Le bassiste Markus Schieferdecker a fait partie pendant plusieurs années des groupes de jazz constitués par le grand tromboniste Albert Mangelsdorff. Il a collaboré régulièrement avec une multitude de musiciens influents comme  Bill Stewart, Vincent Herring, Maria Schneider, Bob Degen, Heinz Sauer, Bert Joris, Clark Terry, Lee Konitz e.a. Depuis plus de vingt ans, il joue en section rythmique avec le batteur Peter Perfido, Leur quartet « Many Moons Ago » constitue à l’heure actuelle l’aboutissement de ce partenariat qui offre un créneau parfait pour une collaboration avec des musiciens illustres.

Le batteur et percussionniste américain Peter Perfido s’est produit avec de nombreux artistes aux Etats-Unis et en Europe, dont e.a. Anthony Braxton, Art Lande, Ferenc Snetberger, Tomasz Stanko, Michel Pilz, Heinz Sauer, Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, David Friedman. Il a également participé à de nombreux festivals en France, Roumanie, Autriche, Algérie et Allemagne.

Bob Degen, pianiste d'origine américaine, a étudié à la Berklee School of Music. Il a joué avec Paul Motian et Mark Levinson aux Etats-Unis avant de partir pour une longue carrière en Allemagne où il a travaillé surtout avec Albert Mangelsdorff et Heinz Sauer. Ses collaborations nombreuses avec e.a. Dexter Gordon, Art Farmer, Lee Konitz, Attila Zoller, Charlie Mariano, Gerd Dudek, Wolfgang Lackerschmid ont révélé ce "musician's musician" au grand public. Son jeu est influencé par Bill Evans et Paul Bley, et il jouit d'une grande réputation parmi ses pairs.

David Friedman est considéré comme un des vibraphonistes les plus influents dans l’histoire de cet instrument. Ayant travaillé avec des personnalités aussi diverses que e.a. Leonard Bernstein, Luciano Berio, Bobby McFerrin, Wayne Shorter, Yoko Ono, il est également un des musiciens les plus versatiles sur le plan international. Ses performances live et ses enregistrements dans le domaine du jazz dénotent des collaborations avec certains des plus importants jazzmen sur le plan international, tels que Joe Henderson, Horace Silver, Johnny Griffin, Hubert Laws, Ron Carter et John Scofield. Il figure en tant que vibraphoniste sur le fameux album « Peace » de Chet Baker, aux côtés du bassiste Buster Williams et du batteur Joe Chambers. Son association avec son pair Dave Samuels au sein du quartet vibraphone-marimba Double Image reste une expérience unique et jubilatoire. Le trio du vibraphoniste David Friedman, le légendaire batteur Daniel Humair et le mythique bassiste Jean-François Jenny-Clarke, enregistré live en 1992, est un des plus beaux fleurons du jazz contemporain et improvisé.
 

"....As with the cyclical phases of the moon, so our paths cross and diverge...."

Markus Schieferdecker and Peter Perfido first started performing together in the early 90's.  They have participated in numerous projects together. As a rhythm team, they breathe, groove and interlock seamlessly with their musical partners.  Having travelled many roads and accumulated a great depth of experience playing together throughout Europe, their new project : "Many Moons Ago" is the embodiment of this enduring partnership.   

Bob Degen's career has been a long and fruitful one. Bob started playing professionally at the age of 10. He attended the Berklee College of Music in the early 60's and studied privately with the legendary Madame Chaloff at the New England Conservatory.He performed throughout the eastern USA with Phil Woods, Buddy DeFranco, Paul Motian, Kent Carter, Charlie Mariano and many other great players.

He came to Europe in 1965 and worked with Art Farmer, Albert Mangelsdorff, Dexter Gordon, Leo Wright, Carmel Jones and Attila Zoller.

Residing in Frankfurt since the early 70's , Bob has been involved in projects such as "Voices" with Heinz Sauer, Ralf Hübner and Gunther Kronberg. Adelhard Roidinder's "Schattseite" group with Harry Pepl, Heinz Sauer, Aina Kemanis and Michael Di Pasqua.  Gunther Lenz "Springtime", the Wolfgang Engstfield quartet and the Heinz Sauer quartet featuring Isla Eckinger and Makaya Ntshoko. As a leader, Bob has presented and recorded with various formations featuring: Terumasa Hino, Cameron Brown, Harvie Schwartz, Michael Formanek and Bill Stewart.

David Friedman is one of the most influential mallet percussionists world wide.

He has crossed over many musical frontiers performing with diverse artists such as : Leonard Bernstein, Bobby McFerrin,Yoko Ono, Wayne Shorter and Luciano Berio. A dedicated educator as well, David has published what is regarded as the "bible" for mallet intruments with his book "Dampening and Pedaling". He was also the head of the Jazz Department at the Hochschule der Kunst (HDK) in Berlin for over 15 years.

With Dave Samuels, he co-founded the group "Double Image" in 1977 featuring bassist Harvie Schwartz and drummer/ percussionist Michael Di Pasqua. This unique combination of vibraphone and marimba brought them into the forefront  of contemporary jazz . Other projects in the jazz world have been recordings and performances with giants like Chet Baker, George Mraz, Joe Farrell, Bob Moses, Geri Allen, Jon Christensen, Joe Henderson and Joe Chambers.

About 40 years ago (many moons ago indeed), Bob Degen and David Friedman first crossed paths as US expatriates exploring the European jazz scene. They have been very active in various projects, many of which are well documented on recordings with Enja records. Their respective paths have led both of them far and wide and now bring them together again to share the stage with Markus and Peter. 

This Quartet is extremely aware of the sound textures they create. Their repertoire draws from the compositions of Bob, David, and Markus as well as the "4 M's of Jazz" : Monk, Mingus, Motian, and Moses.

As the moon pulls the sea back and forth through it's phases, so do these four kindred spirits ineffably interact in explorations through sound and improvisation.