RALPH MOORE & DAVE KIKOSKI QUARTET (UK/USA/AT)

In the organizer's words:

RALPH MOORE & DAVE KIKOSKI QUARTET

"Mr. Moore is first and foremost a rhythm fanatic ... As he plays a series of evenly placed notes, he throws in interjections reminiscent of the be-bop mastery of Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon and John Coltrane..." (Peter Watrous, New York Times)

Born in England, Ralph Moore came to the United States in 1970 and studied at Berklee College of Music from 1975. In 1981 he moved to New York, where his professional career as a musician began. He played in Horace Silver's quintet, with which he toured Europe and Japan. As a busy sideman, Moore also worked with Roy Haynes, the Mingus Dynasty and Freddie Hubbard in the following years. In the summer of 1987 he went on tour with Dizzy Gillespie's Reunion Big Band. Ralph can also be heard on albums by Kenny Barron (Invitation), Ray Brown, Kevin Eubanks and Gene Harris. From the mid-1980s, Moore recorded a series of albums on the Criss Cross Jazz label, with backing musicians such as Steve Turre, Mulgrew Miller and Marvin Smitty Smith. In 1996 he played together with Roy Hargrove and Oscar Peterson.

During the 90s in New York, Dave Kikoski's career skyrocketed. Both as a sideman and as a leader, he established himself alongside jazz greats such as John Scofield, Ravi Coltrane, Chris Potter, Dave Holland, Mike Stern, Chick Corea, Bill Stewart, Tom Harrell, Marcus Miller, Michael Brecker, Jack Dejohnette and many others. In 2001 Roy Haynes invited him to join his all-star band together with Dave Holland, Roy Hargrove and Kenny Garrett. Christian McBride and Nicholas Payton also took part in this project "Birds of a Feather" and the album "Caribbean Jazz Project" was nominated for a Grammy in 2004.

With:
(UK) Ralph Moore (sax)
(USA) Dave Kikoski (p)
(USA) Essiet Essiet (b)
(AT) Joris Dudli (dr)