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Silvan Joray is a Swiss jazz guitarist and composer currently based in New York City. He has gained recognition in the jazz community, having won special prizes at the UNISA International Strings Competition in South Africa 2022 and the Smietana Jazz Guitar Competition 2019 in Poland. He has performed at prestigious jazz festivals including the Krakow Summer Jazz Festival, Jazzfest Kolkata, Mumbai Jazz Festival, Madras Jazz Festival, Offbeat Jazzfestival Basel, and International Jazz Festival Bern, and has toured in Germany, Norway, Poland, Spain, India and Israel.
Joray grew up in a musical family and began his formal training on the classical guitar, which he studied for eight years before discovering jazz and switching to the electric guitar. He was initially interested in playing jazz standards and influenced by guitarists such as Wes Montgomery. However, his studies with renowned jazz guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel at Jazzcampus Basel broadened his musical horizons, inspiring him to compose his own music. This eventually led to the release of his debut album "Cluster" in 2020, which was artistically produced by Muthspiel and co-produced by Swiss Radio SRF2. Joray's latest album, "Updraft" features a stellar rhythm section with Jeff Ballard on drums and Nadav Erlich on bass. It showcases his forward-thinking original style characterized by a transparent tone, crispy articulation, creative rhythmic ideas and extended techniques like quarter tones and „tapping“ which are not traditionally associated with jazz guitar playing. Joray embraces both the openness of European as well as the rootedness and swing of American jazz. Updraft has gained critical acclaim across the world, including the New York City Jazz Record and Jazzwise (UK) who described him as „one of the most exciting young jazz guitarists on the international scene.” „Deft and tasteful, […] always with a sure sense of where he’s landed, and how to go on and develop his ideas.“ – The New York City Jazz Record „[…] a spectacular new trio album. Joray plays with enormous inventiveness and a keen sense of stylish abstraction. – Marc Myers (JazzWax) Renowned jazz bassist Larry Grenadier states: „Silvan along with Nadav and Jeff have made a musical statement together that has at its core a sense of history and at the same time moves the music towards the future with bold playing and fresh compositions. Sonically beautiful and captivating music.“ Awards: * Special Prize at UNISA International Strings Competition 2022 in South Africa * sponsorship prize for music by the Kanton of Solothurn 2020 * Special Prize at Jarek Smietana International Jazz Guitar Competition 2019 * 3rd Prize at 7 Virtual Jazz Club Under 25 Competition 2018 * Friedlwald-Scholarship 2018 * 1st Prize at Swiss Youth Jazz Competition 2017 |
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