Ron Carter & The Jazzaar Festival Big Band Directed By Christian Jacob

The live recording, Remembering Bob Freedman at the 2019 Jazzaar Festival, Switzerland was released on October 6, 2021 on Shanti Records.

The 17-piece Jazzaar Festival Big Band was assembled specifically for the 2019 festival showcasing the phenomenon of the “Bandstand Learning with Role Models” platform. This was founded in 1992 by Fritz K Renold and Helen Savari-Renold, also the producers of this recording.

The album features the bass legend Ron Carter with some acclaimed jazz instrumentalists such as trumpeter Ryan Quigley, saxophonist Antonio Hart, trombonist Jason Jackson, pianist Donald Vega and drummer Carl Allen as seasoned role models for twelve selected aspiring young jazz musicians from the Swiss music scene that completed the big band.

The production was also a long-awaited collaboration between the producers of Jazzaar Festival, Bob Freedman, and Ron Carter, which took an unexpected turn when Bob sadly passed away in the middle of planning, almost bringing the project to a halt. But since Bob had already eagerly supplied a good many arrangements prior to this it was unanimously understood that he would have wanted the show to go on. Hence the program became a tribute to the late Bob Freedman that was rehearsed under the direction of Christian Jacob. It includes an original by Ron Carter as a dedication to his old friend. The concert took place on April 12, 2019 in Aarau, Switzerland before a live audience.

In past years, the albums produced at the Jazzaar Festival had regularly made it to the Grammy “Entry List". However, this time around the album Remembering Bob Freedman has received a Grammy nomination in the category of 'Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album’.

For more info on Jazzaar Festival and the BLRM see jazzaar.com.