Tobias Becker Bigband Studio Konzert

With his first original big band album, the conductor, composer and arranger Jochen Neuffer impressively demonstrates why he has already written arrangements for great musicians of the calibre of Lalah Hathaway, the Metropole Orkest and Helen Schneider. With finely balanced melodic phrases, richly colorful harmonies and a wide-ranging musical span, AUGMENTED REALITY, except for a refreshingly modern implementation of the classic “Pennsylvania 6-5000”, comprises only original and multi-faceted compositions from the pen of Neuffer and leaves the traditional conventions of traditional big band jazz to one side.

Jazz orchestra, big band, or large ensemble the differential in terminology is in direct proportion to the number of members and the arrangements involved. I have heard some fine big bands here in the United States, perhaps too many. Three bands in two years have been almost flawless while the rest are simply above average.

With his first own big band album AUGMENTED REALITY, the conductor, composer and arranger Jochen Neuffer impressively demonstrates why he has already written for such greats as Lalah Hathaway, the metropolis Orkest and Helen Schneider. Finely balanced melodic phrases, colorful harmonies and wide-ranging musical arcs: AUGMENTED REALITY contains except for a refreshingly modern implementation of the classic "Pennsylvania 6-5000" exclusively multilayered original compositions from the pen of Neuffer, the traditional conventions of traditional big-band jazz.

Chansons and Broadway classics as well as tangos, waltzes and hits are interpreted. The wonderful voice of the singer Larissa Frank is underpinned by grooving double bass sounds played by Peter Wallner, and Tim Gabel’s danceable guitar rhythms peppered with virtuoso solo interludes.

The "Studio Concert" concept is no novelty for Katharina Maschmeyer and her quartet. The musicians recorded a studio concert record in the Bauer Studios in April 2015 (NLP4120). Two years later, they return to the Bauer Studios, this time with the legendary percussionist Nippy Noya as a guest.

Triozean is Olga Nowikowa on piano, Lars Födisch on bass and Krishan Zeigner on drums. A folkloristic thread ran through the whole program, be it Russian folk music or a Tango. The trio stuck to it in a very creative way. Often the pieces were based on the folklore's plain harmonies. With those the trio played freely and changed them to paint some very appealing musical images. Apart from pieces from their studio albms Nocturne and polar the band played new, unpublished songs. From catchy themes to tricky polyrhythms the Dresden based band created a couloured and diverse program. At that they provided so much ease and joy of playing, that one could not see that it was no ordinary concert to Triozean.

On Olivia Trummer's 7th album there is actually 'Olivia Trummer pur' to hear: As part of the 'Studio Concert' series, she gave a solo concert at the Bauer House in Ludwigsburg in November 2017, which was recorded live, on vocals and Fender Rhodes , A brave step, because with a live solo album there is really no net and no double bottom. But she does not need that either: in this concert, Olivia Trummer goes up to musical high form. She plays and sings, inspiring and expressive no sound too much or too little. Her first solo album seems relaxed and confident at the same time and lets hope that many more solo albums will follow.

Shalosh (translated: three) is considered among connoisseurs as one of the most interesting young bands in the jazz scene. With over a hundred concerts worldwide, the trio has been causing a sensation at international level since 2014 with its acoustic, progressive raw jazz. Despite the classical jazz trio lineup (piano, bass, drums) and the deep roots of the musicians in jazz, Shalosh also treads paths between rock, classical, electro, African and Middle Eastern influences. The music is equally beguiling as it is moving, intense and soulful.

In 2014, Marialy Pacheco's album INTRODUCING appeared on reverberation, convincing her with her self-confident style and her Cuban temperament. Now she presents another facet of her musical diversity and brought a piece of Cuba to Ludwigsburg for the STUDIO CONCERT. For this recording, the pianist and official "Bösendorfer Artist" chose her "favorite pieces". They are both current compositions and arrangements, as well as older works by Marialy Pacheco. She draws from Cuban folk music and transforms it into a completely new form. Her engagement with the musical tradition creates a balance between seriousness and technical sophistication on the one hand, and lightness and Caribbean fire on the other.

Drums and piano as a duo - a rather unusual cast. Chris Gall on the piano and Bernhard Schimpelsberger on the percussion played together in the band "Taalism"; After that, they parted ways for almost 10 years. While Bernhard Schimpelsberger immersed himself deeper and deeper into the world of Indian rhythm in London and India and toured around the world with well-known Indian musicians such as Anoushka Shankar and Akram Khan, Chris Gall performed mainly bizarre, jazz-rocky tracks with his piano trio and soloist has been on tour as guest musician of the successful formation Quadro Nuevo for two years.