Dainius Pulauskas

One of Lithuania’s most distinguished jazz personalities, Dainius Pulauskas is a pianist, keyboard player, renowned group leader and original composer. Jazz critic Jan Patterson, in his article in portal All About Jazz (October 10, 2011), described this group as “a unique sextet whose mixture of melody and muscle, lyricism and the unexpected, places it firmly at the forefront of progressive European jazz-fusion.” and the group leader is characterized as  “pianist/keyboardist Pulauskas is without a doubt, one of the most interesting composers at the fusion end of European jazz, and has been at the helm of this sextet for seventeen years”. "Pulauskas together with his colleagues makes the best ever possible fusion. Diversity of their musical expression is overwhelming. It is head over heels of audacious swings and rhythms, and... the most real, unadorned jazz. (...) It's been long time since I heard such talented jazz masters," – writes Swedish reviewer Bo Levender. D. Pulauskas has created around 1000 arrangements of various orchestras and ensembles: symphony orchestra, brass orchestra, big band, chamber orchestra, string quartet, jazz and pop groups.

Jūratė Kučinskaitė

Baltic saga - Vievis

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Baltic saga - Vievis

Orca - Virgo

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Orca - Virgo

Evening Songs-Lullabies - Liūliai, dukrelį

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Evening Songs-Lullabies - Liūliai, dukrelį

Biography

Dainius Pulauskas (b. 1960), an accomplished pianist, keyboard player, outstanding band leader and composer plays a defining role on the Lithuanian jazz scene. The success of his groups has rested largely on his compositions - eloquent tone poems, performed on electronic and acoustic instruments and imbued with northern serenity and romantic moods.
 
Jazz critic Jan Patterson, in his article portal All About Jazz (October 10, 2011) , this group described as “The Dainius Pulauskas Group is a unique sextet whose mixture of melody and muscle, lyricism and the unexpected, places it firmly at the forefront of progressive European jazz-fusion.” and the group leader is characterized as  “pianist/keyboardist Pulauskas is without a doubt, one of the most interesting composers at the fusion end of European jazz, and has been at the helm of this sextet for seventeen years”

"Pulauskas together with his colleagues makes the best ever possible fusion. Diversity of their musical expression is overwhelming. It is head over heels of audacious swings and rhythms, and... the most real, unadorned jazz. Obviously, the leader and the pianist of the group Pulauskas and his friends are excellent arrangers; there is always a room for improvisation left in their precisely planned arrangements. (...) It's been long time since I heard such talented jazz masters," - writes Swedish reviewer Bo Levender.

Dainius Pulauskas born in the town of Vievis, the musician learned playing piano and violin at the local children's music school. He majored in piano at the Vilnius Conservatory and the Lithuanian Academy of Music. Still a student, he won the Piano Improvisation Competition in 1980. Since 1981 he started playing with the orchestra Oktava. With Oktava he has toured numerous countries and has tried his hand in arranging and composing. In 1990 the pianist emerged on jazz stage with Skirmantas Sasnauskas Quartet. Pulauskas has performed with many Lithuanian and foreign jazz musicians. Dainius Pulauskas occasionally presents solo programs and has released a solo album Moods (2000). He has been featured by the international jazz piano festivals (Piano Stars Festival Liepaja, in Latvia, 1991, and the International Jazz Pianists Festival in Prague, 2001). Pulauskas performing with horn player Arkady Shilkloper, trumpeter Valery Ramoška, folk singer Veronika Povilioniene, is a member of Lithuanian Radio and Television Jazz Group. In 2008 D. Pulauskas was invited to represent Lithuania in the “Baltic Jazz Trio”, which plays the most prominent jazz musicians from the three Baltic countries - Maris Briežkalns from Latvia, and Toivo Unt from Estonia.

Since 1996 he has been leader and composer with his own Dainius Pulauskas Group. During the years of its existence D.P.G. participated in many prestigious European, Asian, African and American jazz festivals.

The merits of the musician have been recognized by a number of awards. In 1998 he became the first and only jazz musician to receive the Bravo Award as the top Lithuanian jazzman. In 1999 his arrangement of John Lennon and Paul McCartney's song "Yesterday" won the Grand Prix of the Yesterday Pärnu International Competition in Estonia. In 2000 he received the Birstonas Jazz Festival Grand Prix. In 2001 Dainius Pulauskas Sextet was awarded the Gold Disc of the Lithuanian Musicians' Union, and in 2004 the LT Identity award of the Lithuanian Institute, recognizing their contribution to promoting Lithuanian jazz. “Vilnius Jazz” festival Award for contributions to the Lithuanian jazz culture (Lithuania 2010). 2016 Dainius Pulauskas  got “Kaunas Jazz Award”.

Jūratė Kučinskaitė

About Dainius Pulauskas Group

pulajazz@yahoo.com

Tel: +370 698 00942

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)

 

Penetration
Dainius Pulauskas Sextet: Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Rimantas Brazaitis - ts, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - perc
Dainius Pulauskas DP-1, 1997 (CD)

 

1999
Dainius Pulauskas Sextet: Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Vytautas Labutis - reeds, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - perc + guest: Rimantas Brazaitis - ts
Dainius Pulauskas DP-2, 1999 (CD)

 

Autumn Suite
Dainius Pulauskas Sextet: Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Vytautas Labutis - reeds, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - perc
Litus Agency LAAS CD99001, 1999 (CD)

 

Moods
Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth
Dainius Pulauskas DP-3, 2000 (CD)

 

Parallel Lines
Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, perc, Dainius Pulauskas - ky
Litus Agency, LAAS CD01002, 2001 (CD)

 

Colours
Dainius Pulauskas Group: Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Vytautas Labutis - as, ss, bcl, Rimantas Brazaitis - ts, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - perc
Dainius Pulauskas DP-4, 2004 (CD)

 

Trajectories
Concert in Lithuanian National Philarmonic Hall 2002.12.30
Dainius Pulauskas solo – p, synth
Dainius Pulauskas sextet: Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Vytautas Labutis - as, ss, bcl, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman – perc.
Dainius Pulauskas – p, synth, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, perc.
Intervid IVDVD-003, 2004 (DVD)

 

Orca
Dainius Pulauskas Group: Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Rimantas Brazaitis - saxes, Eugenijus Jonavičius - g, Herbie Kopf - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - perc
Lithuanian National Radio LRCD0040, 2007 (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)

 

Namo
Veronika Povilionienė - voice: 1-7, 11, 12, 14, 15
Lithuanian Army Orchestra, conductor Dainius Pavilionis - 1-7, 11, 12, 15
Dainius Pulauskas - keyboards: 1-7, 15
Arkady Shilkloper - Alpine horn: 1
Folklore group Blezdinga - 1, 2, 5-7, 11, 15
Adelė Miškinytė - voice: 11
Jurga Česnienė, Liongina Gudelienė, Rolanda Valenčiūtė - voices: 1, 2, 4, 6, 15
Valerijus Ramoška - trumpet, fliugelhorn: 8-10, 13
Linas Būda - drums: 14
Gaila Kirdelienė - fiddle: 8-10, 12
Arvydas Kirda - bandoneon: 8-10, 12
Saulius Balandis - voice: 11,12
Jonas Čepulis - voice: 11, 13
Svaras - voice: 11
Veronika Povilionienė 2008 (СD)

 

Vilnius - in the palm of your hand!
Sutaras & Dainius Pulauskas Group
Lithuanian Folk'n'Roll Project
Kukū Records SMF-042, 2008 (CD)

 

Live From Lithuanian Radio's Studio, 02.10.2009 Vilnius
Dainius Pulauskas Group: Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flghn, Rimantas Brazaitis - ts, Kęstutis Vaiginis - ss, as, ts, Leonid Šinkarenko – b, Arkady Gotesman – perc, Linas Būda – dr
Dainius Pulauskas DP-5, 2009 (DVD)

 

Mixtum compositum
Dainius Pulauskas Group: Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Kęstutis Vaiginis – as, ss, Rimantas Brazaitis - ts, Leonid Šinkarenko - b, Linas Būda – dr
Featuring: Arkady Gotesman – perc.-1,6,7, Skirmantas Sasnauskas – trb.-8,
Čiurlionis String Quartet: Jonas Tankevičius (I violin)-4,8, Darius Dikšaitis (II violin)-4,8, Gediminas Dačinskas (viola)-4,8, Saulius Lipčius (cello)-4,8,
Dainius Pulauskas DP-6, 2010 (CD)

 

Sveikinu tave
LRT Group: Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Rimantas Brazaitis – ss, as, ts, Leonid Šinkarenko - b, Tomas Varnagiris – g, Linas Būda – dr
Featuring: Skirmantas Sasnauskas – trb.-1,4,12,14,  Jievaras Jasinskis – trb.-7,11,
Vocal: Rosita Čivilytė, Neda Malūnavičiūtė, Donatas Montvydas, Egidijus Sipavičius, Viktoras Malinauskas, Česlovas Gabalis, Jeronimas Milius.
Back vocal: Girmantė Vaitkutė, Elzė Zaveckienė, Monika Cikanavičiūtė, Linas Būda, Balys Ragėnas.
Dainius Pulauskas / Jolantas Milišauskaitė DP-7, 2011 (CD)

 

Mažasis Princas  (The Little Prince)
Musical performance for kids and adults
Vilnius region for people with disabilities union theater troupe "Lašai"
Composer Dainius Pulauskas
Vilnius region for people with disabilities union 2011 (СD)

 

Singing birds
Dainius Pulauskas - compositions, keyboards
Bird sounds recorded by Vidmantas Blažys
Dainius Pulauskas DP-8, 2012 (CD)

 

Zig Zag
Dainius Pulauskas Group: Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth., Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn., Kęstutis Vaiginis – s.alt. sax. fl., Liutauras Janušaitis – ts., Domas Aleksa – b., Linas Būda – dr.
Featuring: Arkady Gotesman – perc. (2,3,4,5,6,7,8), Vytautas Labutis – b. cl. (4,5,6), Tomas Varnagiris – el.g (1), ac.g. (8)
Dainius Pulauskas DP-9, 2015 (CD)

The Best of 20 Years
1 СD
Dainius Pulauskas Group:  Dainius Pulauskas – p. synth., Valerijus Ramoška – trp. flug., Vladislav Borkovski – b., Arcady Gotesman – perc., Linas Būda – dr., Rimantas Brazaitis – t.sax. AKAI EWI (1,2,3,6,9,10), Vytautas Labutis – s. alt. sax; b.cl.  (2,3,4,7,8,9,10)
Dainius Pulauskas  DP10, 2016 (CD)
2 СD
Dainius Pulauskas Group:  Dainius Pulauskas – p. synth., Valerijus Ramoška – trp. flug., Linas Būda – dr., Rimantas Brazaitis – t.sax. (1,2,4,5,11), Liutauras Janušaitis – t.sax. (6,7,8,10),  Kęstutis Vaiginis - s. alt. sax. (1,5,6,7,8,10), Vytautas Labutis –b.cl. (10), Eugenijus Jonavičius – g. (2,4,11), Neda Malūnavičiūtė – voc.(3), Leonid  Šinkarenko – b. (1,2,3,5),  Herbie Kopf – b. (2,4,11), Domas Aleksa – b. (6,7,8,9,10),  Arcady Gotesman – perc. (2,4,6,7,9,10,11), Jolanta Milišauskaitė – lyrics (3)
Dainius Pulauskas  DP10, 2016 (CD)

 

As a group member

 

Lithuanian Moods
Skirmantas Sasnauskas Quartet: Skirmantas Sasnauskas - tb, folk instr, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Eugenijus Kanevičius - db, Gediminas Laurinavičius - dr
Bomba Records BBMC 004, 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)

 

Danielius and Jazz Trio
Danielius Praspaliauskis - sax, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr
Bomba Records BBMC 039, 1995 (MC)

 

Duo
Danielius Praspaliauskis - sax, Linas Rimša - ky, harm, programming, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, programming
Pūkas 183, 1995 (MC)

 

Sagittarius
Leonid Shinkarenko Jazz 4: Vytautas Labutis - as, ss, Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth, Leonid Shinkarenko - b, db, Linas Būda - dr
Bonifa Records 05397, 1997 (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)

 

Singing and Swinging
Skirmantas Sasnauskas and Friends: Skirmantas Sasnauskas - voc, tb, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, perc, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr, and others
Skirmantas Sasnauskas, 2000 (CD)

 

Le Bolero
Leonid Shinkarenko Jazz 7: Neda Malūnavičiūtė - voc, fl, Vytautas Labutis - as, bs, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Leonid Shinkarenko - b, Darius Rudis - dr, Pavel Giunter - perc, vib
Leo Music 001, 2001 (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)

 

Baltic saga
Baltic Jazz Trio: Dainius Pulauskas - p, Toivo Unt - db, Maris Briezkalns – dr.
Contemporary Music Center  MMC-005,  2009 (CD)

 

Island
Shinkarenko Jazz 5: Vytaustas Labutis - as,ss, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Dainius Pulauskas - p, synth, Linas Būda – dr, Leonid Shinkarenko – b, fr.b.
Leonid Shinkarenko Leo music-003, 2011 (CD)

 

Mikalojui Konstantinui Čiurlioniui Atminti (In Memory of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis)
Veronika Povilionienė
Dainius Pulauskas
Čiurlionio kvartetas
Živilė Karkauskaitė
Mindaugas Urbaitis
Juosta Records JRCD 031, 2011 (CD)

 

In compilations

 

The Artgenda Music
"Babrungas"
Danielius Praspaliauskis - sax, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr
Artgenda, 1996 (CD)

 

Gold Disc 2001
"Moon" / "Samba" / "Mirage"
Dainius Pulauskas Sextet: Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Vytautas Labutis - ss, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - perc
Lithuanian Musicians' Union LMSMB CD-024, 2001 (CD)

 

Strike Up the Light
"Penetration" / "13/8"
Dainius Pulauskas Sextet: Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Rimantas Brazaitis - ts, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - perc
"Samba"
Dainius Pulauskas Sextet: Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Vytautas Labutis - ss, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - perc
DOKA Media DM-DOKA-03, 2003 (CD)

 

Jazzy Lithuania
"Parallel Lines"
Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, perc, Dainius Pulauskas - ky
"Stream"
Dainius Pulauskas Sextet: Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Vytautas Labutis - saxes, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - perc
"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"
"Le Bolero"
Leonid Shinkarenko Jazz 7: Neda Malūnavičiūtė - voc, Vytautas Labutis - saxes, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Leonid Shinkarenko - b, Darius Rudis - dr, Pavel Giunter - perc
Judita Bartoševičienė VMJ 001, 2004 (CD)

 

Free Spirits: Jazz from Lithuania 2005
"Green"
Dainius Pulauskas Group: Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Vytautas Labutis - ss, Rimantas Brazaitis - ts, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - perc
"After You Are Gone"
Vytautas Labutis - ss, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Dainius Pulauskas - p, Leonid Shinkarenko - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - perc
Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre LMIPCCD 026, 2005 (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)

 

Laureates of the "Birštonas" Jazz Festivals
"Red"
Dainius Pulauskas Group: Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, flhn, Vytautas Labutis - as, Rimantas Brazaitis - ts, Vladislav Borkovski - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - perc
"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)

 

Note Lithuania: Jazz

"Expromtum"

Dainius Pulauskas Group: Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Rimantas Brazaitis - ts, Eugenijus Jonavičius - g, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Herbie Kopf - b, Linas Būda - dr, Arkady Gotesman - perc

"Le Bolero"
Leonid Shinkarenko Jazz 7: Neda Malūnavičiūtė - voc, Vytautas Labutis - saxes, Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Leonid Shinkarenko - b, Darius Rudis - dr, Pavel Giunter - perc

Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre LMIPCCD+DVD 002, 2007 (CD)

 

Note Lithuania: Folk
"Flour Mill"
Dainius Pulauskas Group: Valerijus Ramoška - tp, Rimantas Brazaitis - sax, Dainius Pulauskas - ky, Leonid Shinkarenko - b, Linas Būda - dr + folk music band "Sutaras"
Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre LMIPCCD+DVD 001, 2007 (CD)