Carlo Muscat
New book available on Amazon
TONE, TIME, TACTIC
CREATIVE PRACTICE FOR SAXOPHONISTS
AND OTHER WIND INSTRUMENTALISTS
MALTA JAZZ SAXOPHONE MUSICBAND LIVE BEST JODYJAZZ JODY COMPOSER ARTIST QUARTET SINGER VOCALIST WEDDING BAND
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Biography
Recognised as one of the most promising voices on the European jazz scene, Carlo Muscat's reputation as a saxophonist, composer, and bandleader has flourished through collaborations with numerous outstanding European musicians. His sixth album, Hymns, received critical acclaim, with a four-star rating from Downbeat Magazine and a spot on their list of Best Albums of 2023. This acknowledgement signaled his development as an artist and his emerging role in contemporary jazz. The eminent pianist Leo Genovese remarks, "Carlo's sound and compositions are outstanding, and the interplay between him and the ensemble shows a very deep communication with the tradition of improvising music."
An inventive improviser overtly embracing freedom of interpretation and a willingness to explore new musical territories, Muscat's discography now includes seven albums as a leader and numerous contributions as a sideman. From his 2014 debut release, The Sound Catalogues, each album has probed a different aspect of his sound and experimented with compositional and stylistic approaches, reflecting his dedication to an ongoing pursuit of his musical vision. World-class pianist Aaron Goldberg says "Carlo's fine taste is on display throughout−lyrical music with a bounce, refreshing in its conceptual simplicity."
His seventh album, The Body Is Only Light, is set to be released in October 2024 on the American label Ears & Eyes Records. Recorded in Kyiv on Sunday 24th March 2024, it features a powerful Ukrainian rhythm section with bassist Kostiantyn Ionenko and drummer Dmytro Lytvynenko playing Muscat's compositions. Experiencing the first days of the Russian invasion in the capital city, and everything else that followed over the subsequent two years, presented an opportunity to capture and portray an essence of freedom, strength, grief, determination, outrage, love, hope, and more.
Photos by Vlad Kornev
In retrospect, Muscat's first appearance as a leader at the Malta Jazz Festival in 2012−his first on a major international stage−opened the doors to a series of collaborations. In 2013, Muscat had moved to Paris, a relocation that provided him with the opportunity to immerse himself in an environment filled with artistic influences. This change allowed him to grow rapidly and led to the release of his debut album, a collection of compositions that marked his entry into the international jazz scene. In 2016, he was back in Paris with a group of his Maltese peers to record his second album, Explorations. The project is his most experimental release to date, with an 'electric' element that was unprecedented in his playing and composition style. In 2018, he began collaborating with the Ukrainian concert pianist Olena Poguliaieva, developing a repertoire focused on the works of the most outstanding 20th-century Ukrainian composers. A series of works for piano were selected and adapted for the duo, culminating in the 2019 album Oda, recorded in Kyiv. The initial mindset shift from what he was accustomed to, shed light on the vast sonic opportunities that could be explored. The process unfolded over the following years, significantly shaping his sound and overall approach to music. The duo continues to work on a repertoire that mostly comprises adaptations of Ukrainian and French romantic miniatures, as well as interpretations of folk songs.
In September of 2020, amidst the turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic, Muscat returned to Kyiv to record Wool, his fourth album as a leader and the first with a Kyiv-based quartet. Featuring pianist Yuriy Seredin, bassist Kostiantyn Ionenko, and drummer Oleg Markov, the group recorded a series of Muscat's compositions. Given the restrictions due to the pandemic and the subsequent Russian invasion in 2022, the quartet was finally able to present the album at the 2023 Malta Jazz Festival, sharing the stage with some of the most renowned names in contemporary jazz.
Muscat continues to work on new compositions and projects, expanding his connections even wider across Europe and the rest of the world. In April of 2024, Muscat published Tone, Time, Tactic, a book focusing on creative practice for saxophonists and other wind instrumentalists.