Danielius Praspaliauskis - Arūnas Šlaustas Quintet (Lithuania):

Danielius Praspaliauskis - as,
Arūnas Šlaustas - ky,
Vytautas Mikeliūnas - v,
Vladislav Borkovski - b,
Darius Rudis - dr

Danielius Praspaliauskis and Arūnas Šlaustas Quintet develops the combination of jazz and academic music - they introduced the idea during Kaunas Jazz'2002 Festival, in the sacral jazz project, called Naujos Erdvės Beieškant (Looking for New Space). This time the second sax in the Quintet is replaced by Vytautas Mikeliūnas's violin. The Quintet members are well-known Lithuanian jazz masters, who, from their childhood, are "in good relationship" with the classic music.

Danielius Praspaliauskis, the saxophonist and one of the Quintet leaders and composers, is known for Lithuanian jazz audience as a member of Lithuanian TV and Radio and Kaunas Big Bands, and LAO. He has played with international Big Bands, such as A.Vapirov's Big Band, EBU and European Youth Big Band, etc. The saxophonist leads the Dixieland and establishes various ensembles. Danielius Praspaliauskis is also known as academic music performer, who participates at various contemporary music projects. He has played not only in Lithuania, but also in the famous Warsaw Autumn Festival in Poland.

For many years Arunas Šlaustas has worked together with Danielius Praspaliauskis. Pianist, keyboardist and composer is familiar for both jazz and academic music audience. He is a laureate of various national and international pianist contests, has performed recitals, and has worked with the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra and the contemporary music ensemble Ex Tempore. The musician began to play jazz at the Lithuanian Academy of Music with Vladimir Chekasin's Big Band. He played piano in The New Lithuanian Trio, and in Danielius Praspaliauskis Quartet and Dixieland. Arunas Šlaustas does no only perform music - he composes and experiments, looking for new jazz and academic music combinations. Lithuanian jazz lovers remember the results of such "experiments" by his Eklektiškasis Bolero (the Eclectic Bolero), which he performed during Vilnius Jazz'95 Festival and Ciaccona that they had a chance to listen to during Vilnius Jazz'99.



Vytautas Mikeliūnas is a concertmaster of St.Christopher's Orchestra, but the sound of his violin is also familiar for jazz audience. His is a known academic musician: despite his work at S.Christopher's Orchestra, the violinist plays in the String Quartet, arranges jazz compositions and initiates jazz projects. He studied jazz at Vladimir Chekasin's. Even in 1981 he performed with Kestutis Lushas ensemble (participated at Vitebsk Jazz Festival); later he joined Vytautas Labutis Octet, performed with Skirmantas Sasnauskas, A.Gurinavichius, and Arunas Šlaustas; the musician has participated at various jazz festivals in Lithuania and abroad. Recently, Vytautas Mikeliūnas began to perform with his own ensembles.

Vladislav Borkovski plays bass in the Quintet. He is a constant member of Dainius Pulauskas Sextet. The musician began to play jazz in 1985, at Vladimir Chekasin's Students' Ensemble. Since then he has performed with various Lithuanian jazzists, such as Skirmanas Sasnauskas, Danielius Praspaliauskis, Juozas Milashius, Dalius Naujokaitis, Petras Vyshniauskas, Liudas Mockūnas, etc. He participates at various Lithuanian jazz festivals, and has also performed during jazz festivals in Europe and Asia.

Darius Rudis, the drummer of the group also performs with Jan Maksimovich Quintet.

Danielius Praspaliauskis and Arunas Šlaustas Quintet has prepared for the Festival a composition - suite that comprises various improvised themes and combines the past and the present.

© Jūratė Kučinskaitė