A WORLD THAT SWINGS
A fantastic evening of first-class entertainment. Martina Schmid | SWR Live!
1940s jazz, 50s pop, 60s lounge, 70s film and TV – it’s all here! The Gareth Reaks Combo presents a diverse range of well-known and hardly-known songs that, back in the day, you might have encountered in the cinema, department store or theatre or on the TV, radio or turntable. Some are covers, some are the band's unique versions. All aim at beauty and joy. I am a vibraphonist, singer, arranger and occasionally a composer and pianist. Once upon a time I was a pretty good 6th-form-college music teacher and a pretty mediocre drummer/percussionist. I adore all music and muzak - Debussy, Birtwistle, Duke Ellington, Henry Mancini, Blondie, 1970s TV themes...no borders! I advocate for a planetary law compelling each of us, once a day in synchronisation, to put our feet up, fill a glass, light an expensive cigar and listen to our favourite music. I believe this would contribute significantly to world peace. "Hail, Bright Cecilia! Fill every heart with love of thee and thy celestial art".
The Gareth Reaks Combo flourished as a performing quartet for ten years. With Gareth on vibraphone and vocals, the band featured the exceptional talents of pianist Olga Krasotova, bassist Andres Buchholz and drummer Eric Karle. Performing at concert halls and music festivals in the Freiburg region, the band also appeared on SWR television in 2016 ("Kaffee oder Tee") and recorded two albums ("Foolish Things" in 2014 and "A World That Swings" in 2017). The band's final concert was at Jazztone, Lörrach in December 2023. Since 2025 Gareth has focused on the recording studio and expanded the combo to include a wide variety of instrumentalists and singers.