Artist description Karolina would frighten timid men with her wildly swinging solos. She plays the alto with a fierce attack. Sigmund Freud would have loved her. ¨ Lawrence Brazier, Jazz Now

Music Style Original Jazz Compositions

Artist History Growing up in a tiny village in the heart of the Austrian Alps doesn’t exactly set the stage for a career in jazz. But upon listening to alto saxophone giant Cannonball Adderley, Karolina was captivated by the intensity and energy of the music and set out to learn all she could about jazz. After obtaining her Masters Degree in Jazz Performance from the Musikhochschule Graz, Austria, Karolina was chosen “Outstanding Musician of the Year” and received a full scholarship to study at the Mannes/New School Jazz Program in New York City. Upon graduation Karolina was immediately recruited to work with the DIVA big band as their lead alto saxophonist and featured soloist. Five Play, a quintet comprised of Diva members, recorded “On the Brink”, which was chosen “Best album of the year” by Jazz Times (Nat Hentoff). She has been featured with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and Bobby Sanabria’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Dream Big Band. “Live & in Clave” (recorded at Birdland) was nominated for a Grammy Award and voted “One of the Top Five Albums of the Year” by the Annual Critics Poll 2000 of Jazz Times as well as “Best Afro-Cuban Jazz Album of the Year” by the Jazz Journalists Association. Other big band work includes the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Michael Mossman’s NYC Latin Jazz Orchestra, Lew Anderson’s All-American Big Band and the Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestra. Karolina has also performed and recorded with Mark Murphy, Nancy Wilson, Diane Shuur, Sheila Jordan, Lewis Nash, Phil Woods, Claudio Roditi, Frank Wess, Chico Hamilton, Candido Camero, Ray Anderson, Art Farmer, Buddy de Franco, Bobby Shew and many others. Having gained invaluable experience in many diverse musical situations and working alongside great musicians has given Karolina the opportunity to develop her personal and unique voice as an improviser and composer, which can be heard with her new and exciting group KLARO!

Instruments alto and soprano saxophones, flute

Press Reviews "Karolina swept away the audience. Full of passion and energy, she played herself into the hearts of her fans." (Dan Morgenstern, Jazz Times) "...brilliantly inventive, almost explosive soloing from Karolina Strassmayer..." (Ken Rattenbury, Crescendo) "...immensly inspired solos with perfect phrasing and great virtuosity..." (Jazz Podium, Germany) "...powerful waves of rapid passage work that would have set the male jazz greats of the 1950s and 1960s back on their heels..." (Washington Times)

Additional Info booking: Stanley Kay Productions, 128 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019, (212) 245-5092, klarokaro@msn.com

Location New York, NY - USA

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