Detroit born baritone saxophonist ALEX HARDING, and Transylvanian expat and New York City based pianist LUCIAN BAN have been at the forefront of contemporary jazz for more than two decades, collaborating and founding several groups together, releasing a handful of diverse albums for American and European labels, performing countless concerts and tours in US and Europe all the while documenting an amazing body of music.
With DARK BLUE (out on Sunnyside Records)the two musicians are celebrating their musical brotherhood with a unique amalgamation of original pieces and improvisations informed by traditions of jazz, blues, and European chamber music. From avant blues to spontaneous improv pieces, from original pieces to ballads that channel Sun Ra (Alex is a frequent collaborator with the famed Arkestra) , DARK BLUE represents a stunning document of two artists at their maturity, two old friends conversing in the language of modern jazz. As legendary tuba player Howard Johnson writes in the liner notes for the album: “Lucian and Alex have been honing their duo craft for some years. Now they have become one voice when they want to and still manage to complement each other”
From their 2001 debut duet “Somethin’ Holy“ to the 2006 “Tuba Project” and the 2024BLUTOPIA album featuring legendary Bob Stewart, from Alex’s 2006 “The Calling” quartet album featuring Nasheet Waits to the 2008 “Romanian - American Jazz Suite” album co-lead with soprano sax master Sam Newsome, the musical partnership between Mr Harding and Lucian Ban knows no boundaries. In 2003 their co-lead ensemble Lumination featuring drum legend Barry Altschul was voted “BEST SHOW OF THE YEAR” by All About Jazz Magazine in New York among concerts by Cecil Taylor, Joe Lovano and others. Their releases have been constantly praised by jazz writers throughout the years.