Kestutis Vaiginis – saxophone Dmitrij Golovanov – piano Mick Hutton – double bass Marijus Aleksa – drums Kęstutis Vaiginis – saxophone player, one of the most talented saxophonists of the young generation in Lithuania Kęstutis Vaiginis presents his own original compositions in this project. The musician, who plays soprano and tenor saxophones and flute, stands out for his clear and controlled sound, lyricism and passion. Kęstutis rapidly established himself on the Lithuanian jazz scene, having performed with the musicians of his generation and with more experienced ones from Lithuania and abroad. The list of his stage partners includes Barbara Dennerlein, Daniel Messina, Hernan Romero, David Berkman, Randal Corsen, Bilal Karaman, Burak Bedikyan, Herbie Kopf, Joonas Haavisto and others. He performed his own music not only at home, but also in the Netherlands, Spain, France, Malaysia, Brazil, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, China, the USA and Turkey. K. Vaiginis plays original compositions which are noted for a combination of influences ranging from modern jazz to classical music. His music carries the sounds of Latin, be-bop, African music, and the influence of jazz legends such as John Coltrane, Branford Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, David Sanchez and others. He is a winner of various national and international competitions. In 2010 he was awarded the Gran Prix of the Birštonas Jazz Festival for his significant contribution to Lithuanian jazz. He graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre and honed his skills in Prince Claus Conservatorium, Amsterdam School of Arts (the Netherlands) and Manhattan School of Music (New York).

One of the most famous saxophonist Steve Wilson (New York) described the K.Vaiginis’ CD “Unexpected Choices” in a following way: “Unexpected Choices” brings anticipated joy from the music of Kestutis Vaiginis. His vision is wide-ranging from the subtle to the provocative, rooted in an appreciation of tradition and yet looking forward. Kestutis is developing a highly personal voice that is primed to make a significant contribution” Steve Wilson