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Kudos to Jez Nelson and Peter Margasak for this great feature/playlist on the ‪#Chicago‬ scene at ‪BBCRadio3's JazzOn3‬! Go have a listen to Michael Zerang & The Blue Lights "Dacing for Cigarettes", taken from the debut album "Songs from the Big Book of Love," released on ‪#‎PinkPalace‬ Recordings, May 15! Direct streaming link: http://bbc.in/1Fhxhcu

«If the recording is more accessible than listeners might have expected from well-known Chicago innovators such as Zerang and colleagues, the live performance at Constellation was still more alluring. Though certainly not for everyone's tastes, the music of percussionist Zerang & the Blue Lights clearly has been designed to welcome listeners into the world of avant-garde jazz. It would be difficult to imagine a much more effective enticement.»

Michael Zerang has been called a “beyond category” musician and is considered by his peers to be one of the most accomplished and consistently engaging musicians currently active on the jazz scene today. Michael Zerang has performed with a who’s who of creative musicians spanning two continents. He resume includes work with fellow Chicago-based musicians Ken Vandermark and Hamid Drake as well as the sorely missed Fred Anderson.

This exciting new group will be touring Europe this winter between 9-30 November in order to promote the debut release "Songs From The Big Book Of Love", a CD containing eight original compositions by Michael Zerang, due for release in May on the Pink Palace label.

Impressions from last summer's Chicago Jazz Festival "Neighborhood Nights" series featuring Michael Zerang's Blue Lights performance at the Logan Square Monument.

The Bookbirds have a beautiful, long-lasting experience with this Festival, as it happens with most people who decide to join it. Riccarda attended this annual happening first in 2010, and Ralf has been visiting it since 1989. It is also the place where they first met, at Pension Theresia, through their lovely friend Peter Wagner, who himself is attending the Konfrontationen since 1980. Without this Festival, there would be no Kato Bookbird, probably, at least not in this format. Reason why booking Michael Zerang to perform at this year's 35th edition, means so much for KB! Much love and gratitude to Hans Falb and Tobias Tobias Kulcsar for all their dedication and hard work. Now it's up to you, the public - to go and experience these amazing four days of festival about the power of music to inspire. All hail the Konfrontationen Team! Photo Copyright Elvira Faltermeier: