Reviews

PREMIERE OF HALIM EL DABH`S NEW SAXOPHONE CONCERTO

"Scored for alto saxophone and string orchestra the concerto touches upon egyptian folk sources, dance rhytyms and ruminative gestures. The saxophone is a doleful, charismaitc hero, especially as played with seamless and penetrating beauty by Greg Banaszak."
— Don Rosenberg
The Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 21, 2007

"A Saxophone Tour De Force"
— The New York Times

"From the downbeat of the first number it didn`t take long for Banaszak to live up to his reputation; he played with a brilliance and flair that excited the audience!"
— Ronald Bennett
The Odessa American

"Mr. Banaszak`s recent concerto CD offers a very appealing range of saxophone repertoire. Greg Banaszak is a splendid performer with dazzling virtuosity and exceptional control in all registers, and the Polish National Chamber Orchestra is a first rate professional ensemble under the skillful baton of Maestro Jarmolowicz."
— Dwight Oltman
Music Director of the San Jose Opera
Laureate Conductor of the Ohio Chamber Orchestra

"Greg Banaszak`s musicianship and sense of esthetics as well as his love of his instrument and music comes through in every phrase. Mr. Banaszak does a great service to the saxophone and all of his colleagues with this concerto CD because it makes us all more aware of the strength and beauty of the repertoire."
— Bert Lucarelli
International oboe soloist
Professor of Oboe, The Hartt School
Founder, "Lucarelli International Oboe Competition"

"What a gorgeous tone!"
— Leonard Slatkin
Musical Director of Detroit Symphony Orchestra

"Greg Banaszak is one of a select few "cross-over" musicians that works successfully in both the classical and jazz worlds!"
— Karel Paukert
Chief Curator
Department of Musical Arts
The Cleveland Museum of Art

"Greg Banaszak`s tone throughout his Concerto CD represents a more rich, hybrid style, leaning toward the beefier tone of American players while maintaining a very French, sweet vibrato."
— American Record Guide

"One of today's leading saxophone virtuosos"
— Steve Metcalf, The Hartford Courant

"Banaszak's performances are idiomatic, fluid and sensitive to the individual works' needs"
— Herman Trotter, The Buffalo Evening News

"American saxophonist Greg Banaszak gives a very "classical" performance with his smooth, round, and fluid tone quality creating the most graceful pianissimos. That brings a warmth and refinement to the central movement of the Dubois Concerto, the quiet running passage toward the close of the movement being a particularly magical moment. Elsewhere Banaszak displays a spectacular technical command of the instrument, his rhythmic security in the mischievous outer movements of the Ibert adding to the tongue-in-cheek humor. He gives a silky account of the Glazunov, and revels in the complexities of the Villa-Lobos. In the cadenzas he demonstrates his full-quota virtuosity, at the same time avoiding any hint of brashness. Indeed throughout the disc Banaszak is intent on elevating the saxophone to a symphonic instrument , avoiding the jazzy tonal quality we so frequently encounter in this repertoire."
— David Denton, Fanfare Magazine

"Destined to be great in both Western classical music and African- American music"
— Jazz Legend Saxophonist Jackie Mclean, The Hartford Advocate

"Banaszaks' Saxophone Concerto CD displays secure technique and conscientious musicianship"
— Wilma Salisbury, The Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Saxophonist extraordinaire wows audience at Stan Hywet Concert Hall"
— Akron Beacon Journal

"There is nothing more beautiful then the combination of Saxophone and orchestra. This 2-CD set, titled Roman«s for Saxophone and Orchestra, features the superb saxophone soloist Greg Banaszak, with the Beethoven Academy Orchestra. Banaszak performs on both alto and soprano saxophones with the Beethoven Academy Orchestra under the direction of conductor Piotr Borkowski. This is probably the first double CD for classical saxophone and orchestra.

Greg Banaszak has an excellent sound on the soprano and alto saxophone. On this CD he blends extremely well with the strings and demonstrates a special gift for spinning musical lines into a sort of musical fantasy. The ease with which musicality pours from his saxophone fills the listener with excitement and wonder. Truly he breathes the beauty of life into each of his melodic phrases. Aria is one of the most beautiful pieces ever written for saxophone, composed by Eugene Bozza in 1936. Greg leaves no note in Aria undiscovered, imparting all the feeling humanly possible into this elegant selection, which is the last. track on CD 2. Banaszak's version of Aria is an absolutely beautiful performance that will definitely leave you breathless.

Jumping to the last cut of the first CD, to Heitor Villa-Lobos' Bachianas Brosilieras no. 5 for saxophone and Celli, we witness another composition that is one of the most beautiful pieces written for saxophone and strings.

The second to last cut on the first CD is Wojeich Kilar's Vocalise, which was the predominant theme in Roman Polanski's film The Ninth Gate. 'The vocal theme has been taken over via the voice of a soprano saxophone, exquisitely performed by Greg Banaszak. In addition to strings, the soprano line is supported by both a piano and harpsichord. This is a powerful piece that grabs the listener's emotions and doesn't let go until the end. Banaszak's performance of Vocalise leaves one with a feeling that something of extreme emotional significance has occurred. Preceeding Vocalise is Aria by Subaram Raman. This too is a moving piece for saxophone and strings that places strong emotional demands on the performing artist. Greg Banaszak delivers another beautifully emotional perfonnance of Rama's Aria that is unsurpassed.

The opening selection on CD I, Largo for Soprano Saxophone and Orchestra by Joanna Bruzdowicz, truly sets the pace for this double CD recording. Also represented are David Morgan with Three Vignettes for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra; Alan Hovhaness' Concerto for Saxophone and String Orchestra; and James Leatherbarrow's Don Quixote in Love for soprano saxophone and orchestra. Romamces for Saxophone and Orchestra is an incredible double CD recording with a collection of works with which Greg Banaszak has raised the bar for saxophone excellence via his performances. This saxophone soloist, the conductor, the orchestra, and the composers have come together into a fantastic listening experience. Bravo!"
— Paul Wagner
The Saxophone Journal, August 2008