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"There have been many jazz musicians – saxophonists John Coltrane and George Brooks to name a couple – who have been intrigued by the melodic and rhythmic complexities of Hindustani classical music. Saxophonist Rainer Pusch, how!ever, belongs to the rare breed of Western musicians who have been influenced by Carnatic music. The Carnatic connection came later, but jazz caught Pusch’s interest at an early age. As a 12-year-old learning the tenor sax, a “very bad teacher” scared him into quitting lessons and starting to jam with friends. “At the age of 14 I got into jazz,” he told us. “I heard the first album by [American free jazz saxophonist] Pharaoh Sanders and this album [Pharaoh’s First] kicked me in.” Pusch got completely hooked after his brother smuggled him into The Cave, a jazz club in Heidelberg. “They had jam sessions every Tuesday,” he said. “It was 1968, the time of free jazz, underground music and the hippie era. Heidelberg was the headquarters of the US army in Europe, and there were a lot of army clubs, where I found my first steady work.” Playing for Americans every Friday and Saturday was an ideal start. It was a stroke of luck that Pusch met his “first jazz guru”, saxophonist Pony Poindexter. “Pony Poindexter’s wife worked for the army and they were living in Mannheim at the time,” Pusch said. “Pony had already subbed for Charlie Parker in Billy Eckstine’s big band, recorded with [guitarist] Wes Montgomery, the vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, and many others.” Pusch started taking lessons from Poindexter and, after a while, they started performing together. Poindexter was instrumental, in helping Pusch further his jazz education by introducing him to other American musicians. “He knew everybody,” Pusch recalled. “Through him, I met Dexter Gordon. Art Blakey sat in with us when we played an outdoor gig.” Later, in 1977, Pusch stayed with Poindexter in New York, where he met the cream of the city’s jazz scene. “He invited Philly Joe Jones to stay for two weeks in our Lower East Side loft; I met Eddie Jefferson, Bob Berg, Junior Cook,” Pusch said. He also took lessons from George Coleman, who had briefly been part of Miles Davis’s band in the early ’60s. On his return to Germany, Pusch released his first album as leader of his own outfit. However, his connection to America persisted; he would return to earn a degree in jazz composition and arrangement from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, in 1983. Pusch’s first album Journey Agent, released in 1981, was an assimilation of the styles typical of hard bop and post-bop American musicians he had met during the past decade. On the album, his quartet, which included piano, double bass and drums, performed originals and a cover of “Mixing Pot” by Brazilian musician Hermeto Pascoal. Mostly mid-tempo numbers, the tunes ranged from the ballad-like “Scientific” and earthy “B-flat Blues” to funky, Latin-inflected “Mixing”. “I’m influenced by all the players I like to listen to,” Pusch said. “That’s the secret about jazz. It isn’t only music; it’s a philosophy of personal self-development built on tolerance and the art of living in the moment.” He has performed in a variety of formats: duo, trio, quartet and big bands. Pusch is also a composer and arranger who has scored symphonic pieces for films. Pusch’s first major Indian encounter was in the late-’90s, when he performed at the Avignon Theatre Festival in France. “It had a focus on India, and members of the Kalakshetra College of Dance and Music were performing,” he said. “I got in touch with them and decided to go to Chennai to study.” Pusch received a scholarship from ICCR and moved with his family to Chennai in 1996. He would remain there for more than two years, studying Carnatic vocal from S Rajaram and rhythms from V Selvaganesh. “I got into the movie business and performed for many music directors, inclu!ding AR Rahman,” he said. There have been Carnatic saxo!phonists, like Kadri Gopalnath, before him, but Pusch is probably the first Westerner to perform the traditional south Indian style on the sax. He has also arranged compositions by Thyagaraja, Mysore Vasudeva and others, using a rhythm section comprised of guitar, bass and drums. “We respect the raga, but put it in a harmonic frame,” he said. “It’s not the style, but the attitude of the musician that counts. The future of music, art and culture lies in a respectful, well-understood and lived fusion. Not in a commercial, fast food con-fusion.”"

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"We would like to thank you for your performance at our wedding in Lisbon. It was exactly what we had imagined, you play beautifully! We loved it! It was perfect. "

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"Hi Angie, I just wanted to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much! You were amazing and everyone was so shocked and surprised (especially the bride and groom). Every song you sang was spot on and you were spoken about all night and this morning. You made their day! Thank you again and it was a pleasure to meet you"

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"Will Reyes was an amazing saxophone player. He was professional, friendly and overall fantastic. He was great with getting a play list together. He took all my suggestions and also played selections of his own. You will not be disappointed. I would give more than 5 stars if it was possible. If you want to have a great event definitely book Will. I can’t recommend him enough."

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"I just got married on Saturday and Elite Music Group was a huge part of my special day! Igor was a pleasure to work with. He arranged music for my niece who sang at our wedding and also set the music for my flower girl to do a beautiful ballet performance. We did a string quartet and Jazz trio and it was definitely worth it! Even the restaurant venue wanted to hire them for their Jazz brunch. I will definitely be keeping his contact information for future parties."

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"The sound of the Sinfonia did not remain neatly contained on the stage, but came directly to the audience in their seats to knock on the door of their hearts."

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"Benga - Party Band was amazing at our company's holiday party. Their energy was contagious, and they had everyone on their feet dancing the entire night. They even played some of our favorite songs by request. We'll definitely be hiring them again for future events. - Sarah"

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"I asked Dona Ofélia to perform a private serenade and surprise my girlfriend. Everything went perfectly! They were extremely helpful and committed to making the “surprise” happen. In addition, musically speaking, they were also excellent. I highly recommend them!"

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"excellent evening. I do not regret hiring Mr. Diorvis. thank you for your exquisite music."

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"Amazing performance and awesome job at engaging the audience. Highly recommend!"

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"Daniela è stata paziente e magnifica dal primo momento che ci siamo conosciuti. Ci ha aiutato tantissimo e mantenuto “on track” in un momento dove hai 17111017 cose a cui pensare. La nostra cerimonia era in inglese e perfetta per noi, Daniela ci ha chiesto cosa volessimo passo dopo passo. Abbiamo avuto esperienze un po’ bla, con altri fornitori e Il mio “ora” marito mi diceva “Daniela è l’unica dei fornitori che sembra che veramente sa fare il suo lavoro” e dopo esserci sposati continua a dire come lei lo abbia aiutato a calmare i suoi nervi pre cerimonia. Nonostante esserci messi in contatto meno di tre mesi dalla cerimonia e noi essendo impegnati continuamente lei è stata molto flessibile e paziente! Non c’è una nota negativa! Ci ha aiutato a rendere il nostro giorno indimenticabile!"

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"Omega Design Events truly delivered an exceptional corporate event experience for our marketing agency in Montreal. A heartfelt thank you goes to Maurice, the event planner extraordinaire, who masterfully orchestrated every aspect of the event. His attention to detail and dedication to making our vision a reality were truly remarkable. Maurice’s coordination with his team ensured that everything ran seamlessly, allowing us to focus on our clients and colleagues. The Emcee provided by Omega Design was nothing short of awesome. With charisma and charm, they kept the energy high and the atmosphere vibrant throughout the evening. Their presence added a special touch that elevated the event to another level. The photo booth was a hit among our guests, offering a fun and interactive way to capture memories. The props and personalized touches made it all the more enjoyable. Omega Design Events, along with their outstanding team truly made our corporate event one to remember. We couldn’t have asked for a more dedicated and professional team to bring our vision to life. Thank you, Omega Design, for exceeding our expectations and ensuring our event was a resounding success!"

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"Alison, Just a quick note of thanks to you and the lads for you performance at Elaine's wedding. It was exactly what we wanted. Regards Damian."

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"Such a great artist ! Lovely music ! Very talented ! "

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"Jörn und Adrian haben vom ersten Moment a die Stimmung auf unserer Hochzeit perfekt “gelesen” und spontan schon mal die Party nach dem Kaffeetrinken angeheizt. Wir haben bis spät in die Nacht getanzt und die Jungs haben einfach für eine unvergessliche Stimmung gesorgt. Danke, dass ihr so Gas gegeben habt! Zu den nächsten runden Geburtstagen seid ihr fest eingeplant😉"

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