in which Aarau Youth Orchestra playing Weill classics (”Speak Low”, “Mack the Knife.”) In 2001, Renold brought Benny Golson’s All-Star Big Band and performed with them; this was an all time dream come true to play with one of Renold’s most influential composers/players. His first Gospel work, co written with Barrie Lee Hall Jr., Ecclesiastes, an oratorio with wife Helen Renold as librettist, premiered at the same festival that year. The band featured a Baptist Church choir from Houston, Texas and a line-up, including Soskin, Lewis, Valerie Ponomarev, Brecker, Dave Taylor, Buster Cooper, Buster Williams, Vincent Gardner, Wayne Bergeron, Vincent Herring and Dennis Montgomery. Aired on Swiss TV, the piece will be released on DVD [in 2007]. In 2002 another Biblical oratorio, Proverbs, was hugely successful. Dennis Montgomery on Hammond Organ once again proved to be an interpreter par excellence. This work drew from the texts of King Solomon and wise men of Israel for coping with world affairs post-9/11. The score’s free vocal and instrumental improvisation urge mankind to seek wisdom for practical living and to tune into creativity at its spiritual source – the Creator. 9/11 made Fritz and Helen Renold rethink world politics and write another libretto on that subject in the 2003 commissioned work, The Euphrates & Tigris Suite. The 4-hour work — featuring Jim Snidero, Frank Green, Steven Bernstein, Amir Elsaffar, Julian Joseph, Wayne Bergeron, Charlie Young, Tommy Smith, Walt Weiskopf and others – drew on themes of the tree, The Fall of Babylon (from the universal Judaic, Muslim, and Christian roots of Abraham from Ur of the Chaldeans) to point out that powers to be make democracy seem real. The piece was recorded on 48-track digital and DVD. Airto Moreira and Flora Purim performed with the Aarau Youth Orchestra - A Night Of Jobim in 2004. Guests included Donny McCaslin, Oscar Castro Neves, Cooper, and Christian Jacob, who also wrote string arrangements for the Brazilians. 2005’s African Heritage program brought back to Aarau old Boston friends Jamshied Sharifi and Werner “Vana” Gierig. Following the festival Renold went back into the studio and recorded his first big band CD project, The Cube. The work, with spiritual texts by Helen Renold, was played by an all-star band and recorded for an upcoming CD - release. Jazzaar 2006 saw a full-scale Beatles Revival! The performance Friday night was The Beatles in Symphony and featured the ‘Fab Four’ [from Colorado] with the Aargauer Jugend Pops Symphony Orchestra conducted by Patrick Furrer. Ian Darrington, Wigan Festival Director and IAJE representative, wrote: “This concert truly represented what musical performance is all about. It had … every emotion from laughter to tears and everything in between. It had people tapping their feet to the faster tunes and swaying to the slower tunes. It featured outstanding musical arrangements performed to an extremely high level...[and] great rapport with the capacity audience, every one of whom must have gone home that evening knowing they had been a part of such a special evening.” The Concept
Jazzaar’s15th Anniversary theme in 2007 „Classics” has a triple significance. Firstly, part of the music to be presented belongs to the library of Jazz Classics that legends like Miles Davis and Gill Evans have contributed so much to. Secondly, Classics is referred to the art or the classical music of Europe as well as the afro-American Gospel traditions that will be presented respectively on 2 evenings. The third significance is a personal one that connects Jazzaar’s own selection of original compositions that have been premiered in the past 15 years. Hence, this 15th anniversary of youth development will see the components of Classics characterised in a variety of performances. The Anniversary Gala Night (Alumni Concert)
Twelve of Jazzaar’s own alumni, will assemble in Aarau from around the globe to present the audience with a programme of 15 compositions, an original from every year that had been premiered up to now. The alumni would be sharing the stage with Gary Burton, Makoto Ozone, Christian Jacob, Bob Bennet and Marius Bröchin. It was a grand occasion to finally have Gary Burton and Makoto Ozone to join us at “Jazzaar Festival”. Hommage À Miles Davis
Two of Miles Davis’ and Gil Evans’ collaborations that have contributed richly to Jazz literature are the classics Porgy and Bess and Concierto de Aranjuez (Sketches of Spain), which original arrangements were performed in Aarau for the first time and in collaboration between professionals and the Swiss Youth Jazz Orchestra. This evening presented trumpet virtuoso and Grammy winner Randy Brecker to fill the late Miles Davis’ chair. Other dedicated musicians and role-models for the youth orchestra were Dave Taylor (bass trombone), Adam Nussbaum (drums) Steve Reid (lead trumpet), Tom Garling (trombone), Wolfgang Drechsler (french horn), Matt Marvuglio (flute), Eliane Zweifel (harp), Gildas Boclé (acoustic bass), and Christoph Schnyder (clarinet). One of the classics of Afro-American tradition is the Gospel music, which has always been a highlight at “jazzaar concerts”. It once again received an emphasis this anniversary with brand new compositions that were premiered by the Swiss Youth Gospel Orchestra through the expert direction of classic role models such as Dennis Montgomery and Adi Yeshaya. Gospel singers from Berklee College of Music who know their trade lead the choir to give voice to the songs. The performance was also be graced and enhanced by an exclusive rhythm section that usually accompanies international stars such as Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin, among others. They are Shedrick Michtell (Pianist), Reggie Hamilton (Bass), Vernon Ice Black (Guitar), and Michael Baker (Drums). 2008’s ‘Visions of Music’ is a portrait of a world where traditions and progress are musically at home. Musical traditions are vital for musical progress. For this reason the hand picked artistes presented at “Jazzaar Festival” 2008 demonstrated how fresh musical trends can sprout and blossom from traditional roots! Thus, we envisioned contemporary music to become a cause for good music on the horizon as much as it is an effect of music from times bygone. Grooves & Moves!
was dedicated to eclectic sounds and rhythms and is aptly named Grooves and Moves! Contributing to the melting pot will be the one and only, vocalist Kamaria Ousley backed by organist Dennis Montgomery III and his singers Rashad McPherson, Grace Taylor and Kevin Ross together with Barry Danielien on trumpets. Also returning by popular demand is the Whitney Houston’s rhythm section, Michael Baker, Reggie Hamilton, Vernon ‘Ice’ Black and Shedrick Mitchell. Original compositions that are exotic along with cover tunes resonating R&B, Gospel and Funk styles are bound to spark the fires of progress in the Swiss Youth Funk Band directed by Fritz Renold. “jazzaar concerts” 2009 presents two very distinct projects that convey parallels and contrasts of ‘Reflections and Reverie’. In 2009 ‘Louis and the Good Book’, a Jazzaar Youth Gospel Orchestra is to become a kaleidoscope of Louis Armstrong’s 1958 work, what with a gem studded cast led by Fritz Renold, musical director of Jazzaar. Thus the audience was able to behold from different angles new reflections of its musical colours in all its grandeur.
The gems of artistes invited for their brilliance were: Lance Martin who has the rare ‘voice’ of Louis Armstrong, Steve Reid with his piercing trumpet sound, the incredible Dennis Montgomery III this time on piano, Mark Gross on Alto Saxophone together with jazz legends Buster Williams on Bass and Victor Lewis on drums. Rashad McPherson, Kevin Ross, Samantha Jordan and Annette Philip lent their beautiful voices in harmony. Prepare to be mesmerised! The ‘Concerto Double Nouvel’ on the other hand revealed as though through mirrors and lenses of a musical telescope the composers’ faraway musings and dreams sweeping across boundaries that divide Jazz and Classical music. The Jazzaar Youth Chamber Orchestra accompanied by a host of virtuosos from both the European classical and International Jazz worlds had a monumental task of premiering four exclusive double concertos in a crossover style under the expert direction of conductor Kevin Field of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.
The stars appearing this night were: Volker Biesenbender and Tobias Preisig on solo violins playing Renolds first Concerto fort wo Violins, Barrie Lee Hall Jr. and Franco Ambrosetti on solo trumpets, Tom Garling and Patrik Lerchmüller on solo trombones, Gildas Boclé and Reggie Hamilton on solo basses, The Casal Quartet (strings), Wolfgang Drechsler and Daniel Werren on French horns, Robert Mössinger on oboe, Mark Soskin on piano and Adam Nussbaum on drums.
 Cultural exchange becomes profoundly evident when cultural diversity is promoted by means of a musical dialogue that also brings to light many things shared in common. In April 2010, the youth of Jazzaar Festival had their hand at global play as they pursue different musical traditions with international artistes. On 16th April promised a mystical Indian Night at jazzaar concerts 2010 with an enchanted Jazzaar Youth World-Music Ensemble bringing rich and exotic tunes representing India. The ensemble led by Jazzaar’s musical director, Fritz Renold, boasted of grand masters, old-timers and students of both Indian music as well as of rhythmic roots such as Brazilian and Afro-American traditions. Among the professionals hailing from around the globe were: Sharmistha Chatterjee, Annette Philip, Chayan Adhikari and Ujwal Nagar on vocals, Suhail Yusuf Khan playing the Sarangi, Pandit Anindo Chatterjee on Tabla; Giridhar Udupa playing the Ghatam, Lew Soloff on trumpet, Reggie Hamilton on Bass, Christian Jacob on Piano and the celebrated Brazilian Jazz- Percussionist Airto Moreira, on drums. Equally excelling global players from home are Manrico Padovani on the violin, Willy Kotoun on Percussions; Markus Hauser on Saxes and Ramon Hediger on EWI & Tenorsax. The audience expected most delightful renditions of stimulating traditional tunes, fusions, Bollywood songs and original compositions. Apart from transporting the audience to the pre-1960’s era the Jazzaar symphonic orchestra also geared up for the honour of performing a premier in dedication to the Bundesrätin Doris Leuthard written Fritz upon her appointment as president of the Federal Council of Switzerland 2010. What a night it would be for an audience to bask in nostalgia and rekindled hope! Two culturally diverse productions are in the offing at Aarau and Baden promising to fascinate a wide range of audience this April 2011. Since the successful Indian fusion production of 2010 there’s been a popular demand for another Indian Night that the new Jazzaar Youth World-Music Ensemble will premier at the KuK in Aarau on April 15. Musical director Fritz Renold lead the ensemble supported by young talents and world stars. Appearing for the first time at jazzaar is the versatile vocalist Karthik Kumar along with the Carnatic classical music specialists, young star violinist Mysore Manjunath and Ravichandra Kulur on flutes, both equally renowned for their Jugalbhandi or fusion music. Joining the troop from the western side of the world were US legends such as Chico Freeman on saxes, Lew Soloff on trumpet, Steve Prosser on vocals, Christian Jacob on piano, Kai Eckhardt of the Trilok Gurtu fame from Germany on bass. Jazzaar Festival’s youth program turns 20 this year! Celebration is in order with three sensational nights of performances where world class concerts will be presented in Aarau’s KuK this April. Besides prominent stars and talented youth, powerful women drummers and successful alumni would be an attraction this year. The music featured this time will be the same that gave birth to this youth program 20 years ago, namely Afro American Jazz and Rhythm & Blues! The 2012 ‘learning on the bandstand’ experience alongside professionals had triggered a steep upward learning curve in the young players that was still exponential months after the fact. Thus, it became a burning desire to create an ongoing environment for youth musicians to experience ‘Bandstand Learning with Role Models‘. This has been realized since and continued for 20 years thanks to public and private support and many a volunteer. The KuK in Aarau will stage an R&B Frenzy of the musical kind on April 13 promising a high energy, star packed performance and a memorable experience for the Jazzaar Youth R&B Ensemble. With Earth, Wind & Fire’s Dennis Montgomery (HB3) back at Jazzaar Festival the mood was set for a night of up tempo yet laid back grooves and feels. Jazzaar Festival presents a premier and a reunion production in 2013 as it ventures into its third decade of Bandstand Learning with Role Models educational program. Nightly performances from April 15 – 17 in various venues and hangouts in Aarau, Switzerland will lend to the festival atmosphere in town besides the highlights in store at the Kultur & Kongresshaus Aarau (KUK) from April 18 – 20. Aarau is a center for Jazz collaboration and thus during the Jazzaar Festival this April ripples of Jazz and its off-shoots will be felt all around town. In the Tuchlaube Aarau on Monday April 15, Jazzclub Aarau will present a night of swinging melodies. On Tuesday, April 16 the Roschtige Hund will host a sizzling jam session. The Einstein restaurant and bar will be no exception this year in providing their elegant ambiance for another grooving Jam Session on Wednesday, April 17. There will be plenty of music flavors ranging from Jazz, funk to gospel and world music that will be dished out during these jam sessions. 2013 brought back none other than the legendary Brecker Brothers Band Reunion, despite the absence of the late Michael Brecker, because the old cats are in town with Randy Brecker on trumpet and his wife Ada Rovatti-Brecker on tenor sax to complete the sextet to present a special treat from their latest album. The funky cats we’re talking about were Oli Rockberger on keys and vocals, Neil Jason on bass and vocals, Mitch Stein on guitar, and Rodney Holmes on drums. The finale at Jazzaar Festival 2013 was our much anticipated gospel premier production in the African music genre. Fritz Renold and Helen Savari-Renold contributed to the original works with music and lyrics, while Jamshied Sharifi and Bob Freedman tailored the arrangements and orchestration for this event. The Jazzaar Youth World Music Ensemble with a gospel choir plunged into the world of rhythm and pulse with organic earthy melodies and harmonies to be freed up to render the laid back and bouncy grooves of African Gospel music. The orchestra was led by Jazzaar Festival’s music director Fritz Renold featuring Valery Ekoumé from Senegal on vocals and percussion, Michael Bradley and Rashad McPherson from the USA on vocals, Max Helfenstein on trumpet and flugelhorn, Vernon Ice Black on guitar, Etienne Stadwijk on keyboards, Kai Eckhardt on bass, Olivier Serigba on percussion and Dana Hawkins on drums. 2014, Future Steps, a production inspired by the jazz fusion group of the 1980s called Steps Ahead had the honour of having Steps’ brainchild, vibraphonist Mike Mainieri (USA) on board. Besides Mike, other Steps members to commit to this alliance were the drummer Rodney Holmes (USA) and trumpeter Randy Brecker (USA) – 2014 Grammy winner for ‘Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album’. The Jazzaar Youth Jazz Orchestra once again took the journey forwards also accompanied by jazz greats such as Kevin Bryan (USA) on lead trumpet, Markus Hauser (CH) on tenor sax, Christian Kramer (DE) on trombone, Christian Jacob (USA) on piano and Alphonso Johnson (USA) on bass. The orchestra led by Fritz Renold, contributed 8 original compositions that complimented Mike Mainieri’s master pieces from Steps Ahead. Over these more than two decades, Renold wrote an amazing spate of over 500 compositions most of which he orchestrated himself. The commissions kept rolling in… from Manhattan School of Music, Radio Television Malaysia, Thailand, local and international big bands, and various foundations. The works include saxophone quartets, orchestral pieces, saxophone and bass trombone concerti. Renold’s first saxophone book — released through major international publisher Zimmermann in Frankfurt, Tokyo, New York — includes 16 transcriptions from duets played by Renold and Jacob. 32 DVD Productions an das many CD Productions reflect the work oft he Renolds.