Erik Rothenstein is a jazz baritone saxophonist, composer, arranger and pedogogue. As a leader of Erik Rothenstein band he concentrates on modern mainstream jazz combined with ethnic elements of middle-eastern and southern Europe. The band cooperates with various Slovak and international musicians, singers or beat box artist. His band was touring in Europe and Latin America. With pianist Zita Sopková he founded Lento Ad Astra a group oriented on european classical music build on interesting arragements, new compositions from slovak contemporary composers and connection to improvisation. He was a founder of world music group Babele Beat Band and is also leading Ansambel SO36 – group playing contemporary music and compositions from Slovak composers.
Erik started as a child to play clarinet and later alto saxophone. He played in local rock groups and later with Pressburger Klezmer band. From this time he was strong influenced by klezmer and ethnic music of middle-eastern Europe. He also startetd to play jazz and at the age of 18 he decided to study saxophone on Bratislava conservatory. Afterwards he moved to Austria to Graz academy jazz department where he took baritone saxophone as his primary instrument. He also started to work on his author´s compositions, arragements and discover other music cultures.
Beside his work as a band leader Erik is active as a sideman, big band player and arranger. He is a member of Matúš Jakabčic CZ-SK Big band. He also cooperated with Gustáv Brom Orchestra, Višegrád Jazz Big band and with classical orchestras Slovak Radio orchestra, Slovak Philharmony, Sinfonieta Žilina, Melos Ethos ensemble. He is a member of Michal Motýľ Tentet and a founder of Pressburger klezmer Band.
As a arranger and composer he cooperated with company PS Production, CZ-SK Big Band M.Jakabčica Michal Motýľ tentet, Hanka Gregušová, Pressburger Klezmer Band, Robo Opatovský, NikiStein Jazz Sextet and others. He is also active as a music journalist for newspaper Music Life and web portal skjazz.sk. He works also as a music teacher and organizes saxophone workshops. Erik is a author of first Slovak Saxophone school- book The Progresive saxophone method. In 2019 he was prised by Music found with Ladislav Martoník price for original and creative composition and arranging work.
Euro Jazz Mexiko, Guatemala Jazz festival, Morelia Jazztival Michuacan-Mexiko, Bratislava Jazz Days, Bratislava music festival, Kubín music Spring, Melos-Ethos– festival of contemporary music, Bažant Pohoda, Jazz fest Brno, Bohemia jazz festival, Jazz goes to town - Hradec Králové, Czechoslovak jazz festival Přerov, Valjevo jazz festival Serbia, Novi Sad jazz festival Serbia, Ljubljana festival Slovenia, Zagreb jazz festival Croatia, Zabrze jazz festival Poland, Poysdorf Wine & Jazz summer Austria
ERIK ROTHENSTEIN BAND:
Prater Menuet (2005), The Fools of Chelm (2012), Rio Danubio (2015). Schumann Resonance ft. Jorge Pardo (2022)
LENTO AD ASTRA: Playing „Šach“ with Mr.Bach (2013), Made in SK (2022)
ANSAMBEL SO36: Black Swan (2020), Velvet (2022)
BABELE BEAT BAND: BuBu Forest (2022)
as sideman:
Melos Ethos Ensemble (Works of young Slovak composers) (2005), Slovak for Warsaw Autumn(2006)
Matúš Jakabčic CZ-SK Big Band: Jazz na Hrade (2009)
Pressburger Klezmer Band: ...mit Liebe (2007)
Groove Brothers: Groove Brothers (2011)
Michal Motýľ Tentet: Sunflowers (2013)
music education:
Conservatory in Bratislava Slovakia,
Kunst Universität Graz Austria – jazz department,
Academy of Arts Banská Bystrica Slovakia – classical department
