Arūnas Šlaustas
In his music, Arūnas Šlaustas explores different possibilities of combining jazz and classical idioms; the classical tradition is the source of his creative impulses and his peculiar way of development of the musical material. The pianist is a well established performer of jazz and academic music.
Jūratė Kučinskaitė
The Other Territory - Fire Dance
Biography
In his music, Arūnas Šlaustas (b. 1953) explores different possibilities of combining jazz and classical idioms; the classical tradition is the source of his creative impulses and his peculiar way of development of the musical material.
The pianist is a well established performer of jazz and academic music. He studied classical piano at the Lithuanian Academy of Music, and is a laureate of the M.K.Čiurlionis International Piano Competition. He has given quite a few recitals and has performed with the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra and the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra. He is a member and one of the founders of the new music ensemble Ex tempore. As a soloist and member of different ensembles, he has performed many premieres of the contemporary composers and has participated in the contemporary music festivals Warsaw Autumn, Gaida, Jauna muzika, Mariu klavyrai, and others.
In 1987 alongside with academic music, he started playing jazz. First he played in the Lithuanian Academy of Music Big Band, led by Vladimir Chekasin, later with Arnoldas Gurinavičius Quartet, New Lithuanian Trio, Danielius Praspaliauskis Quartet and his Dixieland. Since 1991 Šlaustas emerged as a co-leader. With his constant creative companion, saxophonist Danielius Praspaliauskis, they founded a quintet Contra Jazz. The pianist also performs solo, and with folk music groups. He constantly participates in jazz festivals in Lithuania and abroad.
Arūnas Šlaustas is a distinctive composer whose work is grounded in the ageless classics. This connection is evident not only in his musical language, but also in the titles of his pieces: Eclectic Bolero, Chaconne, Allemande, Pavane.
Currently Arūnas Šlaustas teaches at the Vilnius Conservatory and the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre.
© Jūratė Kučinskaitė
The Other Territory
Contra Jazz: Danielius Praspaliauskis - sax, Arūnas Šlaustas - ky, Vytautas Mikeliūnas - v, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Marijus Aleksa - dr
Juosta Records JRCD 020, 2005 (CD)
As a group member and guest musician
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)
Singing and Swinging
Skirmantas Sasnauskas and Friends: Skirmantas Sasnauskas - voc, tb, Liudas Mockūnas - reeds, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Arūnas Šlaustas - ky, Eugenijus Kanevičius - db, Arkady Gotesman - dr, and others
Skirmantas Sasnauskas, 2000 (CD)
Jūnė: Thoughts in the Sand
Jūnė - voc, Algirdas Klova - v, perc, folk instr, Arūnas Šlaustas - ky, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Gediminas Laurinavičius - dr, perc
Pūkas CD-115, 2000 (CD)
In compilations
Kalėdienė. Lithuanian Christmas Songs and Hymns
"You, Little Hare"
Jūnė - voc, Algirdas Klova - v, perc, folk instr, Arūnas Šlaustas - ky, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Gediminas Laurinavičius - dr, perc
Partija 431 006-2, 1999 (CD)
Jazzy Lithuania
"Cognition" / "Roundabout"
Contra Jazz: Danielius Praspaliauskis - sax, Arūnas Šlaustas - ky, Vytautas Mikeliūnas - v, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Marijus Aleksa - dr
Judita Bartoševičienė VMJ 001, 2004 (CD)
Free Spirits: Jazz from Lithuania 2005
"Burlesque"
Contra Jazz: Danielius Praspaliauskis - sax, Arūnas Šlaustas - ky, Vytautas Mikeliūnas - v, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Marijus Aleksa - dr
Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre LMIPCCD 026, 2005 (CD)
Lithuanian Jazz 1980-1990
"Promenade"
Šarūnas Gurstis - ts, Arūnas Šlaustas - p, Arnoldas Gurinavičius - db, Arvydas Vainius - dr
Semplice SECD014, 2005 (CD)
As a performer of academic music
Feliksas Bajoras. Ex tempore
"Suite of Stories"
Gintarė Skerytė - S, Arūnas Šlaustas - p
"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
Onutė Narbutaitė. "Beads"
Ex tempore: Gintarė Skerytė - S, Danielius Praspaliauskis - sax, Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, Arnoldas Gurinavičius - db, Arūnas Šlaustas - p, Saulius Astrauskas - perc
Nomeda Valančiūtė. "Circulus vitiosus"
Ex tempore: Vytautas Pilibavičius - tb, Arnoldas Gurinavičius - db, Arūnas Šlaustas - p
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
Vytautas V. Jurgutis. "Zoom"
Vilnius String Quartet: Audronė Vainiūnaitė - v, Petras Kunca - v, Girdutis Jakaitis - va, Augustinas Vasiliauskas - vc + Arnoldas Gurinavičius - db, Arūnas Šlaustas - hpd
Bronius Kutavičius. "Clocks of the Past II"
Mindaugas Juozapavičius - fl, Robertas Beinaris - ob, Yury Reznichenko - cl, Andrius Puplauskis - bn, Marius Rancovas - hn, Algirdas Januševičius - tp, Vygantas Šilinskas - tb, Arūnas Šlaustas - p, Ieva Sipaitytė - v, Eglė Jurašūnaitė - v, Robertas Bliškevičius - va, Vidas Jackūnas - vc, Arnoldas Gurinavičius - db, cond. Mindaugas Piečaitis
Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre LMIPCCD 011-012, 2002 (CD)
Bronius Kutavičius: The Gates of Jerusalem
"Eastern Gates"
Eugenija Budzila - v, Birutė Bagdonienė - va, Sergejus Okruško - p, Arūnas Šlaustas - p, Algimantas Pauliukevičius - g, Paulius Koncė - rec, Vilija Filmanavičienė - rec, Marius Pupkovas - rec, cond. Donatas Katkus
Dreyer.Gaido 21003, 2001 (CD)