Born: May 18, 1976 Primary Instrument: Reeds
Liudas Mockunas Lithuanian reed player (born in 1976) during the last years has become an important figure on Lithuanian jazz scene, is a representative of a young Lithuanian jazz generation, he is a mature and experienced musician who has played in many parts of Europe, USA, Israel, Turkey and China. Mockunas graduated from Lithuanian Musical academy in 2002 MA degree and Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen in Denmark in 2005, MA degree. He has won several classical competitions in Lithuania and Latvia. Together with trio M.A.P: Jacob Anderskov (piano) and Stefan music in Poirtiers, France. He has released 7 albums on his name and 15 as a sideman including Andrew Hill's Jazz Par Octet”. LIudas album “Toxikum” featuring Marc Ducret and John Tchicai (”ILK” recods), which he released with Danish drummer Stefan Pasborg has won Danish grammy “Jazz Discovery of the Year 2004”. He also got three prizes in Lituania: Vilnius Jazz Prize 2006, Birstonas Jazz Prize 2008 and Musicians Union Prize “Golden Disc” in 2008. The creative interests of L Mockūnas are focused on improvised music and experimental jazz stage. He is a co-leader of bands “Toxikum”, “Red Planet”, “Traffic quartet”,” Baltic trio”, “Megaphone”, “Saga Quartet”, Mockunas- Ducret Duo”, Mockunas – Hojito Duo and “Revolver”. He is a member of “Copenhagen Art Ensemble” and new music ensemble “Gaida”, collaborates with Marc Ducret, V.Chekasin, Mats Eilertsen, Jaak Sooaar, Mikko Innanen, Dietrich Eichmann, Chordos String Quartet, Piere Dorge and his “New Jungle Orchestra”. He has played with Swinging Europe big band, Andrew Hill, Scott Colley, Nasheet Waits, Mats Gustafsson, Jeff Arnal, Vladimir Tarasov, Mike Svoboda, Petras Vysniauskas, Vladimir Chekasin, Ryoji Hojito, Barry Guy, La Villet Jazz Festival Big Band featuring “World Saxophone Quartet”… Mockunas also works in a New Academic music field. As a soloist performed with Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra a concerto for soprano saxophone by Arvydas Malcys, concerto for tenor saxophone by Arvydas Malcys with chamber music orchestra “Kamerata Baltica”, and a piece by Anatolijus Senderovas for two jazz soloists and a symphony orchestra performed by Krylovi Hradec Symphony, Liudas Mockunas and Vladimir Tarasov. Works regulary with string quartet “Chordos”.
Since 2004 Mockunas teaches saxophone and ensemble at the Lithuanian Music Academy Jazz Department in Vilnius. He is one of the founders of “Lithuanian Jazz Federation”, also one of the founders of Lithuanian improvised music record label “No Business Records”.
