Karolina Strassmayer

Growing up in a tiny village in the heart of the Austrian Alps - as the daughter of a forest ranger - 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, 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 Schuur, Sheila Jordan, Lewis Nash, Phil Woods, Frank Wess, Chico Hamilton, Candido Camero, Ray Anderson, Claudio Roditi, Clark Terry, Art Farmer, Howard Johnson, Herbie Mann, Buddy de Franco, Bobby Shew, Jeff Hamilton 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!

"When you have been playing as long as I have, you know that you're blessed, because every now and then a real talent comes your way - and that is what Karolina Strassmayer is." - Chico Hamilton

Karolina Straussmayer's website www.klaromusic.com

"When you have been playing as long as I have, you know that you're blessed, because every now and then a real talent comes your way - and that is what Karolina Strassmayer is." - Chico Hamilton

"...brilliantly inventive, almost explosive soloing..." - Ken Rattenbury, Crescendo Magazine