A guitarist and composer
Samo Šalamon is »one of the most talented young guitarists and composers on today’s jazz scene,« was written in All About Jazz. Among other things, the Penguin Guide to Jazz encyclopedia ranked him as one of the world’s best jazz composers and the renowned American magazine Guitar Player among the ten hottest new guitarists in the world.
So far he has created over 250 compositions and released 30 albums as a leader for recognized labels, such as Fresh Sound New Talent (Spain), Steeplechase Records (Danmark) in Splasch Records (Italy), Clean Feed Records (Portugal), NotTwo Records (Poland), Založba Sanje (Slovenija), Klopotec (Slovenija) and Založba Goga (Slovenija).
In 2011 the prestigious publishing house Penguin Books has ranked his CD Ornethology among the 1001 best albums in the history of jazz along the jazz giants, such as Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Charlie Parker and others. Samo Šalamon is the only Slovenian musician who can boast with such an achievement!
He played, recorded and toured with recognized jazz stars and musicians, including John Scofield, Tim Berne, Paul McCandless, Mark Turner, Michel Godard, John Hollenbeck, Drew Gress, Nguyen Le, Tony Malaby, Mark Helias, Tom Rainey, Dave Binney, Josh Roseman, John Hebert, Donny McCaslin, Stefano Battaglia, Dominique Pifarely, Gerald Cleaver, Bruno Chevillon, Loren Stillman, John O’Gallagher, Julian Arguelles, Carlo DeRosa, Tyshawn Sorey, Matt Brewer, Alex Machacek, Manu Codjia, Mikkel Ploug, Luciano Biondini, Jim Mullen, Rudi Mahall, Sabir Mateen, Fareed Haque, Rudy Linka, Paolino Dalla Porta, Ares Tavolazzi, Roberto Dani, Joris Teepe, Bruno Cesselli, Zlatko Kaucic, Salvatore Maiore, Kyle Gregory, Emanuele Cisi, Gianluca Petrella, Dejan Terzic, Wilbert de Joode …
He regularly performs in many world-renowned clubs across Europe (Slovenia, Italy, Germany, Austria, UK, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Croatia, Macedonia, Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic) and the USA.
Discography
-Samo Šalamon trio feat. Igor Matković in Kristijan Krajnčan: Rare Ebb (Samo Records, 2020)
-Samo Šalamon trio feat. Igor Matković in Kristijan Krajnčan: Common Flow (Samo Records, 2020)
-Rotten Girlz: Punk You (Samo Records, 2019)
-Samo Šalamon, Szilard Mezei in Jaka Berger: Swirling Blind Unstilled (Klopotec Records, 2019)
-Samo Šalamon Bassless Trio feat. Tony Malaby in Roberto Dani: Traveling Moving Breathing (Clean Feed Records, 2018)
-Duo Samo Šalamon / Stefano Battaglia: Pure Magic (Alessa Records, 2018)
-Duo Samo Šalamon / Howard Levy: Peaks of Light (Samo Records, 2018)
-Samo Šalamon, Achille Succi, Szilard Mezei: Free Sessions – Planets of Kei (NotTwo Records, 2017)
-Samo Šalamon Sextet: The Colours Suite (Clean Feed Records, 2017)
-Duo Samo Šalamon / Stefano Battaglia: wind(S) (Klopotec Records, 2016)
-Samo Šalamon Bassless Trio feat. Julian Arguelles in John Hollenbeck: Unity (Samo Records, 2015)
-Samo Šalamon Bassless Trio feat. Paul McCandless in Roberto Dani: Little River (Samo Records, 2015)
-Samo Šalamon, Manu Codjia in Mikkel Ploug: Ives (Samo Records, 2014)
-Samo Šalamon in Komorni godalni orkester Slovenske filharmonije: Orchestrology (KGOSF, 2014)
-Samo Šalamon Bassless Quartets: 2 Alto (Steeplechase, 2014)
-Samo Šalamon Quartets: Stretching Out (Samo Records, 2013
-Samo Šalamon Trio feat. Michel Godard, Roberto Dani: Eleven Stories (Samo Records, 2012)
-Samo Šalamon Bassless Trios: Duality (Samo Records, 2011)
-Samo Šalamon Trio feat. Drew Gress in Tom Rainey: Almost Almond (Sanje, 2011)
-Samo Šalamon Trio feat. Michel Godard, Roberto Dani: Live! (Samo Records, 2009)
-Samo Šalamon in Aljoša Jerič Quartete: Mamasaal feat. Mark Turner (Dometra Records, 2008)
-Samo Šalamon European Quartet: Fall Memories (Splasch Records, 2007)
-Samo Šalamon European Quartet feat. Michel Godard: Nano (Goga Records, 2007)
-Samo Šalamon NYC Quintet: Government Cheese (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2006)
-Samo Šalamon New Quartet: Kei’s Secret (Splasch Records, 2006)
-Samo Šalamon Quartet: Two Hours (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2006)
-Samo Šalamon Sextet: Ela’s Dream (Splasch Records, 2005)
-Samo Šalamon Quartet: Ornethology (Samo Records SSCD 03, Statera, 2003
-Ansasa Trio: Arabian Picnic (Samo Records SSCD 02, Statera, 2002)
Current projects
· Samo Šalamon/Igor Matković/Kristijan Krajnčan Trio: Samo Šalamon – guitar; Igor Matković – trumpet; Kristijan Krajnčan – drums
· Samo Šalamon & Howard Levy Trio: Howard Levy – accordion; Samo Šalamon – guitar; Bojan Krhlanko – drums
· Fresh Dust Trio: Jaka Berger – drums; Samo Šalamon – guitar; Marina Džukljev – piano
· Rotten GirlZ: Samo Šalamon – electric bass, loops; Achille Succi – alto saxophone, bas clarinet; Eva Poženel – voice, Bojan Krhlanko – drums
· Samo Šalamon in 30-članski Takt Ars Guitar Orchestra: Achille Succi – alto sax; Daniel Marinič – akordeon; Boštjan Gombač – clarinet; Nino Mureškič – percussion; Denis Jančič – drums; plus 26 guitars and 2 bass guitars
· Samo Šalamon/Szilard Mezei/Achille Succi: Achille Succi – alot saxsophone; Samo Šalamon – guitar; Szilard Mezei – viola
Past projects
· Samo Šalamon/Jaka Berger/Szilard Mezei: Samo Šalamon – guitar; Jaka Berger – drums, percussion; Szilard Mezei – viola (2018)
· Samo Šalamon Bassless Trio: Samo Šalamon – electric bass; Tony Malaby – tenor saxophone; Roberto Dani – percussion (2017)
· People Like You!: Samo Šalamon – electric bass; Dre Hočevar – drums; Domen Gnezda – electric guitar (2016)
· Samo Šalamon Bassless Trio: Samo Šalamon – guitar; Paul McCandless – soprano saxophone, oboe; Roberto Dani – percussion (2013–2016)
· Samo Šalamon Bassless Trio:: Samo Šalamon – guitar; Julian Arguelles – tenor and soprano saxophone; John Hollenbeck – drums (2014–2015)
· Samo Šalamon/Paul McCandless/Zlatko Kaučič: Samo Šalamon – guitar; Paul McCandless – oboe; Zlatko Kaučič – percussion
· Samo Šalamon Bassless Quartete: Samo Šalamon – electric bass; Loren Stillman, John O’Gallagher –alto saxophone; Roberto Dani – drums, percussion
Pedagogue
· Takt ars, Samo Šalamon’s Music School, Maribor
»An adventurous guitarist who continues to find new ways to challenge his instrument by providing new contexts that expand his sound and compositions. « (Jakob Baekgaard, AllAboutJazz , 2014)
»His restless and bold creative spirit and his impeccable musicianship both as a composer and performer is what makes him one of the most singularly exceptional jazz musicians to come out of the European scene.« (Hrayr Attarian, AllAboutJazz, USA, 2014)
»Samo Salamon has developed his very own style and with each record, he adds and peels away new layers of his sound. He is like a painter that explores new instrumental colors.« (AllAboutJazz, USA, 2015)
»Much like his contemporaries Kurt Rosenwinkel and Ben Monder, Salamon is forging ahead with a new standard of jazz guitar that is accessible and beyond established categorizations. « (John Barron, Jazz Word
2011)
www.samosalamon.com