Karolina Strassmayer & Drori Mondlak / KLARO!
“We believe in the strength of our music to communicate the essential—from the heart and soul. We always strive to deepen our connection with our audiences and the present moment. This brings a strong sense of purpose and great joy.”
— Karolina Strassmayer and Drori Mondlak
Performing Strassmayer’s original compositions, KLARO! fuses the romanticism of European classical and folk music with the rhythmic fire and drive of American jazz with the harmonic sophistication of contemporary improvised music.
“What a passionately swinging affair.”
— Bill Milkowski, Jazz Times
“One of the most elegant and powerful small-group ensembles of recent years.”
— Phil Hood, Drums!
Karolina Strassmayer & Drori Mondlak / KLARO!
KLARO! [‘klaroʊ] (adj., dial, Ger.; 1. clear, lucid, obvious 2. right, true, real) started in Karolina’s youth as a play on words with her nickname “Karo.” “Ever since I was a child, ‘Klaro-Karo’ was a word of encouragement used by family and friends. So it was only natural to name my band after it—simply KLARO!”
This compelling quartet is a close collaboration between Austrian alto saxophonist Karolina Strassmayer and her long-time musical partner, New York drummer Drori Mondlak. These two very distinct musical personalities have merged their musical visions into one.
Performing Strassmayer’s original compositions, KLARO! fuses the romanticism of European classical and folk music with the rhythmic fire and swing of American jazz and the harmonic sophistication of contemporary improvised music.
These outstandig musicians join Karolina and Drori to complete the quartet.
Rainer Böhm
Pianist Rainer Böhm was nominated for the Echo Jazz Prize in 2015 for Instrumentalist of the Year. Böhm’s inspired playing and lyricism are a great addition to KLARO! and can be heard on the new CD Of Mystery And Beauty.
David Friedman
David Friedman is one of the most influential vibraphonists, composers and jazz educators in the world. He has performed with Leonard Bernstein, Bobby McFerrin, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Horace Silver and Ron Carter. He was recently awarded the lifetime achievement award by the Percussive Arts Society. Friedman is a masterful vibraphonist and a musician with heart and soul.
Billy Test
The young American pianist Billy Test is not only celebrated as the newest member of the WDR Big Band, but also as an imaginative composer, soloist and accompanist. His impressive vita includes numerous awards and jazz greats such as Dave Liebman, the Village Vanguard Orchestra and many more.
Hans Vroomans
The Dutch pianist Hans Vroomans is not only a member of the Grammy-winning Metropole Orkest, but also a highly sought-after accompanist, most recently with Al Jarreau, Ivan Lins and John Scofield. He is also on the faculty of the Amsterdam Conservatory and gives workshops and master classes worldwide.
Josh Ginsburg
American bassist and bandleader has played with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Greg Osby, Mulgrew Miller and many others. His latest CD was named Album of the Year by New York City Jazz, and his playing has been described by the jazz press as "vigorously fresh" and "a rock of counterpoint, funk and swing."
Hans Glawischnig
Austrian-born Hans Glawischnig is one of the most sought-after bassists on the New York scene. Jazz greats like Chick Corea, Paquito D'Rivera or Billy Hart love his powerful playing and since autumn 2018 Glawischnig is a member of the HR Big Band.
Jos Machtel
Dutch bassist Jos Machtel was a member of the Brussels Jazz Orchestra until 2018, playing with guests such as Maria Schneider, Dave Liebman, Kenny Wheeler, Joe Lovano and the Brussels Philharmonic. He has performed throughout Europe and the United States and is a professor at the Luca School of Arts in Louvain, Belgium.
KLARO! has performed at
The Kennedy Center, Jazz@Lincoln Center, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Birdland, Salzburger Jazzherbst, Jazzfest Vienna, Grazer Jazzsommer, Sziget Festival Budapest, Düsseldorf Jazzrally, Bingen swingt, Hildener Jazztage, WDR Jazznight, Jazzahead, Europhonics Festival Domicil Dortmund, Cube 521 Luxembourg, Jazzforum Arts NYC, Outreach Festival Tirol, Kulturhaus Göggingen, Enschede Jazzfestival, Jazz Rally Luxembourg, Jazz GAP, Dürener Jazztage, Schloss Seefeld, Magdeburger Jazztage, Jazz Arts West Palm Beach, BurgJazz, Blues ‘n Jazz Rallye Luxembourg, Zig-Zag Club Berlin, Landestheater Linz, Dellbrücker Jazzmeile, Red Horn District, Jazz Maastricht, Kloster Heisterbach, Bayer Kulturhaus Leverkusen, Koblenzer Jazztage, Jazzclub Paderborn, Jazzfrühing Willich, Altes Kino Ebersberg, Lutherkirche Duisburg, Theater am Wall in Warendorf, Jazzinitiative Frankfurt, Kulturhaus Bad Hamm, Stadtkirche Darmstadt, Jazzinstitut Darmstadt, Weberhaus Viersen, Kunstmuseum Ahlen, Erlanger Musikinstitut, Bürgerhaus Backnang, Max Ernst Museum Brühl, Pantheon Casino Bonn, Jazz goes Föhr, Jazztöne Lörrach, Jazzclub Unterfahrt Munich, Jazzland Vienna, Graz Meeting, The Jazz Cruise, Jazz an der Ruhr, Rheine Jazzfestival, Schelde Jazz, Jazztime at Amphion Festival, Saarbrücker Jazzfestival, LOTOS Jazz Festival, Fürstenwalder Jazztage, Internationales Jazzfest Viersen, and many more.
in the moment
Here are some impressions of KLARO! in action.
