Quatuor germano-québécois ou québéco-allemand de musique improvisée... mais qui a fini par comp ZPS stands for 2 duos on both sides of the Atlantic.
They build bridges between Rostock (Germany) and Québec. They are driven by the fastest drummer of the world – Frédéric Lebrasseur – in Canada the people tell, that he was born with drumsticks in his hands. And the trio Wolfgang Schmiedt and Christian Kuzio (both Germany) and their Québec colleague Martien Bélanger make a battle of their guitars. There's a huge amount of creativity and improvisati
onal talent on stage. The musicians take us on a ride through all styles and emotions as shopping in a big mall, picking what they want – Jazz, Rock, Folk, Blues, Country - always surprising and burning as bright as fireworks. This has been shown to enthusiastic audiences during numerous shows in Canada and Germany since 2005. The latest idea is the “transatlantic soundworlds,” a cooperative project between the Fraunhofer Institut Germany IDG and Université Laval Québec, supported by Ex Machina, were the musicians played an audio visual concert together via the Internet. (www.youtube.com/mapsonor)
Martien Bélanger and Frédéric Lebrasseur seem to be the most innovative in Québec. They drive a lot of projects, are also on the road as theatre musicians, i.e. for Robert Lepage, from big opera houses to puppet shows. They are amazing entertainers and they always find the right tone for every situation. Christian Kuzio is one of the most active musicians in Rostock. As well as in his numerous bands and also in his music-theatre versions of The Odyssey or others, he squeezes sounds out of his guitar you never heard before. He also is a great improvisor. Last but not least – Wolfgang Schmiedt, the elder statesman of this unusual band, seems one of the best jazz guitarists in the “new countries” of Germany. He founded and developed the Pop/world music courses at the University for Music and Theatre, Rostock and is well known because of his numerous projects, productions and compositions, like “Harbour Symphonies” at Hanse Sail Rostock and at Baltic Sail Gdansk, the “LichtKlangNacht”, lots of theatre productions and also for a varity of many more activities in Germany.
