Jerry Bergonzi – tenor saxophone
George Garzone – tenor saxophone
Luis Perdomo – piano
Ben Perowsky – drums
Peter Slavov – bass
Two of modern jazz’s most distinctive tenor voices converge for what promises to be a historic collaboration at this year’s Bansko Jazz Festival. Jerry Bergonzi – the harmonic alchemist whose meaty tone and chromatic brilliance have defined Boston’s jazz landscape for decades – will join forces with George Garzone, the avant-garde pioneer whose revolutionary Triadic Chromatic Approach has reshaped contemporary improvisation.
Bergonzi’s journey from Brubeck sideman to revered bandleader represents one of jazz’s most compelling artistic evolutions. His seventy-plus recordings as leader reveal an ever-curious musical mind, from the hard-swinging post-bop of 1988’s breakthrough Gonz to the spiritual explorations of 2019’s The Seven Rays. What makes Bergonzi’s artistry particularly remarkable is his ability to synthesize Coltrane’s harmonic daring with Rollins’ rhythmic swagger into an utterly personal vocabulary.
Garzone’s contributions are equally profound. As the driving force behind The Fringe – jazz’s longest-running experimental trio – he’s spent fifty years dissolving boundaries between tradition and innovation. His pedagogical concepts have become essential study for modern players, while collaborations with Lovano and DeJohnette showcase an improviser of breathtaking spontaneity.
For their Bansko performance, these saxophone masters will be joined by a world-class rhythm section: the virtuosic pianist Luis Perdomo, legendary drummer Ben Perowsky and Bulgarian bass luminary Peter Slavov. This ensemble promises fireworks – a meeting of musical minds where Bergonzi’s harmonic sophistication and Garzone’s textural daring will spark new creative possibilities.