sound:

The TransAtlantic Collective is a new contemporary jazz ensemble, whose members and collaborators are some of the top emerging artists from New York City and London. A gathering of ambitious young musicians, the Collective was formed in order to foster cross-continental collaboration in musical performance, composition, and education.

The Collective, typically represented by a quintet featuring saxophone, trumpet, piano, bass, and drums, was started in late 2005 by Patrick Cornelius (a multi-award-winning New York saxophonist and composer), and London-based American Michael Janisch (a prominent new global voice on the acoustic and electric bass). Both alumni of Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music, Patrick and Michael founded the Collective as a way to bring musicians from London and New York together and spark musical kinship between both sides of the Atlantic. After establishing the project's purpose, the two musicians invited the up-and-coming percussionist and composer Paul Wiltgen (a native of Luxembourg who lives and works both in New York and Europe) to join them as the Collective's permanent third member.

Patrick, Michael, and Paul have provided most of the band's original compositions, have participated in every concert from every tour, and have been responsible for the project's management. Each of the Collective's core members (as well as its many collaborators) is also a bandleader and in-demand freelancer in his own right, maintaining busy international touring schedules with a wide range of emerging and renowned musicians. The band has enjoyed successful tours in the USA, UK and Mainland Europe since their inception, and one of their main goals has been the collaboration with many musicians while on the road.

The TransAtlantic Collective's flagship ensemble is a quintet, and while the core trio of the band has always remained the same, the group has welcomed the collaborations of many other talented musicians to compose its flagship quintet. The 2007 edition of the Collective featured founding members Patrick Cornelius on saxophone, Paul Wiltgen on drums, and Michael Janisch on Bass alongside London trumpeter Quentin Collins and Franco-American pianist Dan Tepfer. Since 2005, the Collective has also featured the guest talents of guitarist Phil Robson (UK), pianist Jason Rebello (UK), pianist Andrew MacCormack (UK), trumpeter Avishai Cohen (Israel), percussionist Kendrick Scott (USA), pianist Kristjan Randalu (Estonia), pianist Gwilym Simcock (UK), trombonist Nick Vayenas (USA), tenor saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski (Scotland), and guitarist Romain Pilon (France).

The TransAtlantic Collective's music blends the contemporary sounds of modern progressive jazz and world music with the rich tradition of jazz history (Many examples are available online at the band's web site). While the ensemble's current focus is the development and introduction of new original material, it also gives a tip of the hat to the great jazz lexicon through the reinterpretation of classic standards, such as "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing," Sonny Rollin's "Airegin," and "It's All Right With Me."

The Collective's most recent activities include a successful major European tour in the fall of 2007. The band performed at over 20 prestigious venues and festivals across Luxembourg, France, England, and Scotland. Some notable performances included a concert at the London Jazz Festival, a sold out performance at Le Baiser Salé in Paris, and a showcase for the band's new label, SunLightSquare Records, at the Vortex Club in London. Staying true to one of its founding missions, The Collective also presented educational master classes, workshops, and private lessons at many of its tour events, and conducted an artist residency at London's famed Royal Academy of Music.

"Dynamic Contemporary Jazz"
The List

"Cutting-Edge, High Energy Jazz"
TimeOut, London

• website link for Transatlantic Collective: www.thetransatlanticcollective.com
• other artists and composers involved in sound 2008