Internationaler Jazz-Workshop Chodziez
Susan and Martin Weinert
Susan Weinert has carved out her own niche in the cluttered world of guitarists. International recognition is at her doorstep." (Mike Mainieri)
The roots of Susan and her husband Martin Weinert's music lie in traditional jazz, with influences such as Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery and Sonny Rollins. However, the Weinerts did not get stuck imitating old jazz pieces. The influence of David Lieberman and Richie Beirach (who taught Susan the crafts in the eighties) can be heard, as well as those of John Abercrombie (with his sound cascades), virtuoso Allan Horldworth and Scott Henderson (with his merciless power). The work of these musicians make up what Susan considers her most important influences.
In 1990, Susan began composing her own songs, developing a distinctive originality, in many ways similar to what she achieved as an instrumentalist. Susan prefers the polished and sometimes abstract harmonies that have always inspired her to new high altitude flights on the fingerboard. Putting her formidable technique to use, she is able to give her playing a quality of cheerful lightness.
Susan Weinert: " I don't consider practicing with my instrument as a bad thing. I always put the realization of my compositional ideas in the foreground. I never liked it if I did not have the right vocabulary over a harmony to phrase a conclusive musical expression in the form of a melody line. It always drove me to practice longer, to be more persistent, and to explore new possibilities of technical transfer (in other words, to learn the craft)."
Over the foundation of Martin's base lines (sometimes powerfully swinging, sometimes elegant), Susan constructs her melody lines in an almost minimalistic style. With several thousand hours of playing together behind them, the two speak their own language. Susan Weinert: "Martin is very important to my musical development. He understands my ideas. He feels what I want and what is beneficial for each individual composition. His playing inspires me and drive me on. Over all these years, I've never felt of boredom or constricted by habit. On the contrary, our cooperation gets more and more prolific."
Susan and Martin Weinert now continue this development on their new duo CD "synergy", with Susan on classical guitar and Martin on double bass. On "synergy" Martin is featured as an equal soloist. He uses this freedom skillfully for virtuoso bass excursions. Susan Weinert: "On the four previous CDs, Martin pretty much ended up in the role of the musical companion, the guitar and the drums are in the foreground. For "synergy" I wanted to have more solos by him. I also composed a piece where the base carries the melody."
Formed in 1985 and starting in Germany, the Susan Weinert Band soon moved on to Scandinavia, France, Belgium, Holland, Poland ... and the list keeps growing, with a brief foray into the United States. And as they continued to perform in clubs and theatres, close to two hundred times a year, the trio consisting of Susan Weinert (guit), Martin Weinert (bass) and Hardy Fischötter (dr) grew to a single entity, with a single musical brain.
The style and technique of the three individuals is now characterized by the complete understanding each has for the other two, and by the common musical language they have developed. Susan's compositions are characterized by creative versatility, freshness, a sense of humour, and a style drawing on jazz, rock, and funk. The first CD release from the Susan Weinert Band was Mysterious Stories, recorded after several years of constant touring, something which enabled the band to dispense with overdubs and complitated studio fixes. It was followed by Crunch Time, with "energy-laden power fusion that has reached the international level as they set a new standard for the otherwise moribund genre of fusion" [Frankfurter Zeitung].
In the mid-nineties, Susan toured not only with her trio but also with other groups, including the band of Chick Corea's bass player Jimmy Earl and Steps Ahead. In addition, Susan and Martin Weinert are sought-after teachers for clinics and work shops. The band's third release, The Bottom Line, includes a very special addition to the trio. Pianist/keyboardist Rachel Z (Weather Report, Gato Barbieri, Steps Ahead) added a new dimension to the group, contributing much more than a "special guest" appearance in fact she co-produced the CD with her friend Susan. AUDIO, Europe's leading magazine for Hifi and Music, praised the clever arrangements on The Bottom Line. Jazz thing wrote, that the band gets better and better with every album. There is far more emphasis on both melody and atmosphere, and both cause and effect for this is the fact that for the first time Susan plays acoustic guitar. Also a first is the appearance of acoustic bass in the hands of the dedicated electric bassist, Martin Weinert.
Both fans and critics were impressed listening to the following Band Album "Point Of View". Susan has invited three exciting young musicians to the recordings: Jean-Yves Jung on piano, the highly acclaimed vocalist Michael Schiefel from Berlin and Pierre Bertrand on tenor sax. Along with drummer Hardy Fischötter aka Terminator H and Martin Weinert, again displaying his virtuosity on the double bass, they bring to life Susan's new arrangement and her new sound. While her music is designed to give everyone an opportunity for improvisation, all the band members are adamant about not using this as a platform for mere exhibitionism. And one thing comes through clearly from the brilliant solos, the sensitive melodies, the complex rhythmic jokes, and the solid grooves: this band takes great pleasure in playing, and never make it feel like hard work. No doubt, Point of View gives evidence once again: as a composer, as a performer and as an arranger, Susan Weinert is world class.
Daning on the Water:
Susan Weinert Acoustic Guitar Martin Weinert Acoustic Bass Francesco Cottone Vocals
Several times already were Susan and Martin Weinert as the Assistant Professors at the Jazzworkshop in Chodziez.. Their untiring efforts, their skill and their empathy in all styles of jazz fill everybody with real enthusiasm.
The Susan Weinert Webside: