Raphael Klemm Sextett
The Raphael Klemm Sextet delights with an art that has become a rarity on many stages: swinging, fresh and undusted combo jazz inspired by the sound of the hardbop era and the most important improvisers and arrangers of that time.
Stylistically confident yet boundless, tradition-conscious - but always curious, sometimes virtuosic, sometimes gentle, soloistically individual and as a band fused together by their many years of joint projects, the sextet around Cologne trombonist Raphael Klemm plays tailor-made arrangements of exquisite treasures of jazz history and their own compositions that describe their common sound ideal.
The musicians of this "Dream Band" come together from Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Essen and Munich and are among the most sought-after straight-ahead musicians of their generation. With top-class musicality, gripping arrangements and a lot of joy in playing, they convince their audience that traditional jazz with a modern attitude is in the best hands with this formation.
In 2016, the sextet was awarded a performance scholarship from the Werner Richard - Dr. Carl Dörken Foundation. In 2017, the band worked with Johan Hörlen (WDR Bigband), Frank Delle or Fiete Felsch (NDR Bigband) as well as Marc Doffey and Malte Dürrschnabel as "special guests", among others.
Instrumentation: Jan Kaiser - Nils Wrasse - Raphael Klemm - Johannes von Ballestrem - David Andres - Niklas Walter
Miroca Paris
A Creole-Portuguese-African musical experience presented by a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist, open air at our legendary Ehrenhof!
The Cape Verdean multi-instrumentalist Miroca Paris inspires worldwide as a virtuoso on drums, percussion and guitar and touches with his own "Saudade" songs! In his homeland, his new adopted country Portugal and also in Germany.
Thoughtful melancholy resounds from Miroca's lyrics, which he sings with a rough voice, accompanied by his rousing percussion sound or his very individual guitar playing. Rhythmic and driving, like the waves of the Atlantic, longing harmonies resound and let the mind wander to the dreamlike archipelago.
No wonder, after all, he is also considered a "rhythm innovator" in Cape Verde, was recognized as such by pop icon Madonna, shared the stage with her and toured for over ten years before that in Cesária Evora's band. She is considered the queen of the Cape Verdean musical style Morna, the musical sister of Fado.
On his debut album "D'Alma" (2017), recorded with renowned musicians from Brazil to Cuba, he gave a stirring interpretation of the cultural cocktail of this volcanic archipelago with its Creole-Portuguese-African culture.
Miroca Paris, most famous scion of the legendary "Paris family of musicians" of Cape Verde, has been perfecting his craft for over two decades, shining with layers and colors of sound, beats, rhythmic backbone, nuances and individual details alongside international stars such as Sara Tavares, Angélique Kidjo, Bonga, Camané, Mariza, Chico Cesar, Cuca Roseta, Nancy Vieira, Bitori and, of course, with his uncle Tito Paris in the world's most prestigious theaters, festivals and universities.
Wildes Holz
Wildes Holz - 25 years on the wooden road
In 1998, three friends from Recklinghausen set out on a musical journey that has not ended to this day. Under the motto "Freedom for the recorder" they are on the road with their unusual line-up of recorder, guitar and double bass to bring their kind of wood music to the people. From dark cellar vaults to well-known stages, from the far north to the deepest south: everywhere they provide for amazed and finally enthusiastic listeners.
Moving between rock and jazz, ballads and children's songs, they create something all their own, the dense, intoxicating wood sound: brilliantly interlocking guitar and double bass lines, amazing changes of tempo and mood, and masterful improvisation.
Over the years, the instrumentation has also expanded. Up to 15 recorders are used in the concerts, from the small sopranino recorder to the 2-meter sub-big bass recorder. Guitar and double bass are now joined by mandolin, jazz guitar and sometimes even the singing saw. What has not changed is the irrepressible joy of playing of the three wild Holz-Buam. That will last for the next 25 years...
Trio Midas
The Trio Midas plays in the instrumentation of clarinet, violoncello and piano.
It is a young, international and innovative ensemble that came together at the Musikhochschule Köln and since then has been passionately making music with each other at the highest level, devoting itself intensively not only to the classics such as Beethoven and Brahms, but also to contemporary music and its sound worlds. The diversity of the individual instruments in the clarinet trio makes it possible to experience a very diversified sound experience. The Trio Midas uses this characteristic consciously and thus creates an extraordinary concert experience.
Among the mentors of the young musicians are the renowned professors José Luis Estellés, Ralph Manno and Anthony Spiri.
Cast: Jan Wilhelm Bennefeld, Mari Nagahara, Robbin Reza
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Matthias Schwengler
With "Soulcrane" Matthias Schwengler presents a sound body that brilliantly understands how to bring retro feeling and new approaches under one hat.
On their third album "Soulcrane & Strings" (Mons Records) the musicians once again work together compositionally on a sonic work and always remain on a chamber music level with the warm character of this music. An atmosphere is created that resembles a conversation among friends. Soulcrane convinces with an almost familiar personality and illustrates how haunting especially the quiet tones can be. Each instrument has equal rights and the four musicians from Cologne always know how to fill the large playing space with musical value. Together they appear quite naturally as a collective and radiate great harmony and inner peace.
Ecos de Siboney
The official successors of the world famous Buena Vista Social Club musician, Compay Segundo!
Máximo Francisco Repilado Muños, better known as Compay Segundo, was the world famous musician of the Buena Vista Social Club and composer of the world famous song "Chan Chan". Even at the proud age of 94, he could still be seen on the world's great stages.
For almost 20 years, his grandsons Ernesto, Leonardo and Alejandro Repilado have been honoring their grandfather in a musical way. From Compay they have learned how to play the traditional son authentically. He himself wanted his "poetry set to music" - as he liked to call his compositions - to continue to be interpreted in his spirit. And so Compay personally commissioned Ecos De Siboney to officially designate them as his successors. (This was even published on a CD track on "Saludo Compay").
Thus was born the group that quickly became popular. For their albums, Ecos de Siboney has already received the "Premio Lucas" twice in Cuba and were nominated for the "Premio Cubadisco", the Cuban Grammy, in the category "Musica tradicional". Their video "Me dirás que sabroso" was also awarded in the category "Musica tradicional".
The group keeps the traditional Son Cubano alive and has also written successful hits with their own compositions, such as "Tengo un Son", which are interpreted and played worldwide. This is exactly what their grandfather's idea was from the beginning - Compay Segundo! "Somos los herederos" (We are your heirs).
In their live performances they play many compositions by Compay Segundo, such as "Chan Chan", "Las Flores de la Vida", "El Camisón de Pepa", "Orgullecida", "Macusa" and "La Guantanamera". But of course they also present their own repertoire.
MoZuluArt // Start 19.30
When the three gentlemen from Zimbabwe were still hopeful adolescents on the dusty streets of Bulawayo, listening to traditional sounds, but also to the pop hits of local greeters such as Ilanga, Lovemore Majaivana, Fanyana Dube or Solomon Skhuza, they could not imagine that there was anything like "classical music" anywhere in the world. It was only when they were teenagers, walking in the big department stores of the city or passing by a hotel, that they heard "this strange music that was played up and down and somehow sounded rather dull and slow". At that time they had no idea that one day they would rearrange exactly this "dull, slow" music, add new lyrics and sing it themselves ...
Roland Guggenbichler, on the other hand, wasted large parts of his youth practicing the piano and imitating the Beatles with his first teenage band. This only changed when he joined the Upper Austrian group Rica Salsa, which played Afro-Cuban sounds. The new sounds and rhythms fascinated the young Roland, but it took him a few more years to discover that African music does not only consist of the well-known "ndungundungu" drums, but has many other forms and styles to offer.
If Mozart were alive today, he would surely be proud of the meeting of two cultures under the banner of his music - and probably also of the fact that a surprised audience nodded their heads and moved their feet in time to his famous compositions, almost like in an ethno-disco.
Positive first reactions from critics, fan and record companies indicate quite clearly that the young project MoZuluArt has a bright future ahead of it. Or, in the words of the great Muhammad Ali, "If you think the world was surprised when Nixon resigned, wait till I kick George Foreman's behind." ("If you think Nixon's resignation surprised the world, just wait until I kick George Foreman's behind.")
And how surprised will you be when MoZuluArt finally takes over the world?
Øsimun Quartett // Start 19.30 Uhr
Øsimun Quartet is a young group of saxophonists who want to express their own language through chamber music. Members Maria Bel Serra (soprano saxophone), Fátima Alcázar (alto saxophone), Inés González (tenor saxophone) and Ricard Martínez (baritone saxophone) are currently based between Maastricht (Netherlands) and Cologne (Germany).
They are a versatile group that covers a wide repertoire. On the one hand, they delve into the original repertoire for saxophone quartet. For example, they were able to premiere the Concerto for saxophone quartet and wind ensemble by David Maslanka in the Netherlands.
They are also working on transcriptions of other ensembles by the group's baritone saxophonist Ricard Martínez. Finally, they are very interested in collaborating with young composers that can lead to the creation of new works for this ensemble, which has led them to collaborate with composers such as Jithu Bas, Nikolas Agrafiotis or Joan Pérez Villegas.