Peter Kahlenborn “Vesica Pisces”
Graphically, Vesica Pisces describes the intersection of two overlapping circles with equal radii. Similarly, Vesica Pisces (”fish bubble”) is the description of the principle of division which, according to neuroscientists, is encountered as a basic principle in many natural processes. The original principle can be observed from the division of fertilised egg cells to phenomenon in musical oscillation to planetary occurrences. Vesica Pisces will be playing exclusively original compositions for their lineup. Complex lines and arrangements alternate with improvisations from country to new music – well, basically music full of fish bubbles!
// Peter Kahlenborn (dr), Tobias Hoffmann (g), Ralph Beerkircher (g)
Jens Düppes “kleiner Prinz”
”An improvisation about the Little Prince” is how Jens Düppe and Filippa Gojo call their concert interpretations of Saint Exupéry’s bestseller. In a transparent and always interactive way the three musicians document the travels of the little prince through the universe in five musical dialogues. The encounters of the little prince with people from other planets, some of which are quite comical, form the points of departure and reference of the improvisations. In addition to this a video that is kept minimalistic narrates the voyage.
// Filippa Gojo (voc, performance), Jens Düppe (dr, live sampling), Axel Lindner (vio, performance)
dus-ti
was formed in 2008 and is a project in constant transformation and further development. Their basic principle is: improvisation! The duo plays completely free music, without arrangements or set sequences. They include noise elements, electronics and a compromised sound as part of the nowjazz concept. Thus, dus-ti is a catalyst of endless influences which decomposes everything, allowing for new recompositions in the moment. A bomb becomes a heart-beat, beauty arises from chaos. Dus-ti plays the soundtrack of the present.
// Mirek Pyschny – Drums, fx, Pablo Giw – Trumpet, fx
Angelika Niescier „sublim“
ccording to arte kultur, Angelika Niescier is ”one of the most exciting voices in German jazz”.
In her fascinating and lively music Angelika Niescier reconciles complex themes with lyrical vibes and unsettling minimalisms. After the highly acclaimed CD ”sublim II” she managed to exceed expectations – next to the ”Vierteljahrespreis” (Quarterly Prize) by the German Record Critics, Niescier received the Echo Jazz 2010 for her production. The first class co-performers develop an equally high level of energy as their band lead, Niescier. Together they lead their multi-layered music to new adventures and show an irrepressible spirit and sheer unlimited creative potential.
// Angelika Niescier (sax), Florian Weber (p), Sebastian Räther (b), Christoph Hillmann (dr)
Laia Genc „Liaison Tonique“
Liaison Tonique forms a rich mesh-work of sound that intensifies the individual voices of the three musicians. In the atmosphere that is created stories are told and near tangible images are painted into the air through their music. In their live performances ever new magical moments of soundscapes float through time and space as fragile as soap bubbles. From lyrically modern passages over impulsively grooving songs and a playful handling of free improvisation, Liaison Tonique maxes out the supreme discipline of jazz piano trio. The greatest value is in their continuous interaction and their overwhelming delight in playing.
// Laia Genc (p), Markus Braun (b), Etienne Nillesen (dr)
Clemens Orth Trio
From the beginning of jazz, Clemens Orth has been using external musical influences to set new accents and to connect seemingly distant musical points with his improvisations. When talking with Orth, the pianist, about his work, one quickly realises that he much prefers this horizontal aspect of music. Without leaving the internal space of jazz, his melodics unfold a colourful world full of inspiration and surprises which is perfectly complemented by Joscha Oetz on the bass and Silvio Morger on the drums. In his often quite extended piano intros, Orth demonstrates his affinity to elegiac free improvisation and his love of impressionism.
// Clemens Orth (p), Joscha Oetz (b), Silvio Morger (dr)
André Nendza Quintett
After having worked with guests such as Thomas Heberer and Paolo Fresu, the ”André Nendza Quintett”, which has been successful since 2000, had the wish to firmly integrate the trumpet into their ensemble. With Stephan Meinberg, one of the most accomplished and versatile musicians on the scene, the group has grown into a quintet. After excursions to chamber music and to the limits of pop, the compositions are again more strongly infused with azz.
Jazzthetik: ”… excellent modern jazz which harnesses influences from all over the world, without burning them like cheap fuel. A confident statement full of class and spirit.”
// Stephan Meinberg (tp, flh), Claudius Valk (sax), Hendrik Soll (p), André Nendza (b), Christoph Hillmann (dr)
Tobias Christl „Wildern“
WILDERN is jazz. WILDERN plays pop. Wildern are jazz but worship some true gems of pop. This young band from Cologne uses samples from the greats such as Björk, Leonard Cohen, The Smiths or Grizzly Bear and cause quite some mischief with them. From a melancholic ballad grows a groove-monster, from orchestral pomp comes a chamber musical miniature enveloped in gooseflesh. Pop music is broken down by improvisations, it gets modulated and stood on its head – at the same time their innovative adaptations prove their respect and love of the original. Pop becomes an experiment – and jazz is recovered from the museum and returned back to the clubs.
// Tobias Christl (voc), Till Moses Kammertöns (ts), Matthias Nowak (db), Etienne Nillesen (dr)
a si & two no’s
is a ménage à trois which took its course in the summer of 2011. The two Rhine-skippers and twins, Jörg and Christian, are lying at anchor with their ship ”Seestern” in Nimwegen due to a defect in on-board electronics, when their family gets killed in a traffic accident caused by heavy rain and a grand piano. The afghan umbrella vendor, Simin, is the only one who makes it to them through the storm to deliver the sad news. While Simin wants to help them to overcome their loss with songs and stays on the defective ship, the two brothers increasingly fall into delusions about dismembering the concert piano and transforming it into other instruments.
// Simin Tander (voc), Jörg Brinkmann (cello, electr), Christian Thomé (dr, electr)
Anne Hartkamp Quintet
Their original compositions form the playing field for this ”Quintet” – light-footed virtuoso scat melodies, sensitive ballads, convoluted counterpoints, hypnotic bass figures with a lot of space for interaction and momentary communication. Anne Harkamp’s multifaceted, expressive voice draws the bow between nuanced song arrangements and instrumental dialogue with the band: Frank Delle, Thomas Rückert, André Nendza, Oliver Rehmann form a one-of-a-kind team. And thus contemporary music is produced which is relaxed and compelling, full-of-life and intense and full of surprises.
// Anne Hartkamp (voc), Frank Delle (sax), Thomas Rückert (p), André Nendza (b), Oliver Rehmann (dr)
Philip Zoubek “philz 4”
DThe project philz4 will experience its premier at the Wi Festival. All the musicians know each other from various musical formations and so the idea arose to found a common project. New as well as old pieces penned by Philip Zoubek can be heard, which move in the threshold region between composition and improvisation. Stylistically, the band moves between free improvisation, jazz and new music. Exactly how this all comes together we will be able to hear for the first time in the Stadtgarten.
// Sebastian Gramss (b), Etienne Nillesen (dr), Philip Zoubek (p), Leo Huhn (reeds)
Ulla Oster „Chimäre“
Four musicians embark on a journey into illusory worlds. Sounds, figures and images from imaginary and other realities appear and lend guiding structures for musical motives and themes for interaction and improvisation. Analog lines and accords are embedded in an artistic environment where sound-poetry functions as an intersection of all the various acoustic worlds. For this, Ulla Oster has compiled a high-caliber quartet made up of multifaceted and creative sound-scouts from the Cologne scene.
// Angelika Niescier (sax), Eva Pöpplein (laptop), Norbert Scholly (g), Ulla Oster (b, comp)
Christina Fuchs „No Tango“
Cis one of the more unusual ensembles that has emerged from the Cologne jazz scene in recent years and both the quartet and the composer and saxophonist go by the same name. This band proves that innovative jazz doesn’t have to be raw, shrill or dark but can sound delicate, funny and lyrical. Their combination of jazz, ethnic music and modern compositions captivate the audience from the first moment. NoTango can’t easily be categorised but is wonderfully easy to understand.
// Christina Fuchs (sax, bcl), Ulla Oster (db), Christoph Hillmann (dr, perc), Florian Stadler (acc)