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Mark Tokar

Mark Tokar originally studied classical guitar at S. Lyudkevych Music College. During this time he began to play double bass, which became his main instrument. During 2002-2004 he repeatedly participated in the Krakow Jazz Workshop, directed by M. Parkinson (USA). In 2006, via the “Gaude Polonia” scholarship program, Mark studied at K. Szymanowski Jazz Academy under the direction of Professor Jacek Niedzela. The program was granted by the Minister of Culture in Poland. Since 2006 he has given private lessons at various jazz schools. During 2005-2006 Mark worked as art director of the Ukrainian-Polish Jazz Bez festival. He organized a series of Metro Jazz Philharmonic musical performances in Lviv. Mark has performed with various bands at numerous festivals in Germany, Poland, Lithuania, USA, Austria, France, Ukraine, Russia, Italy, Hungary, Georgia, Luxembourg, and the Czech Republic. He participates in Ken Vandermark’s international project “Resonance”. He also plays in the groups Undivided, Five Spot, Four, Varpaj, and Yatoku. Additionally, he is the leader of the international projects Leo’m’art, Mark Tokar’s Quintet and Avtokar. Mark Tokar has performed with Ken Vandermark, Bobby Few, Perry Robinson, Steve Swell, Michael Zerang, Tim Daisy, Dave Rempis, Roberta Piket, Fred Frith (USA), Klaus Kugel, Arkadij Shylkloper (Germany), Petras Vishniauskas (Lithuania), Mirchea Tiberian (Romania), Mazzol, Mikolaj Trzaska, Waclaw Zimpel, Piotr Baron, Kazimierz Jonkisz (Poland), Jurij Jaremczuk (Ukraine), Magnus Broo, Per-Ake Holmlander (Sweden), and Mark Sanders (England).

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Liner Notes

Klaus Kugel: Op Der Schlemz Live Nemu

Read "Klaus Kugel: Op Der Schlemz Live Nemu" reviewed by Howard Mandel


The collective quartet performance Op Der Schlemz Live by drummer Klaus Kugel pianist Roberta Piket, saxophonist Roby Glod and bassist Mark Tokar is rooted in steady balance yet full of dynamic surprises. Most people approaching this record will understand in advance that's a good thing, since surprises are exactly what we hope for when music is played so that anything can happen, but those surprises are best when they ride from ensemble consistency and purpose, rather than luck or accident. ...

3
Album Review

Roby Glod, Roberta Piket, Mark Tokar, Klaus Kugel: Op Der Schmelz Live

Read "Op Der Schmelz Live" reviewed by Neri Pollastri


Un quartetto internazionale, ripreso dal vivo in un centro culturale lussemburghese, è protagonista di questo ottimo CD sul confine tra il jazz moderno e l'improvvisazione più radicale. Alla guida il francese residente in Lussemburgo Roby Glod, al suo fianco la newyorchese Roberta Piket, l'ucraino Mark Tokar e il tedesco Klaus Kugel, tutti musicisti che hanno lavorato spesso tra loro, maturando una forte intesa, e che--con la sola eccezione di Tokar--sono autori delle composizioni in scaletta. Queste ultime, ...

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Extended Analysis

Op Der Schmelz Live

Read "Op Der Schmelz Live" reviewed by Dave Wayne


This album is a winner from the git-go. Brooklyn-based pianist Roberta Piket summons the spirits with a gentle, but emotionally direct solo piano rumination. Harmonically rich, with a probing depth that brings Paul Bley and Steve Kuhn to mind, Piket's invocation is just the first in series of golden moments on Op der Schmelz Live. A co-operative quartet comprised of Piket, veteran German drummer Klaus Kugel, the energetic Ukranian bassist Mark Tokar, and the Luxembourg-based French saxophonist Roby Glod, their ...

5
Album Review

Roby Glod / Roberta Piket / Mark Tokar / Klaus Kugel: Op Der Schmelz Live

Read "Op Der Schmelz Live" reviewed by Eyal Hareuveni


This pan-European-American collective quartet, named after the Op Der Schmelz venue in Luxemburg (where this album was recorded), focuses in transforming intuitively detailed sonic moments into balanced movements, full of surprises and risk- taking. The quartet is comprised of four experienced improvisers--Luxemburg-based saxophonist Roby Glod, New Yorker pianist Roberta Piket, Ukrainian bassist Mark Tokar and Köln-based drummer Klaus Kugel- -who share emphatic interplay, a discursive approach and natural intimacy. All the pieces begin in a conventional manner ...

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245

Interview

Free Jazzers Klaus Kugel and Mark Tokar Interviewed at AAJ

Free Jazzers Klaus Kugel and Mark Tokar Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz

Bassist Mark Tokar is a key person in the Ukrainian free jazz scene. The same could be said about German drummer Klaus Kugel, who is a frequent guest at different jazz venues in the Ukraine. Their group with Lithuanian saxophonist Petras Vysniauskas already has some history behind it but only recently was christened Buchkys (which means kiss in Lithuanian).

Besides Buchkys both musicians play with prominent Ukrainian saxophonist Yuriy Yaremchuk in a trio called YATOKU.

AAJ Contributor Alex Martynov spoke ...

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