Polziehn-Heller-Davis feat. Harry Allen: American Songbook Vol. 3

The pianist Olaf Polziehn, born in Ludwigsburg in 1970 and now living in Krefeld is one of the most versatile and sought-after jazz musicians of the German scene. In 1992, he began his studies at the Cologne Academy of Music with Frank Chastenier and John Taylor as his teachers. In the same year, he founded the Olaf Polziehn Trio with Ingmar Heller (b) and Oliver Mewes (dr) (first CD in 2000: "Olaf Polziehn Trio – American Songbook" (SDP 1032-1). In 2002 „American Songbook Vol.2“ (SDP 1046-1) with the saxophonist Harry Allen from New York as guest soloist was published. Early in 2006 a live album followed: „Live at Jazztone Lörrach“ (SDP 1054-1)", with the famous tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton.

Now Olaf Polziehn has completed another „American Songbook“ album – Vol.3 – with the bassist Ingmar Heller from Cologne, the American drummer Troy Davis and the US saxophone star Harry Allen. Alongside popular standards such as „Limehouse Blues“, „Jumpin’ at the woodside“, „Autumn in New York” and “Mr Bojangles”, lesser known gems are featured, too. As a particular highlight, the ballad „She was too good to me“ must be mentioned, for which Olaf Polziehn’s wife Julia, a cellist, played a wonderful string background.


Olaf Polziehn (p)
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. In January 2006 he recorded a live CD together with his trio and the saxophonist Scott Hamilton, which was published in July 2006 (SDP 1054-1).

Ingmar Heller (b)
At the age of six years Ingmar Heller, born 1967, started to take drum lessons, and when he was nine, piano lessons followed. At the age of sixteen he began to play the electric bass, and one year later, he switched over to the double bass. As from 1986 he studied at the Cologne Academy of Music and he simultaneously began to work as a free-lance musician. Since then, he has worked in many countries of the earth and he has played with many jazz celebrities, such as John Abercrombie, Arthur Blythe, Michael Brecker, Bob Brookmeyer, Charlie Mariano, Ingrid Jensen, Gerry Mulligan, John Taylor, Clark Terry and Kenny Wheeler. Between 1987 and 2004 he took part in 40 CD-recordings, and he is one of the most sought-after bassists in Cologne.

Troy Davis (dr)
Troy Davis, born 1965 in Baton Rouge, studied drums with no less a figure than Alvin Batiste. He started his career as a member of Betty Carter’s Band, with which he toured for almost three years. As from 1990, he played with Mark Whitfield, Marlon Jordan, Roy Hargrove, Henry Butler, Donald Harrison, Joe Henderson, Ellis Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Pharoah Sanders, Toots Thielemans, Paulinho Da Costa, Monty Alexander, Paquito D´Rivera, John Pattitucci and many more. For many years now, he has been a member of the Terence Blanchard Band, with which he recorded numerous CDs and feature film soundtracks, a. o. the soundtrack for Spike Lee’s „Malcolm X“.

Harry Allen, ts
The ingenious tenor saxophonist Harry Allen was born in Washington DC in 1966 and grew up in California. A virtuoso instrumentalist whose phrasing is perfect. Many experts consider Allen to be one of the greatest living saxophonists. He recorded more than 20 albums as a band leader and received numerous prestigious awards from the specialist press. For a considerable time, he played together with the excellent guitarist John Pizzarelli (son of the famous Bucky) and he also recorded the music to some Hollywood films.