The first time Quartet visited Uzbekistan was in 2009. The Quartet will stay in Tashkent to share ideas and best practices with arts students, teachers, and the general public.

Members of the Quartet include Ari Roland (bass), Stefan Schatz (drums), Chris Byars (tenor saxophone), and Zaid Nasser (alto saxophone).

The Ari Roland Jazz Quartet (New York) is inspired by jazz music from the 1930’s through 1950’s, also known as the “Golden Age of Jazz.” The ensemble’s repertoire includes pieces by jazz legends such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Billie Holiday, as well as their own critically acclaimed original compositions.

Ari Roland will hold master classes and collaborative creative sessions at the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan along with the Tashkent Pop & Circus College and the Specialized Music School Uspensky. The Quartet will also meet with young people at the National Library of Uzbekistan named after Alisher Navoi, and will have several sessions with the Jazzirama band, the Jazz Orchestra named after Batir Zakirov and other local musicians at the Ilkhom Theatre.

On 9 April, musicians will perform with students of the Conservatory at the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan. The major concert at the Turkiston Palace on 12 April will be featured by the Jazz Orchestra named after Batir Zakirov and Jazzirama band.

The Ari Roland Quartet’s tour is part of the International Jazz Festival in Uzbekistan. This festival is organized in collaboration with the UNESCO Tashkent Office, the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan, the State Jazz Orchestra of Uzbekistan and the Ilkhom Theatre. It will run from April 8 to May 8 with the support and participation of the Embassies of the United States of America, France and Latvia in Uzbekistan.