Martin Uherek

Saxofonista Martin Uherek, narodený 22.9.1987, prišiel do styku s hudbou už v skorom detstve, cez kostolný zbor, ktorý viedol jeho otec. Čoskoro prejavil veľký záujem a talent pre hudbu, užívajúc si objavovanie hudobných možností na rôznych nástrojoch – klavír, gitara, flauta, bicie... Počas základnej školy získal Martin prvé formálne hudobné vzdelanie štúdiom hry na flaute, ktorú čoskoro vymenil za klarinet; pri tom ostal až do ukončenia gymnázia. Zmena v jeho živote počas ročného (2004/2005) výmenného pobytu na SMC High School v meste Menasha, Wisconsin, USA, kde sa po objavení skladby Confirmation od Charlieho Parkera Martin rozhodol vydať sa po ceste jazzu. Po gymnáziu začal študovať saxofón na Konzervatóriu J.L.Bellu pod vedením pedagóga Mgr. Art. Radoslava Solárika, kde momentálne študuje posledný, 6. ročník. Okrem štúdia na konzervatóriu 5 rokov študoval jazz pod vedením vynikajúceho jazzového klaviristu Klaudia Kováča.

V roku 2008 založil štvorčlenné zoskupenie Martin Uherek Quartet, so silnými koreňmi v jazzovej tradícii, ktoré funguje aj v súčasnosti a sústredí sa na interpretáciu jazzu 30.-50. rokov 20. storočia. V októbri 2008 sa s kapelou Martin Uherek Quaret zúčastnil 1^st Tarnow International Jazz Contest v Poľsku, kde toto zoskupenie vyhralo 2. cenu vo svojej kategórii a zároveň bol Martin ocenený aj cenou za sólistický výkon. V decembri 2008 sa toto isté zoskupenie stalo laureátom Slovenskej súťaže “Nové Tváre Slovenského Jazzu 2008”. V rokoch 2009-2010 bol Martin aj členom stabilnej kapely Ľuboš Brtáň Quartet, pričom občasne vystupoval aj v iných jazzových formáciách, vrátane špičkových slovenských aj zahraničných jazzových hudobníkov, napr. Klaudius Kováč, Róbert Ragan, Peter Solárik, Jozef "Iši" Döme, Juraj Bartoš, Jeff Gardner... Počas svojej kariéry absolvoval viaceré koncertné turné po Slovensku a má za sebou účasť aj na festivaloch v zahraničí (PL, HU).

Medzi jeho najväčšie vzory patrí Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins a väčšina hlavných osobností swingovej a bebopovej éry, akými boli Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Billie Holiday...

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Though not growing up in family of solely musical profession, Martin Uherek came in touch with music since the earliest age, through a church choir led by his father. He soon showed a lot of interest in music, having a good time figuring out and self-teaching different instruments, such as piano, guitar, flute, or drums. Several years after entering grade school, he started his formal studies on flute, and soon switched to clarinet, which he studied until he finished high school. A change in his musical life came in 2004/2005, his 3rd year of high school, when he participated in a 1-year exchange study program at SMC High School in Menasha, Wisconsin. Here, after hearing a recording of Charlie Parker called Confirmation, Martin fell in love with jazz music more than ever before and decided to pursue music career, with focus on jazz. He went on to study saxophone at Conservatory of J.L.Bella under leadership of Mgr. Art. Radoslav Solárik. He is now in his 6th year of studies. Besides the conservatory he also attended private music school, where he has studied jazz music for 5 years under leadership of great jazz pianist Klaudius Kováč.

In 2008 he founded his band Martin Uherek Quartet, with strong roots in jazz tradition, which still functions today and is focused on interpretation of jazz of the 30's to 50's. In October 2008 Martin competed with his band in the 1st Tarnow International Jazz Contest in Poland, where their band won 2nd prize in the younger category and in addition, Martin was awarded as soloist in this category. In December 2008, their band became the laureate of Slovak national jazz competition “New Faces of Slovak Jazz 2008”. During 2009-2010, he was also a member of a stable jazz group, Ľuboš Brtáň Quartet. In the past few years he has also played with some of the top Slovak jazz players, both in Slovakia and abroad, such as Klaudius Kováč, Róbert Ragan, Peter Solárik, Jozef "Ischias" Döme, Juraj Bartoš, Jeff Gardner...

During his career, Martin played several concert tours throughout Slovakia, and also performed on jazz festivals abroad (PL, HU).
In the present, Martin works with many of his colleagues from Banska Bystrica, usually under Martin Uherek Quartet, focusing on swing and bebop.
As his biggest influence Martin considers Charlie “Bird” Parker, coining him with phrase “the reason why I even play the sax”. In addition, playing tenor (besides alto sax), he deeply admires the beautiful and sensitive playing of the tenor sax great Ben Webster as well as the father of the tenor saxophone, Coleman Hawkins.
Among other favorite musicians he also counts Sonny Rollins, and majority of the key figures of swing and bebop era, like Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Billie Holiday...