Fuasi & Ensemble
A Jazz quartet which has been performing in and around Germany, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal and France since it's founding in 1995. The group is composed of musicians from American(USA) and European origins.
Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq plays saxophone, clarinet, flute and percussion. He comes from Los Angeles, California where he studied composition, arranging and performance in the U.G.M.A.A. Foundation (Union of God's Musicians and Artist Ascension) with "Horace Tapscott and the Pan-African Peoples Arkestra".
Rolf Zielke was born in 1964 in Hameln, Germany. Rolf Zielke worked with Charlie Mariano, Thomas Quasthoff, Mike Stern, Hendrik Meurkens, David Friedman. Tours: USA (New York, Florida, Washington DC), Africa (Algeria, Cameroon), Asia (China, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Iraq) and in 15 European countries (concerts in London, Madrid, Zurich, Rome, Warsaw, St. Petersburg, Istanbul). Rolf Zielke teaches at the “Jazz Institute Berlin”. CDs:Duo“ (Rolfin’Records) Rolf Zielke / Mustafa Boztüy, „Hasretim“ (ECM) „Dresdner Sinfoniker“ "Handel Jazz" (Neuklang) feat. Stephan Abel (Roger Cicero) and Rhani Krija (Sting), “Rolf Zielke’s Hot Impressions” feat. Charlie Mariano, “Exosphere" (Circle Records) feat. Mike Stern
Kenny Martin from New York, New York who studied at the Berkley School of Music in Boston and with such greats as Tony Williams, Jack DeJonette, Billy Cobham , and Narada Michael Walden . Kenny Martin is well known as being the original drummer for 13 years with the world renowned group "Defunkt". He has also toured and recorded with "Liquid Hips", Bill Bickford's "Bigfood", Bob Singleton's "Golden Gospel Singers", "Sharifa and WordSong" and with Ramesh Weeratunga's "Electric Rama".
Maximilian Hughes Born into a musical family and being encouraged to learn music at a young age, Max started singing in a choir at 6 and began playing the clarinet at the age of 8. At 15 he eventually settled on the Electric Bass as his main instrument. Since then he has been playing an assortment of styles and incorporates these elements into his approach of playing. “From Africa to India, from Hip-Hop to Jazz, I love to hear and play it all” Max has an Associates of Arts in Humanities from the University of Maryland and he studied Classical and Modern Composition at the University of California San Diego, UCSD. He graduated "Cum Laude" with a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the Berklee College of Music. Max has guested on many projects and recordings by other performers and groups, including: Chaka Khan, John-Paul Bourelly, Wolfgang Dauner, Roland Gebhardt, Fuasi-Abdul Khaliq, Jocelyn B.Smith, and Ack van Rooyen. He currently resides in Berlin and teaches at the Jazz Institute Berlin (JIB) and is Author of the music education book: Find Your Individual Way, “Creative Solo Bass“ Published by the AMA Verlag GmbH, Brühl
Together they have created a unique sound which is identifiable from the first notes they play. Their music comes from the influences of "Blues", "Hard Bop", "Eastern", "African" and "Funk" which creates a music full of spirit, depth and energy. The CDs "Fuasi & Ensemble ", "Fuasimodo Rings A Bell“ , "Fuasi & Ensemble Live at Café Central in Madrid Spain" and “The Afro-Cubano Latin Jazz Connection” , all from their "live" performances, are proof that this group is worth listening to "Live and in Living Color „. The latest CD, “The Abakuá” is the first CD production in the last 5 CD productions that Fuasi had recorded in a proper studio setting.