36th Vilnius Jazz Festival. 12-16 October, 2022

Sons of Gislason

Lithuania-Iceland

Freysteinn Gíslason – db, leader
Manvydas Pratkelis - as
Ingi Bjarni Skúlason – p
Augustas Baronas – dr

The Quartet formed in 2012. Its members met at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague (the Netherlands) where they currently study.

Double bassist Icelander Freysteinn Gíslason is the leader and composer of the group. His original music is a mixture of rock, classical, be­bop and free jazz, also adding the individual sound of each member in the band.

Freysteinn Gíslason is currently studying jazz double bass at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. While studying and living in Reykjavik, Freysteinn was playing in a lot of different music projects varying from big pop artists to smaller jazz trios andat the same time writing his own original music.

Freysteinn’s compositions got their final form when he formed his own band Sons of Gíslason, with whom he actively performs all over Europe. According to the leader of the group, working with this team allows him to fully express his own personal sound and vision of music.

After winning the Grand Prix in Vilnius Jazz Young Power in 2010, saxophonist Manvydas Pratkelis has come a long way. He has developed into an expressive, universal and subtle performer, exploring technique and improvisation in a wide range of musical traditions and styles, starting from early jazz, to be-bop, free jazz, fusion, contemporary, hip-hop, funk, R&B styles. That gives him freedom of performing and producing complex improvisations in any of those styles.

Nevertheless, Manvydas is concentrated in refining his own unique sound. He has his own band named Big Little Emotions Trio with which he has toured in Europe in 2013.

The saxophonist took part in Vilnius Jazz, North Sea Jazz and Reykjavik Jazz festivals. In 2015, he performed in Taiwan. Currently, Manvydas is studying in the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague with renowned jazz saxophone and clarinet player and teacher John Ruocco.

Ingi Bjarni Skúlason is also studying at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. For one semester he was an exchange student in Sweden.

Recently the pianist released his first CD featuring original compositions, and introduced it on tours in Iceland, Reykjavik Jazz festival and Norway.

Drummer Augustas Baronas started playing jazz in Magic Time Orchestra (led by Eugenijus Vedeckas) while still studying at the music school in Lithuania. With the big band he performed in Lithuania, Estonia, Germany and Sweden.

In 2010, the drummer formed his own band Tofu Bubble. The band was nominated for the best debut in Pravda Naujokai 2010 awards and won 2nd prize in Garažas music competition for upcoming artists. Recently, he has garnered 3rd prize in the 9th International Jazz Competition for Rising Performers in Rostov-on-Don (Russia).

He is also collaborating with Lithuanian jazz saxophonist Leonardas Pilkauskas’ project Re: Muzika, kuri gimė vakar, and in several bands with course mates from Greece, the Netherlands, Denmark, South Korea and Lithuania.

Currently, Augustas is studying jazz drums at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.  

Thanks to:

 

 

 

 

Vilnius Jazz'2015

Dominique Pifarély Quartet

France

Roberto Ottaviano - Alexander Hawkins

Italy-UK

Reis - Demuth - Wiltgen

Luxembourg

Reijseger-Fraanje-Sylla

Netherlands-Senegal

Bill Frisell - Music For Strings

USA

Martin Küchen - Mark Tokar - Arkady Gotesman

Sweden-Ukraine-Lithuania

Hikashu feat. Itaru Oki

Japan

Angles 8

Sweden

Tree Stones Quartet

Lithuania-Estonia-Latvia

Martin Küchen "The lie & the orphanage"

Sweden

Dominique Pifarély "Time Before And Time After"

France

 
Vilnius Jazz Young Power 2015

Gone4Square

Lithuania

Brave Noises

Lithuania

Sin

Lithuania

 
Vilnius Jazz Young Power 2015 Guests

Sons of Gislason

Lithuania-Iceland