The Renolds Jazz Orchestra (RJO) is a group of international musicians led by Fritz Renold and Helen Savari-Renold—musicians and organizers of the jazzaar music educational festival in Aarau, Switzerland. The orchestra is assembled for exclusive productions of original works and makeovers of standard repertoire to be premiered at jazzaar. The members of the orchestra hail from a variety of geographical and musical landscapes, chosen according to the need of the production at hand but each artist is always an established performer in his/her own right.
RJO's debut performance was a Duke Ellington tribute concert in 1999 that featured many members of the Ellington orchestra in the band. The reception from audience and musicians was so heart warming that the performances of the Renolds Jazz Orchestra fast became a tradition at jazzaar concerts in the consequent years.
In 2000, the RJO performed the 'Three Penny Opera—Live in Aarau' at jazzaar for a centennial celebration in honor of Kurt Weill, the legendary European composer famous for this celebrated work of 1928. It was an instrumental performance and an improvisational dialogue instead of the original version with vocals. The interesting dialogues were realized by bringing together musicians from traditional and contemporary jazz backgrounds in each section of the orchestra. The album will be released in the USA September 26,2011.
The orchestra went on to render an original work in 2001 called Ecclesiastes—a gospel oratorio, written by Fritz and Helen together with the late Barrie Lee Hall Jr. The orchestra this time even included 30 gospel singers from Houston, Texas and parts of Europe. It was indeed an exclusive performance but the recording is still waiting to be released.
Another grand production performed by the RJO at jazzaar was the Euphrates and Tigris Suite in 2003. This instrumental work was also an original composition by Fritz Renold, his first in the style of world-music writing with influences from jazz, classical, and middle-eastern music. A recording of this work is also pending release in the near future.
The latest RJO production was Cube, another fusion jazz and world music production written by Fritz and Helen, this time with vocals. This was recorded in 2005, and released on CD in 2008 under Shanti Records, Inc.
Renolds Jazz Orchestra is expecting to perform and record more new original compositions by the Renolds in the near future. The RJO also ventures on concert tours with the existing productions and makes special appearances at other music festivals.
Three Penny Opera—live in Aarau
Composed by Kurt Weil, Arranged by Christian Jacob
Recorded live at the Saalbau Concerts (jazzaar) in April 2000
Shanti Records CD Release April 2011 (CH), September 2011 (USA)
Performed by: Fritz Renold (ss, cl, as), Bobby Watson (as,ss,fl), Walt Weisskopf (ts, cl, ss, fl), Shelly Carrol (ts, ss, fl, cl), Bernd Konrad (bcl, bars), Wayne Bergeron (tp, flh), Randy Brecker (tp, flh), the late Barrie Lee Hall Jr. (tp, flh), Chris Albert (tp, flh), Vincent Gardner (tb), Tom Garling (tb), Buster Cooper (tb), Christian Jacob (p), Miroslav Vitous (b) Victor Lewis (dr)
RJO's debut performance was a Duke Ellington tribute concert in 1999 that featured many members of the Ellington orchestra in the band. The reception from audience and musicians was so heart warming that the performances of the Renolds Jazz Orchestra fast became a tradition at jazzaar concerts in the consequent years.
In 2000, the RJO performed the 'Three Penny Opera—Live in Aarau' at jazzaar for a centennial celebration in honor of Kurt Weill, the legendary European composer famous for this celebrated work of 1928. It was an instrumental performance and an improvisational dialogue instead of the original version with vocals. The interesting dialogues were realized by bringing together musicians from traditional and contemporary jazz backgrounds in each section of the orchestra. The album will be released in the USA September 26,2011.
The orchestra went on to render an original work in 2001 called Ecclesiastes—a gospel oratorio, written by Fritz and Helen together with the late Barrie Lee Hall Jr. The orchestra this time even included 30 gospel singers from Houston, Texas and parts of Europe. It was indeed an exclusive performance but the recording is still waiting to be released.
Another grand production performed by the RJO at jazzaar was the Euphrates and Tigris Suite in 2003. This instrumental work was also an original composition by Fritz Renold, his first in the style of world-music writing with influences from jazz, classical, and middle-eastern music. A recording of this work is also pending release in the near future.
The latest RJO production was Cube, another fusion jazz and world music production written by Fritz and Helen, this time with vocals. This was recorded in 2005, and released on CD in 2008 under Shanti Records, Inc.
Renolds Jazz Orchestra is expecting to perform and record more new original compositions by the Renolds in the near future. The RJO also ventures on concert tours with the existing productions and makes special appearances at other music festivals.
Three Penny Opera—live in Aarau
Composed by Kurt Weil, Arranged by Christian Jacob
Recorded live at the Saalbau Concerts (jazzaar) in April 2000
Shanti Records CD Release April 2011 (CH), September 2011 (USA)
Performed by: Fritz Renold (ss, cl, as), Bobby Watson (as,ss,fl), Walt Weisskopf (ts, cl, ss, fl), Shelly Carrol (ts, ss, fl, cl), Bernd Konrad (bcl, bars), Wayne Bergeron (tp, flh), Randy Brecker (tp, flh), the late Barrie Lee Hall Jr. (tp, flh), Chris Albert (tp, flh), Vincent Gardner (tb), Tom Garling (tb), Buster Cooper (tb), Christian Jacob (p), Miroslav Vitous (b) Victor Lewis (dr)
For more information contact Michael Bloom Media Relations.
