Harry Sokal (musician)

Harald (Harry) Sokal (born 18 March 1954 in Vienna) is an Austrian jazz saxophonist.[1]

Harry Sokal
Sokal at the Moers Festival 2015.
Background information
Birth nameHarald Sokal
Born (1954-03-18) 18 March 1954
Vienna
OriginAustria
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
InstrumentsSaxophone, clarinet, flute
Years active1974–present
LabelsLotus Records
Associated actsVienna Art Orchestra
Websitewww.harrysokal.com

Biography

Sokal attended piano and clarinet lessons from the age of six and studied clarinet and musical theory at the Vienna Conservatory.

Between 1977 and 1985, he performed with his own band "Timeless", and joined the Vienna Art Orchestra in 1977, in which he played, except for a four-year break, until he left in 2010. His most recent band project is the group Depart, an energetic saxophone trio with Jojo Mayer on drums and Heiri Känzig on bass, which was founded in 1985 and revives the alpine music tradition with the most varied forms of contemporary jazz.

He has collaborated with a variety of European and American jazz musicians including Art Blakey, Wolfert Brederode, Dave Holland, Terje Rypdal, Daniel Humair, Michel Portal, Mike Richmond, Mino Cinelu, Friedrich Gulda, Idris Muhammad, Joe Zawinul, Harry Pepl, Gene Jackson, and Andy McKee. He was a member of the Art Farmer Quintet from 1979 to 1999.[2]

Sokal has also contributed to many Austrian pop productions, including the Hallucination Company, Wolfgang Ambros, Falco s album Single album.[3]

He also teaches saxophone and improvisation at the Anton Bruckner Private University in Linz.

Honors
  • 2005: Awarded the Hans Koller Prize as Musician of the Year[4]

Discography (selection)

Solo albums
  • 1996: Rave the Jazz (Pao Records, SBF Records)
  • 1997: Full Circle (Koch Records)
  • 2001: Roots Ahead (Pao Records)
  • 2014: Depart Refire (ntakt Records)[2]
  • 2017: I remember Art (Alessa Records)
Harry Sokal Groove
  • 2013: 'Where Sparks Start to Fly (Cracked Anegg, Lotus Records)

With the Vienna Art Orchestra

Collaborations
With Wolfert Brederode
  • 1999: Trinity (A records)
  • 2010: Stories (Tcb Records)
With Depart
  • 1988: Depart, Moers Music
  • 1992: Letters From Nowhere, Plainisphare
  • 2006: Reloaded (ACT Music)
  • 2008: Mountain Messenger Act (ACT Music)
  • 2014: Refire (Intact Records)
With Art Farmer
  • 1981: Foolish Memories (L&R Records)
  • 1999: Quintet Live at Jazzland (Koch Jazz)
With Wolfgang Puschnig
  • 2002: Red-White-Red & Spangled (Universal Music)
  • 2005: Voices Of Time (Universal Music)[1]
  • 2006: Things Change (Universal Music)
With Timeless
  • 1981: Dreams (Bellaphon)

References
  1. "Harry Sokal". Discography. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  2. Fordham, John (2014-09-04). "Harry Sokal: Depart Refire CD review – the kind of dynamic jazz that creates converts". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  3. Köck, Samir H. (2015-01-13). ""Nach der Hausmusik gleich Jazz"" (in German). DiePresse.com. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
  4. "Hans Koller Preis 2005 an Bojan Z". Jazzpages.com. 2005-09-10. Retrieved 2016-12-01.
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