Andrew Kratzat Quartet

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His compositions also march to a different beat and showcase far more than traditional walking bass lines. His evolving voice, springing from wide listening, especially to the works of Ornette Coleman, Tim Berne, and Gyoergy Ligeti, expresses itself in hypnotic ostinatos, complex polyrhythms, and sometimes in gorgeous lyric melodies.

Kratzat is already in another drummerless band, the Hot Club of Detroit, though they frequently do rely on a percussive rhythm guitar. Kratzat is flexible enough to fit into that Gypsy jazz sound and a wide variety of other styles and genres. The 2006 U-M music school graduate has performed with, or is currently gigging with, among others, Kittel, the group Millish, James Carter, and Sam Barsh. Kratzat's versatile enough to jam with just about anyone, but he's particularly looking forward to working with this quartet, reshaping compositions he's performed and recorded in other configurations, as well as exploring his more recent pieces.   

[Originally published in March, 2010.]