“[He] plays like he speaks, speaks like he plays, plays like he moves, moves like he plays. That's what makes for the quality of his playing...and it can make your skin tingle.” (Harald Justin, Jazzthetic, Nov. 2006)

 

“Following in the footsteps of John Coltrane, a well-rounded player, as ecstatic as he is thoughtful and in full command of jazz technique, including the most modern.” (Ljubisa Tosic, Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde Wien, April 2005)

 

Harry Sokal. Winner of the 2005 Hans Koller "Musician of the Year" Award.

 

“... above which, Sokal knowingly sets spontaneous notes aflight, like a bird flying through the four seasons.” (Andreas Felber, Standard)

 

“You’re never safe from surprises: At times it’s the rhythm that changes; at others, the emphasis. A special treat for jazz fans.” (Rainer Guerich. InMusic, Nov. 2006)

 

“What’s in a name? Sometimes nothing more than just that. But in the case of Harry Sokal, it proves to be the key to stirring up the legendary Wiener Blut, for shedding light on jazz and reading the language of the gestures.” (Harald Justin, JazzZeit, Sept.2006)

 

“Harry Sokal is a happening.” (Harald Justin, JazzZeit, Sept.2006)

 

“When it comes to the communication between Sokal’s distinctive soprano and tenor sax and the polyrhythmic bass drum, you can only speak in superlatives ... With Depart, you can be sure that full stress is put on the melodic sides of improvisational music.” (FONOFORUM, Oct.2006)

 

When you’ve got a group of musicians who can nonchalantly -- and with utmost virtuosity -- blow, pluck, drum the most complex grooves, they need a communal outlet. And such is the case with the trio Depart, formed by the Viennese saxophonist Harry Sokal, the rhythmic, Swiss bassist Heiri Känzig and the drummer Jojo Mayer. After a pause of more than 10 years, the jazz-alpine threesome has made a brilliant comeback in the jazz club Unterfahrt. (TZ München, Oct.2006)

 

“Depart’s Reloaded sounds so exciting that it would seem as if the trio had never taken a time-out.” (FONOFORUM, Oct.2006)

 

“An acoustic trip into the ideal jazz wonderland.” (JazzZeit, Sept.2006)

 

“A major trio’s back...virtuoso, explosive, rocking.” (Mittlebayerische Zeitung, Oct.2006)

 

“An electric, pulsating mix of alpine folklore and downtown New York grooves – of whirring sax hymns and rumbling rhythms.” (Frank von Niederhaüsern, Depart CD Review, DRS Radiozeitung)

 

“And then, saxophonist Harry Sokal takes the various motifs and whips them up into a storm, blowing them through the fast jazz standards, while the others just sit back and wait for their time to shine.” (“Up” Lauda Air, 1993)