Skirmantas Sasnauskas
A trombonist, bagpiper, multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer, Skirmantas Sasnauskas displays an incredibly rich array of expressive means and a broad musical purview, encompassing traditional jazz, free, fusion, avant-garde experiments, as well as various forms of synthesis between jazz and folk, jazz and new music. He is best known for developing an original style that incorporates the elements and timbres of Lithuanian folk music. Skirmantas Sasnauskas has been active on Lithuanian jazz scene since 1986. He has performed with nearly all of the Lithuanian jazz musicians. Quite a few of the now famous Lithuanian jazz performers have been nurtured in his groups. With diverse stylistic experience in the past, Skirmantas Sasnauskas is now turning towards simplicity and melodic beauty. Voice often becomes his prime instrument, especially due to its instrumental treatment.
Jūratė Kučinskaitė
Skudutis
Witches' Tales - Sutartinė
Biography
Skirmantas Sasnauskas (b. 1961) is a versatile musician, a representative of modern jazz and one of the foremost creators of ethno-jazz in Lithuania. His stylistically diverse output embraces free, fusion, synthesis of jazz with folk and academic music, avant-garde experiments, also traditional jazz. In addition to his first instrument, trombone, the multi-instrumentalist plays various old Lithuanian folk instruments. He is also known as a singer, performing traditional as well as experimental jazz, often using his voice in an instrumental way.
In his childhood years Skirmantas Sasnauskas was a member of the Ąžuoliukas choir, and has received first prizes at the national competition for young singers Dainų dainelė two years in a row. Later, he learned to play trombone, accordion and guitar. He started playing jazz in 1978, while studying at the J. Tallat-Kelpša High School of Music. During his subsequent studies at the Lithuanian Academy of Music, Skirmantas Sasnauskas founded the jazz trio and performed with Vladimir Chekasin Big Band. Besides his studies and early jazz career, he got fascinated with Lithuanian folk music and collaborated with folk groups Intakas, Vydraga, Ūla. After graduation from the Lithuanian Academy of Music in 1986, Skirmantas Sasnauskas became active member of the Lithuanian jazz scene - performed with Petras Vyšniauskas and founded his jazz quartet in the same year. In 1992 he received the Birštonas Jazz Festival Grand Prix for the program "Witches' Tales", performed by his jazz quartet and folk group Vydraga. A number of now famous Lithuanian jazz musicians have been developing their musicianship in various collectives led by Skirmantas Sasnauskas.
In 1992-4 the trombonist collaborated with the Estonian avant-garde jazz quintet Tunnetusuksus. Since 1994 he has been a member of the Ex tempore ensemble. He has also participated in radical projects by Juozas Milašius, performed in duo with Mieczysław Litwiński, and was a member of Danielius Praspaliauskis Dixieland and Vladimir Tarasov's Lithuanian Art Orchestra. Presently Skirmantas Sasnauskas collaborates with Dainius Pulauskas Group and is a member of the Lithuanian Radio and Television Big Band. He toured many European countries, and as a member of different groups participated in jazz festivals in the countries of former Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Finland, USA, Mexico, Germany, Poland, Spain, Sweden.
Skirmantas Sasnauskas is known as a composer as well - besides jazz compositions, he has composed incidental music for dance and theatre productions. In 2004 he was awarded the Gold Stage Cross (as the best theatre composer in Lithuania) for his music for the dance performance "Drowned Valley" (choreographer Vytis Jankauskas).
Skirmantas Sasnauskas is also responsible for restoration of archival recordings at the Institute of the Lithuanian Literature and Folklore.
© Jūratė Kučinskaitė
Song for Children
Skirmantas Sasnauskas Quartet: Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Tomas Kutavičius - p, Eugenijus Kanevičius - b, Linas Būda - dr
Melodija C60 29123 001, 1989 (LP)
Lithuanian Moods
Skirmantas Sasnauskas Quartet: Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, folk instr, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Eugenijus Kanevičius - db, Gediminas Laurinavičius - dr
Bomba Records BBMC 0004, 1993 (MC)
Skirmantas Sasnauskas, 1998 (CD)
Lithuanian Moods 2
Skirmantas Sasnauskas Quartet: Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, voc, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr
Lituanus, 1994 (MC)
Witches' Tales
Skirmantas Sasnauskas Quartet: Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, folk instr, voc, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr + folk music group "Vydraga"
Lituanus, 1994 (MC)
Juosta Records JRCD 008, 2002 (CD)
Singing and Swinging
Skirmantas Sasnauskas and Friends: Skirmantas Sasnauskas - voc, tb, Liudas Mockūnas - reeds, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, perc, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Arūnas Šlaustas - ky, Eugenijus Kanevičius - db, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - dr
Skirmantas Sasnauskas, 2000 (CD)
As a group member and guest musician
Konstantin Petrosyan: Concerto for Voice and Orchestra
Tatevik Oganesyan - voc + Vladimir Chekasin Big Band
Melodija C60 24479 009, 1986 (LP)
Is This Possible?
Vladimir Chekasin Big Band
Melodija C60 25691 009, 1987 (LP)
Hope
Oktava: Valery Ivaniutin - tp, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Vytautas Mockūnas - as, Rimantas Brazaitis - ts, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Gintaras Šulinskas - g, Julius Brazaitis - b, Petras Vyšniauskas - ss, Steponas Januška - voc, Viktoras Malinauskas - voc, Žilvinas Bubelis - voc, Džeirana Kazlauskaitė - voc, Liudas Vaštakas - voc + Genady Alfimov Vocal Group
Melodija C60 29577 002, 1990 (LP)
Apple
Oktava Sound Band: Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Rimantas Brazaitis - ts, Vilius Pocius - ob, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Eugenijus Jonavičius - g, Alvydas Lukoševičius - b, voc, Linas Būda - dr, Neda Malūnavičiūtė - voc, Judita Leitaitė - voc
Vilnius Recording Studio VSCD-010, 1995 (CD)
Requiem
Kipras Mašanauskas - voc, p, programming, perc, Romas Lileikis - voc, Neda Malūnavičiūtė - fl, voc, Petras Vyšniauskas - as, Vytautas Labutis - ss, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - bagpipe, Gediminas Laurinavičius - dr, perc, choir "Brevis"
Bomba Records BBCD 073, 1996 (CD)
LRT Popular Music Orchestra
LRT Orchestra
Bonifa Records 01496, 1996 (CD)
3 on 1
Weekend Guitar Trio: Robert Jürjendal - g, voc, Tõnis Leemets - g, electronics, Mart Soo - g + guests: Ülle Heinsalu - voc, Tanel Ruben - dr, perc, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Eduard Akulin - tb, Mart Süda - ts, Raul Sööt - ts, Rivo Laasi - b, synth, Maido Maadik - electronics
Eesti Raadio ERCD 013, 1997 (CD)
Namelis ant Tele Bim-Bam kojelės
Justas - voc, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - bagpipe, Andrius Kulikauskas - ky, programming, and others
Čiki Piki CPMC011, 1997 (MC)
Musiakojis
Justas - voc, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - bagpipe, Andrius Kulikauskas - ky, programming, and others
Čiki Piki, 1998 (CD)
Vydraga 1988-1998
Folk music group "Vydraga", Skirmantas Sasnauskas - bagpipe, and others
AZBI 1998 (MC)
AZBI 1998 (CD)
Terra Vandetuja
Vytautas Labutis Octet: Vytautas Labutis - reeds, Neda Malūnavičiūtė - fl, voc, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, voc, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, voc, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Vytautas Mikeliūnas - v, Eugenijus Kanevičius - db, voc, Arkady Gotesman - dr, perc
Eugenijus Šaltis, 1998 (CD)
Danielius Praspaliauskis Dixieland
Danielius Praspaliauskis - sax, Liudas Mockūnas - sax, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Arūnas Šlaustas - p, Gintaras Šulinskas - g, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr
Lithuanian National Radio and Television LRCD 0004, 2000 (CD)
I Give My Love for You
LRT Orchestra and soloists
Lithuanian National Radio and Television LRCD 035-1, 2003 (CD)
Vitas Gerulaitis. Remembrance in Jazz
Neda Malūnavičiūtė - voc, Vytautas Labutis - as, ss, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Leonid Shinkarenko - b, Linas Būda - dr, Darius Rudis - dr, Pavel Giunter - perc, Arkady Gotesman - perc
Leo Music 002, 2004 (CD)
New Mood Jazz, 2006 (CD)
Antis Alive
Antis: Algirdas Kaušpėdas - voc, Arūnas Blūšius - g, Gintautas Rakauskas - g, Petras Ubartas - g, Gediminas Simniškis - b, Vaclovas Augustinas - ky, voc, Linas Būda - dr, Artūras Luckus - tb + guests: Kazimieras Stonkus - acc, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Rimantas Brazaitis - sax, Ignas Garla - voc, Kęstutis Jakeliūnas - voc
Zona Records ZNCD 069, 2005 (DVD)
Mirror of Memory 3
Anatoly Vapirov International Big Band: Petras Vyšniauskas - ss, Danielius Praspaliauskis - as, bs, Petar Momchev - ts, Nicolas Simion - ts, Andrei Prozorov - as, Georgy Stefanov - tp, Jason Carder - tp, Alexander Wladigeroff - tp, Miroslav Pyatnikov - tp, Schreck Ferenc - tb, Liviu Marculescu - tb, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Stoyan Yankoulov - perc, Hristo Yotsov - dr, Antony Donchev - p, Vladimir Volkov - b
AVA Records 0029, 2005 (CD)
Evening Songs-Lullabies
Veronika Povilionienė - voc, Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth + guests: Rima Povilionytė - voc, Petras Vyšniauskas - sax, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - folk instr, string group of the LRT Orchestra, cond. Jaroslavas Cechanovičius
Veronika Povilionienė, 2007 (CD)
In compilations
Birštonas-88 (2)
"Skudutis"
Skirmantas Sasnauskas Quintet: Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Tomas Kutavičius - p, Vladas Slavinskas - g, Eugenijus Kanevičius - b, Linas Būda - dr
Melodija C60 27927 003, 1988 (LP)
New Music from Russia: The '80s
Konstantin Petrosyan. "Concerto for Voice and Orchestra" (fragment)
Tatevik Oganesyan - voc + Vladimir Chekasin Big Band
Leo Records CDLR 801-808, 1989 (CD)
Estonian Jazz-96. Different Dreams
Tunnetusuksus: Mart Soo - g, Rivo Laasi - b, Tanel Ruben - dr + Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb
Jazzkaar 001, 1997 (CD)
Jazzy Lithuania
"Pa"
Vytautas Labutis Octet: Vytautas Labutis - bcl, Neda Malūnavičiūtė - voc, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Vytautas Mikeliūnas - v, Eugenijus Kanevičius - db, Arkady Gotesman - perc
"Sutartinė"
Skirmantas Sasnauskas Quartet: Skirmantas Sasnauskas - bagpipe, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr + folk music group "Vydraga"
Judita Bartoševičienė VMJ 001, 2004 (CD)
The Singing Land: Contemporary Folk Music from Lithuania 2005
"Sutartinė"
Skirmantas Sasnauskas Quartet: Skirmantas Sasnauskas - bagpipe, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr + folk music group "Vydraga"
Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre LMIPCCD 027, 2005 (CD)
Lithuanian Jazz 1980-1990
"Heigh-ho, the Gang's All Here"
Vilnius Dixieland: Petras Vyšniauskas - ss, Valdemaras Kontvainis - tp, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Artūras Brazauskas - p, Vladimir Kaplan - g, Eugenijus Kanevičius - b, Arvydas Vainius - dr, Šarūnas Gurskis - ts, Vytautas Kubilius - tu, Petras Ubartas - bj
"Skudutis"
Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Vladas Slavinskas - g, Eugenijus Kanevičius - db, Linas Būda - dr
Semplice SECD014, 2005 (CD)
Laureates of the "Birštonas" Jazz Festivals
"Composition" (fragment)
Skirmantas Sasnauskas Quartet: Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, bagpipe, voc, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr + folk music group "Vydraga"
Birštonas' Cultural Centre, 2005 (CD)
Giedrius Puskunigis: Music for Theatre
"Mourning Becomes Electra"
Gabrielė Kuodytė - voc, Viktorija Kuodytė - voc, Mindaugas Žemaitis - T, Vytautas Labutis - reeds, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Arūnas Navadničėnas - g, Mindaugas Bačkus - vc, Giedrius Puskunigis - ky
Kaunas State Drama Theatre, 2006 (CD)
As a performer of academic music
Feliksas Bajoras. Ex tempore
"Words and Magic"
Gintarė Skerytė - S, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb
"Missa in musica"
Ex tempore: Gintare Skerytė - S, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Arnoldas Gurinavičius - db, Arūnas Šlaustas - p
Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre LCUCCD003, 1997 (CD)
Beads
Onute Narbutaitė. "Beads"
Ex tempore: Gintarė Skerytė - S, Danielius Praspaliauskis - sax, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Arnoldas Gurinavičius - db, Arūnas Šlaustas - p, Saulius Astrauskas - perc
Algirdas Martinaitis. "Arma Christi"
Ex tempore: Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Arnoldas Gurinavičius - db, Arūnas Šlaustas - p, Saulius Astrauskas - perc + Algirdas Martinaitis - grindstone, siren
Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre LMIPCCD 005, 1998 (CD)
Zoom in: New Music from Lithuania
Gintaras Sodeika. "Tremors"
Mindaugas Juozapavičius - fl, Linas Šalna - ob, Romualdas Taločka - cl, Šarūnas Kačionas - bn, Zigmantas Augaitis - hn, Domas Memėnas - tp, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Saulius Astrauskas - perc, Arnoldas Gurinavičius - db, Petras Geniušas - p, cond. Julius Geniušas
Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre LMIPCCD 011-012, 2002 (CD)
e-muzika 2003
Vytautas Germanavičius. "Peng Chau"
Skirmantas Sasnauskas - Tibetan horn
Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre LMIPCCD 021, 2003 (CD)