Embassy News

Ari Roland Jazz Quartet To Perform in Ashgabat, Turkmenbashy City, Dashoguz

April 17, 2007
PAS No 180

The Ari Roland Quartet

Ashgabat, April 17, 2007 – The Ari Roland Quartet, a group of four New York-based jazz musicians, will begin a trio of public performances in Turkmenistan tomorrow night, with the support of the U.S. Embassy and Turkmenistan's Ministry of Culture and TV and Radio Broadcasting.  Charge d'Affaires Jennifer Brush will make opening comments at their first performance, at Ashgabat's Magtymguly National Music and Drama Theater April 18, at 19:00. 

The group will hold performances on April 19 at the Ruhiyet Palace of the Turkmenistan Oil and Gas Complex in Turkmenbashy city and on April 21 at N. Andalyp Music Drama Theater of Dashoguz Welayat in Dashoguz city.  All performances begin at 19:00 and are free and open to the public.  In addition to these public performances, the group will be holding seminars on the business of music for students and musicians in each of these cities.

The quartet is visiting Turkmenistan in honor of Jazz Appreciation month.  The quartet members have been performing together for two decades:  Ari Roland, bass; Chris Byars, saxophone; Sacha Perry, piano; and Stefan Schutz, drums.  In addition to a nine-year run at the New York City jazz club Smalls, they have toured internationally and have recorded extensively for Smalls Records.  The Ari Roland Quartet continues to perform frequently in New York City and will release a new CD this spring. 

For more information on the Ari Roland Quartet, please visit their website: www.smallsrecords.com/art-roland.htm

Please contact the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy at (993 12) 361365 and (993 12) 363331 for more information.