Aleš Rendla Sextet
The dynamic music of this innovative group defies all categorization. Although there are traces of musical elements from many divergent styles, they are only expressive tools used in a vast field of emotions and colors. Beyond an exterior flirtation with rock and jazz the message of this music can be found, its essence caught up in a panorama of tones, harmonies, tunes and rhythms. All of the compositions have a relatively free form which allows the musicians to mold the written material into the most unpredictable combinations. Even casual listeners can easily find pleasure in the music of the Ales Rendla Sextet as it takes them to a higher place, because it is based on team work, and each members' starting point and worldview are completely diverse. Therefore the improvisational and collective result of their work is a synthesis of various controversial ideas joined together, forming a new quality.
The group was formed while working on Ales Rendla's first solo album "ARTales"-stories (the product of ten years of eclectic musical activities) and sought to continue the tradition of Ales' former Slovenian groups Begnadrad and Quatebriga. Some songs are direct reminiscences of these groups, while others are written under the influence of certain people or events that have accompanied him on his musical career. Despite the fact that almost all the songs are his original compositions, they represent only a framework for the group's collective work. One of the main purposes of Ales' music is to overcome musical stereotypes and to liberate the music to a more positive, creative spirit.
In his Sextet Ales gathered together some of the finest Slovenian musicians from a middle and younger generation and their open-minded spirit is the driving force that makes this music come alive. Their private stories and feelings become an inseparable part of our common message.
ALEŠ RENDLA, drums. After graduating from High School in Ljubljana his musical education continued at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Graz and at The Berklee College of Music in Boston. Since 1992 he's a member of the Big Band of RTV Slovenia.
JOŠT DRAŠLER, bass. He was studying at the Conservatory in Klagenfurt, Austria and at The Faculty of Arts, Department of Musicology in Ljubljana. He played with many artists like Herb Robertson, Sabar Mateen, Giovanni Maier, Evan Parker etc.
JANI MODER, guitar. He graduated from the jazz and classical guitar department at the Conservatory in Klagenfurt, Austria. He continued studies at The Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA with Mike Goodrick, Joe Lovano and Hal Crook.
VID JAMNIK, vibraphone. He studied at the Conservatory in Klagenfurt, Austria and at the Jazz Institut Berlin, Germany with Professor David Friedman. He has collaborated with Jimmy Cobb, Bosko Petrovic, Georgie Fame, Simone Zanchini, Gianni Basso, Howard Curtis.
PRIMOŽ FLEISCHMAN, saxophones, flute.
He graduated at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana and studied at The Berklee College of Music in Boston. He performs with Big Band RTV Slovenia, Slovenian Philharmonic, The Symphony Orchestra of RTV Slovenia.
BLAŽ TRČEK, saxophones, bass clarinet.
Since finishing his studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Graz, Austria he works in the Big Band RTV Slovenia as a baritone saxophone player.