Riga Groove Electro

This is how they play jazz in Europe today. - Russian TV

This is called fusion. I would say, it’s a bold experiment that requires great responsibility. Because mixing it all together demands great talent, thoughtfulness and serious approach. And I believe this band succeeds in it. - David Goloschokin, Art Director of St. Petersburg Jazz Philharmonic Hall

Deniss Pashkevich – sax, flute, bass-clarinet
Madars Kalninsh – rhodes-piano, keyboard
Norberts Skraucis – electro-bass
Kaspars Grigalis – percussion

Roots…
RGE is an alliance of musicians based in jazz and funk traditions. They are joined by the same passion to create music full of life and color. Their musical development was splashed by multicolor influence of such stars as Coltrane, Miles Davis Electric Band, James Brown, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Joe Zawinul, Elvin Jones, Pat Metheny, Ornette Coleman, Eddie Harris… and they were able to fuse it into their own unique musical creation. All musicians of the band have great roots in classical and jazz education. All of them are educators, composers and arrangers.

Directions…
In recent years RGE has been moving in several directions – instrumental music, composing, recording, producing and having different projects with soloists from all over the world:
Strong instumentalists they have cooperated with one of the most popular DJs in the Baltics – DJ Monsta and American/Puetorican guitarist Neff Irizarry, resulting in the record of “Golden Sun” album in 2007, composed and arranged by Deniss Pashkevich and RGE in the best traditions of free funk and contemporary music.
During the last years RGE has made several studio records. It has also been an accompanying band for popular Latvian projects (“Give a dream” – charity for children; Intars Busulis project – “Shades of kiss”; Inga Berzina solo project – “Ballades”; Nordic Spring, JAZZ Latvia 2008 (MIDEM) etc.)
In their concerts they also use visual art in cooperation with best VJs from Hypnosis group.
Their most recent project was Balticness. RGE toured eleven Baltic Sea countries, comping for all their soloists and representing Latvia together with Latvia’s face in this project – Yolanta Gulbe. This brought to further fruitful cooperation between Yolanta and RGE. The project produced a unique CD “Balticness”, encompassing the language of music of all these countries.
Along with intensive studio work and concerts, RGE participants actively take part in TV-shows and charity events.

Places…
Rock Cafe and Jazzkaar – Estonia, Saulkrasti Jazz – Latvia, Birstonas Jazz – Lithuania, Don Chento Jazz – Russia, Jazz Globus – Israel, Quasimodo – Berlin, Germany, Jazz Philharmonic Hall – St-Petersburg, Russia, Jazzhouse – Copenhagen, Denmark, Fasching Jazz Club – Stockholm, Sweden, Herr Nilsen jazz club – Norway, Akwarium Jazzarium – Warsaw, Poland, Gaukur á stöng -  Reykjavik, Iceland.

Right now…
RGE is touring with Yolanta Gulbe and her project “Walking on the bright sight”. And in several of the tour concerts it cooperates with “Mirage Jazz Orchestra”. RGE has several jazz and contemporary music clinics all over Latvia.