I hear the beautiful richness of his tone, the seamlessness of his phrasing, the consistency and mastery of time and swing. This is a saxophonist in full control of what he wants to project with the chops and confidence to do it.
Joel Frahm
Liner Notes for Labor of Love
When Lukas Gabric asked me to write a bit about this excellent new recording, I knew it would be a pleasure to sit and listen to his playing before I had heard a note.I’ve known Lukas for more than a handful of years at this point, and have had the pleasure of observing his growth from a young saxophonist of great potential to a fully developed mature artist. That maturity is possibly what strikes me the most about his playing on this recording. I hear the beautiful richness of his tone, the seamlessness of his phrasing, the consistency and mastery of time and swing. He shows admirable restraint and tenderness on the lovely string arrangements of ballads such as “Nancy” and “I’m Glad There Is You”, and then some jaw-dropping tenor virtuosity on “Monochrome” and “Momentum”. This is a saxophonist in full control of what he wants to project with the chops and confidence to do it. He shows the wisdom to really vary the mood of the program of the record which keeps me intrigued as a listener and highlights the dynamics of his playing in a dramatic way; a strategy I truly appreciate.
Lastly, and most importantly, I hear him playing with real heart and gusto, which is what I always want to experience the most when listening to a great jazz player. I am proud of the musician that Lukas has become, and I know this recording will be a wonderful reaffirmation of his artistry to those who already know his playing, and an exciting introduction for new fans as well. Enjoy the lovely music.
—Joel Frahm
About Lukas Gabric
Saxophonist, musicologist, and composer Lukas Gabric began his musical education at the Conservatory of Carinthia in his native country Austria. He holds a BFA from the New School University in New York, an MA from the City College of New York, a postgraduate Artist Diploma from The Juilliard School, and is currently pursuing a PhD in musicology at the City University of New York’s Graduate Center.Mr. Gabric was selected as a member of the European Generations Unit 2012 – an ensemble consisting of winners of the Swiss Generations Competition. In 2013, he was a semifinalist in the Thelonious Monk Competition in Washington, D.C., placed third in the North American Saxophone Alliance Competition in Urbana-Champaign/IL 2014 and received the Best Soloist and Audience Choice Awards at the Getxo Jazz Festival 2014 in Spain. Mr. Gabric’s composition Fire Dance was awarded an ASCAP Herb Alpert Composition Award in 2016.
While maintaining a busy international performance and recording schedule, Mr. Gabric teaches music history and theory at the City College of New York and serves as saxophone faculty for The Juilliard School’s Music Advancement Program. He recently published an article on hermeneutics and jazz in the peer reviewed Jazz Perspectives Journal and his forthcoming album Labor of Love has already garnered international media attention before its official release in March 2019. Mr. Gabric organizes an international jazz saxophone competition and masterclass every summer in the south of Austria.
For workshop, masterclass, and performance booking inquiries please contact: Lukas Gabric at [email protected] or 347-324-0345.