Harry Sokal

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Harry Sokal at the Moers Festival 2015

Harald (Harry) Sokal (born March 18, 1954 in Vienna ) is an Austrian jazz saxophonist.

Live and act

Sokal took piano and clarinet lessons from the age of six and studied clarinet and music theory at the Vienna Conservatory.

Between 1977 and 1985 he performed with his own formation "Timeless" and in 1977 he joined the Vienna Art Orchestra , of which he was a member - with a four-year break - until it was dissolved in 2010. One of his most successful band projects is the Depart group, which was originally founded in 1985 and revived in 2006 , an energetic saxophone trio with the Slovak drummer Martin Valihora - who replaced Jojo Mayer on drums in 2013 - and Heiri Känzig on bass, which reflects the alpine musical tradition with the most varied of forms of contemporary jazz .

In addition to his collaboration with a large number of great European and American jazz musicians such as Art Blakey , Wolfert Brederode , Dave Holland , Wynton Marsalis , Terje Rypdal , Daniel Humair , Michel Portal , Mike Richmond , Mino Cinelu , Friedrich Gulda , Idris Muhammad , Joe Zawinul , Harry Pepl , Gene Jackson , Andy McKee and his membership in the legendary Art Farmer Quintet from 1979 to 1999, he initiated and directed a large number of projects with national and international musicians. His latest project "I remember Art" pays homage to art farmers.

Sokal has also worked on numerous Austrian pop productions, for example for the Hallucination Company founded by Ludwig Adam , Wolfgang Ambros or Falco's album Einzelhaft ,

In addition, he taught saxophone and improvisation at the Bruckner University in Linz until 2019 .

In 2005 he was awarded the Hans Koller Prize as Musician of the Year .

Discography (selection)

Own projects

  • 1996: Rave the Jazz , Pao (SBF Records)
  • 1997: Full Circle , Koch Records
  • 2001: Roots Ahead , Pao
  • 2017: I Remember Art , Alessa Records

Harry Sokal Groove

  • 2013: Where Sparks Start to Fly , Cracked Anegg (Lotus Records)

With Wolfert Brederode

  • 1999: Trinity , A records
  • 2010: Stories , Tcb Records

With Depart

  • 1988: Depart , Moers Music
  • 1992: Letters from Nowhere , Plainisphare
  • 2006: Reloaded , Act
  • 2008: Mountain Messenger Act , Act
  • 2014: Refire , intact

With Art Farmer

  • 1981: Foolish Memories , L&R Records
  • 1999: Quintett Live at Jazzland , Koch Jazz

With Wolfgang Puschnig

  • 2002: Red-White-Red & Spangled , Universal Music
  • 2005: Voices of Time , Universal Music
  • 2006: Things Change , Universal Music

With Timeless

  • 1981: Dreams , Bellaphon

Web links

Commons : Harry Sokal  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Samir H. Köck: “After house music equals jazz” , interview with Harry Sokal, Die Presse , January 13, 2015
personal data
SURNAME Sokal, Harry
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Sokal, Harald (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Austrian jazz saxophonist
DATE OF BIRTH March 18, 1954
PLACE OF BIRTH Vienna