FUMMQ – Ferenc und Magnus Mehl Quartett featuring Jake Saslow: BADEN VERBOTEN!

FUMMQ - the formation around the brothers Ferenc and Magnus Mehl - is dedicated entirely to modern, unadulterated jazz. "No Swimming Allowed!" is the product of this crisp and tension-filled band concept, brimming with lively original compositions and heartfelt ballads, demonstrating that the guys have long mastered the art of swimming. Fearlessly, the quartet draws from the depths of jazz history but still captivates with their very own explosive music, always infused with incredible energy. With tracks like "Flushing Boulevard Bound Nr.7 Express Train" and the title piece "No Swimming Allowed!", FUMMQ sets sail at full throttle right from the start. Tracks like "Folk Blues" showcase their prowess in balladry.

During the 2009 tour, the band collaborated with the excellent New York saxophonist Jake Saslow, who significantly enriched the album. The young musicians of the Ferenc and Magnus Mehl Quartet have passed through the National Youth Jazz Orchestra or various regional jazz orchestras. The ensemble made a name for itself with performances at the Elorrio Jazz and Blues Festival in Spain and the nationwide youth festival in Leipzig. Additionally, the band won the first prize at the European-wide competition of the Getxo Jazz Festival near Bilbao in July 2006 under the name "Magnus Mehl Quintet" and the Jimmy Woode Jazz Award in 2008.

Magnus Mehl studied jazz saxophone in Nuremberg and Amsterdam. In 2005, he became the lead altoist and soloist of the State Youth Jazz Orchestra of North Rhine-Westphalia. In 2007, he was a finalist in the Yamaha Sax Contest and received a DAAD scholarship for further training in New York City. He has played with artists such as Klaus Graf and Randy Brecker.

Martin Schulte completed his electric guitar studies under Prof. Werner Neumann and has been studying for a concert exam with him since 2007. In 2003, he won the Jazz Promotion Prize of the LAG Lower Saxony with the band Oktoposse. He has worked with musicians such as Nils Wogram, Frank Möbus, the Cologne Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, and the Wednesday Night Big Band.

Fedor Ruskuc studied double bass in Graz and Cologne. He won the National Serbian Music Competition in the solo double bass category in 1996 and repeated his success in 1998. He serves on the jury of the Novi Sad Jazz Festival and has performed with Keith Copeland, Dennis Rowland, Ondrej Stveracek, Andrew Krasilnikov, and many others.

Ferenc Mehl has played in several regional jazz orchestras (Baden-Württemberg, Saxony, Bavaria) and in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. With them, he went on concert tours to London, Prague, China, Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia. Ferenc studied in Leipzig and Amsterdam.

Jake Saslow is currently a fellow at the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute in New Orleans and has worked with legends such as Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Ron Carter.

For more information, visit www.fummq.de