All For A Beautiful Life - Launch Concert

Press Release: 14 June 2005 for immediate release

New CD release by Anglo-Scandinavian jazz trio STEKPANNA Flat Five Records GBHCD010

All For A Beautiful Life - release date 18 July featuring Steve Waterman (trumpet) and Ed Jones (Sax)

=== launch concert ============ Stekpanna & Steve Waterman live in The Purcell Room, London, Friday 1 July, 7.30pm, with special guests from Russia: Leonid Vintskevich (piano) and Nikolai Vintskevich (sax) Tickets £12 & £10 from http://www.sbc.org.uk/main/series/275.html or from the box office on 0870 401 8181 ===============================

It's not 'smooth', though neither is it hard to listen to. This third album on Flat Five Records from the laid-back funky jazz outfit Stekpanna is their finest yet. Some of the music evokes the expansive Scandinavian landscapes of Swedish drummer Petter SvŠrd and Danish guitarist Mads Kj¿lby. Yorkshireman Steve Kershaw on double bass gives a rock solid foundation to everything. Throughout, there's an undertone of gentle humour and a relaxed groove. Their first two CDs "Standin' Tall" and "Ouch" were both critically well received, and reached the top 10 of the Jazz FM charts.

As well as snow, ice and lakes, the music takes inspirations from Brazilian samba, Cuban mambo, the Ali-Foreman "Rumble in the Jungle", Greek myth, the band members' dogs, Cuban Rum (a staple during their appearance at the Havana Jazz Festival) and the chest of a Russian barmaid (her T-shirt slogan, that is).

'All For A Beautiful Life' contains nine Stekpanna originals and features guest appearances from Waterman and Ed Jones (whose sax-work on the live cut of Hunnie! was delivered despite battling through the pain of a dislocated shoulder incurred whilst falling off a stage just before the Stekpanna tour took to the road!). The opening track is a wonderful tune which combines Led Zeppelin's "A whole Lotta Love" and John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" into "A Whole Lotta Love Supreme". It's not quite a 'mash up' (and predates that current craze); it's more a mellow tribute to these two great early influences on the musicians involved. The trio is joined by two of the finest musicians working in the UK at the moment, Steve Waterman and Ed Jones. Their individual contributions are superb; they come together to great effect with a tumbling joint improvisation at the end of "Matusalem".

The sleeve artwork for All For A Beautiful Life comes from a gorgeous collection of images by Hackney-based photographer Heather McDonough. We're hoping to exhibit these later this year. For a preview, see www.flatfiverecords.com/allforabeautifullife

The title of the CD comes from Stekpanna's good friend the Russian piano maestro Leonid Vintskevich. Leonid often trots out this delightful turn of phrase once everything is ready for a gig: concert hall ready; soundcheck is complete; equipment working properly; the repertoire sounding good; food in the stomachs and vodka in the hand "...now we have all for a beautiful life..." It sounds best spoken in a heavy Russian accent, but the whole concept of 'All For A Beautiful Life' (which can of course be interpreted many ways in English) was one too good to let go. We wish it for everyone.

The album will be launched at a one off concert in the Purcell Room on London's South Bank on Friday 1 July at 7.30pm. Stekpanna will be joined on stage by Steve Waterman, and Russian pianist Leonid Vintskevich. This is a rare visit to the UK by this truly world class musician. Stekpanna and Leonid have performed together in festivals in Russia several times; this is their first London appearance together.

ENDS - Leonid Biog below

Press Enquiries: Andy Williamson 07980 680052 or 020 7771 8416 or aw@flatfiverecords.com

Notes to Editors

Leonid Vintskevich and Stekpanna will be available for interview in the UK on 29 & 30 June. Flat Five Records is a small independent UK-based label specialising in jazz and contemporary music from around the world. This is one of three albums being released by us on 11 July 2005. The other two are "In Between" by Argentinean guitarist Luis D'Agostino, and "Notes From Underground" by Stekpanna and Vintskevich. All distributed in the UK and Europe by Cadiz - www.cadizmusic.co.uk.

Flat Five is also involve in live music promotion. We will be promoting concerts at this year's Edinburgh fringe by the Big Buzzard band, Jonathan Cairney, Amy Kohn (New York), Dynamo's Rhythm Aces and The Rosinators. Stekpanna was formed in 1996 when all three members were students at the prestigious Musicians' Institute in Los Angeles, USA. Stekpanna is a Swedish word which means 'frying pan'.

Pictures available shortly for download at www.flatfiverecords.com/artists/stekpanna

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Leonid Vintskevich

Leonid was born in 1949 and lives in Kursk, Russia. He graduated as a concert pianist from the Kasan Academy of Music, where his main interests lay in Mussorgsky, Skriabin, Prokofiev and Messaien. However, radio play of jazz performances made a strong and serious impression on him. He first turned to the classical style of jazz, and then later became interested in studying newer, more contemporary styles.

After leaving the conservatory, he taught in the Kursk musical school, formed a professional jazz ensemble and performed with them at festivals in the Soviet Union. In the USSR he was named solo Solo Pianist of the year several times - no mean feat, considering the staggering quality of Russian pianists!

In 1979 he burst into the world of jazz. Vintskevich's complex style is rooted in the folklore of his central Russian home and the originality of his music eludes classification. His duo with Estonian saxophonist Lembit Saarsalu was the first from ex-USSR to play in the Lionel Hampton/Chevron Jazz Festival in the USA, producing its magical music based not only upon jazz music language but also upon both Russian and Estonian folk traditions.

Nowadays Leonid's name is well known to jazz audiences in many countries, although not currently in the UK. Yet he has performed with such jazz masters as Elvin Jones, Lionel Hampton, Kevin Mahogany and Valery Ponomarev. The pianist's brilliant technique and creativity, his remarkable explosive style, daring, impudent outlook and emotionality have been highly praised by public and critics alike.

Leonid met the Stekpanna trio at a festival in Finland in 2000. The mutual admiration between the musicians has led to some great concerts in in Russia, Finland, Estonia and the UK. The fruits of the previous British collaboration are available on 'Notes from Underground' (Flat Five Records, GBHCD008). The Purcell Room concert also unites Leonid with Stekpanna's comrade Steve Waterman, who contributes some magnificent trumpet and flugelhorn work to 'All For A Beautiful Life'.

For more information about any of the above, please .