Olaf Polziehn Trio feat. Scott Hamilton: Live at Jazztone Lörrach

The pianist Olaf Polziehn, born in 1970 and living in Krefeld, is one of the most versatile and sought-after pianists of the German scene. In 1992 he started his studies of music at the Academy of Music Cologne with Frank Chastenier and John Taylor as his teachers. In the same year he founded the Olaf Polziehn Trio (first CD in 2000: "Olaf Polziehn Trio – American Songbook" SDP 1032-1) with Ingmar Heller (b) and Oliver Mewes (dr). In 2002 „American Songbook Vol. 2“ with the saxophonist Harry Allen from New York as guest soloist (SDP 1046-1) was published.

Now the third album of this exceptional trio is available from Satin Doll Productions – this time a live CD, recorded in Lörrach, in the club “jazztone” and with the gentleman among tenor saxophonists – Scott Hamilton – as a guest. The Who’s Who of jazz plainly calls him the “Messiah of mainstream”. Without any trouble he resorts to the vocabulary of Lester Young, Ben Webster or Don Byas. The American jazz critic Whitney Balliett, too, is enthusiastic about Hamilton: "It seems as if Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Lester Young have come back as one person!" However, Scott Hamilton has definitely found his own voice, distinguished by relaxed, imaginative swing and excellent improvisatory skills. Today, Scott Hamilton ranks among the most successful tenor saxophonists in the world, and without any doubt he is one of the most important saxophonists of our time. He has played with stars such as Teddy Wilson, Dave Mc Kenna, Mel Lewis, Zoot Sims, Ray Brown, Gene Harris, Clark Terry and many more.

Olaf Polziehn himself stylistically ranges between swinging and modern mainstream. The SWR jazz producer Woomy Schmidt wrote about him: “(…) extremely inventive, too, the German pianist Olaf Polziehn, who unswervingly pursues his way to the top of the world”. As a sideman he has played concerts and CD productions in Europe and the USA, with Bobby Durham, Martin Drew, Jeff Hamilton, Harry Allen, Howard Alden, Rolf Kühn and many more.