Iordache

Iordache was born in 1967 in Bucharest, Romania, and began playing saxophone in 1990. His first influences were Charlie Parker, Lee Konitz and Ornette Coleman.

In the early 90's he played with Harry Tavitian's Blues Community.

Between '96 and '99 he played with pianist Lucian Ban's Jazz Unit, then with bassist Vlaicu Golcea's Rebop Factory. In '99 he was asked to play alto with Orient Express, a 9-piece band led by pianist Harry Tavitian and recorded the album “Axis Mundi”.

Iordache was born in 1967 in Bucharest, Romania, and began playing saxophone in 1990. His first influences were Charlie Parker, Lee Konitz and Ornette Coleman.

In the early 90's he played with Harry Tavitian's Blues Community.

After discovering Sun Ra and reading his biography by John Szwed, he started a band called “Outer Space Seven”, a septet dedicated to Sun Ra's music. After two concerts, it had turned into “Outer Space Five”, for obvious reasons.

Around 2001 after an event which changed some of his ideas about life he started writing his own music. At first it was performed alongside the Sun Ra material by the Outer Space Five (with Sorin Romanescu on guitar, Vlaicu Golcea on bass... and various drummers). Then as the new tunes were replacing the old playlist he changed the band name to Iordache and met Tom Smith, an outstanding trombone player and big band director who had come to Bucharest as a Fullbright scholar to create and rehearse a big band within the Academy of Music. Later he invited Mr. Smith to join his band for club gigs and jazz festivals.

His first two official albums - “Friday - featuring Tom Smith” and “Dissipatin' “ have been released by A&A Records. The subsequent three albums, “One Life Left”, “Garden Beast” and “Two Hours In June” - featuring baritone saxophone great Alex Harding - have been released by his own label, Fiver House Records. He describes his music as free funk, where compositions and improvisations are governed by the rules of chance.

A second version of Iordache - 2006 to 2011 - included drummer Tavi Scurtu, bassist Utu Pascu, Sorin Romanescu and Eugen Nutescu on guitars. In 2006 they had the first concerts abroad, in Jerusalem and Luxemburg. Later he became interested in writing for larger ensembles.

“Three's a Crowd” is another collaborative duo with guitarist Sorin Romanescu. Their actions range from playing standards to bold explorations of chaos. They opened for Mats Gustafsson's “The Thing” in 2011, in Oradea.

Five years ago, a friend started recording all his live performances. This has resulted in a few homemade records: “hesitations” and “the lazy prince” (on sale at CD Baby), “naked saxophone”, “cheap fun”, and most recently “start from scratch” and “abstract dynamics”. The covers are recycled cardboard; the graphics are mostly by his daughter Kim aka Medicine Madison. She also made his website.

In August-September 2011 he recorded an album called “One Life Left” with musicians from Timisoara: Petre Ionutescu on trumpet, Lucian Nagy on tenor saxophone, guitarists Toni Kuhn and Dan Alex Mitrofan and of course drummer Tavi Scurtu and bassist Utu Pascu. “One Life Left” was released on March 29, 2012 in Cluj and on March 30 in Bucharest. One month later it was also released on 150-gram vinyl LP's. This album appeared on Iordache's own label, Fiver House Records.

In July 2012 the band played at the greatest Romanian jazz festival, Garana Jazz Fest. The same year, in October, they opened for the Jack DeJohnette Group at Sala Radio (Radio Hall) in Bucharest.

The current line-up includes Iordache on saxophones and flute, Sebastian Burneci on trumpet, trombonist Florian Radu, guitarist Dan Alex Mitrofan, keyboardist Toni Kuhn, bassist Utu Pascu and drummer Tavi Scurtu.

In October 2013 they recorded a new album, Garden Beast, at Studioul de Baza in Iasi, Romania. The album is inspired by Iordache's own garden and the animals and plants within it, as well as nature's own rhythms and cycles. It was released in December 2013 on Iordache's own label, Fiver House Records.

Gear

Yamaha alto
Blessing tenor
B&S baritone

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The three horns, and sometimes flute, combine with the electronic guitars and keyboards to create instrumental textures that work perfectly with the music they play. Drawing upon elements of cool jazz, nu jazz, exotica and lounge funk, Iordache’s tone colors can sound like Herbie’s “Speak Like a Child”, Jagga Jazzist, Snarky Puppy, Henry Mancini, Gil Evans or Dolphy's “Hot Cool and Latin”. “One Life Left” is new cool jazz for the 21st, with lots of odd quirky eccentricities to boot.

Some album highlights include “Peace” with its classic mid-90s trip-hop down tempo beat and lush vibratoed chords on the electric piano, and “Suriname” which opens with smooth horn orchestrations backing an exotic synth melody that recalls the old Don Ellis experimental big band

(Jazz Music Archives review of “One Life Left”, April 2012)

It is the leader's union with trombonist Tom Smith and superb guitarist Sorin Romanescu that account for the excitement of this disc, the concept of course being that following a smooth ensemble presentation of a theme, each of these lead instruments will solo at length and with the express purpose of conquering the world. “Next Gig” ought to be everyone's gig tonight, flying by at a brisk tempo that the aforementioned soloists confront with a simultaneously relaxed and appreciative composure. Saxophone, trombone, and guitar combine beautifully, providing great contrast through the series of solo statements as well as many possibilities in ensemble arrangement. “Fiare Vechi Luam” expands this beyond the obvious, matching an old-timey trombone mute effect with rocking electric guitar, but even when the blend has a typically mainstream jazz sound, the listening is a sheer pleasure.

Eugene Chadbourne, a review of “friday” on allmusic.com

Romanian saxophonist and bandleader Mihai Iordache has shortened his performing title to simply his surname - a move that might worry those who fear a Kenny G. influence, although trimming down to just a last name is more like the New Orleans saxophonist and keyboardist Skerik. Either guy would find at least some aspects of Iordache's versatile musical offerings appealing, both would no doubt admire the man's soloing abilities on both alto and baritone saxophone. He presses ahead, his tone solid whether trying to sound ugly or beautiful, set on a successful outcome, self-reliant in this goal due to his own vivid melodic imagination.

Eugene Chadbourne, a review of “Dissipatin'” on allmusic.com

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