Eugenijus Kanevičius (b. 1959) is a bassist of a wide and diverse style ranging from radical free to melodious mainstream. His playing attests to a refined harmonic and polyphonic thinking, and his original compositions reveal a distinctive musical philosophy, especially in his sacral jazz projects. To expand the timbral range of acoustic and electric bass, he employs electronic additions, guitar, trumpet, percussion and voice.
Kanevičius has been on jazz stage since 1988 and has performed with nearly all established Lithuanian jazz artists: Skirmantas Sasnauskas, Dainius Pulauskas, Tomas Kutavičius, Liudas Mockūnas, Jan Maksimowicz, Arkady Gotesman, Petras Vyšniauskas, Arvydas Jofė, Egidijus Buožis, Artūras Anusauskas. He has collaborated with Vladimir Tarasov's Lithuanian Art Orchestra, Kaunas Big Band and Vilnius Jazz Quartet. The bassist also performs solo and in duos.
In recent years he has been teaming with the saxophonist Vytautas Labutis and performing with young Lithuanian jazz innovators, such as Traffic Quartet. As part of different projects, the bassist has participated in a number of jazz festivals in Lithuania and abroad, JazzBaltica and Pori Jazz among them.
Kanevičius is also a welcome member of international jazz groups; currently he collaborates with Estonian musicians, the Raivo Tafenau Group and the Estonian Dream Big Band, on a constant basis.
The bassist has composed a number of songs, chants and instrumental pieces, also music for cinema and theatre.
© Jūratė Kučinskaitė
COMPOSITIONS
Music for drama performances "Baron in the Tree", "Nightingale", "Lord of the Flies", "Mary Poppins", "Lucky Prince" (all staged at the Alytus Drama Theatre)
Music for films "Sunset in Lithuania", "Skaruliai", "True Stories", "Challenge"
Instrumental pieces (over 30)
