The downbeat club acts as a collective. Jazz musical conventions are turned upside down, the principle of soloist and accompaniment is deregistered. The trio prefers to play with the colleagues of rock music and create a music full of power and experience. Form the foundation blues-based riffs and entertaining song structures. The result is a soundtrack too ancient Copthrillers and at the same time explosive current head cinema. Looking for stylistic Predecessors come first one "Medeski Martin and Wood" and "John Scofield", then the Psychedelic Rock from "Pink Floyd" and "Deep Purple". "Down, Dirty and Funky" said Will Bernard already in 2012 to Downbeatclub. The three musicians have consistently developed this motto. The concerts have become hypnotic fireworks.

„It is so captivating I swear you could barely hear anyone breath..!“
Sebastián Pecznik is a young and charismatic Argentinian-Polish guitar player,composer and arranger, home based in Berlin, Germany. His international liveperfomance career is spectacularly documented by various numbers of venues andfestivals he has already performed at.When on stage he captures the heart of the audience in the first moment, as he startsa dialogue, not only through his emotional and virtuous music but also through thefascinating stories he tells. His music can as easily fill philharmonic halls, concerttheaters, as well as petit venues and concert cafés.Having received 6 awards and letters of merit from the Argentinian Chancery and theGeneral Bureau of Cultural Affairs, declaring his concerts, master classes and toursof "highly artistic & cultural value", he has been touring through Europe morethan five times in the last 5 years, and has also performed twice in New York at thebeautiful BPAC (Baruch Performing Arts Center). Pecznik is sponsored byArgentinian Embassies all over the world.

David Grabowski was awarded the IB.SH Jazz Award in 2018 as part of Jazz Baltica awarded in the same year winner of the Soloist Prize at the Munich
Jazz Prize. Ralf Dombrowski describes him in the Süddeutsche Zeitung as "trenchant and sound-conscious instrumentalists ".
But that he has become a musician was by no means predetermined. The decision, one Playing instrument, David Grabowski meets only when fourteen years, when his School friend "Come As You Are" by Nirvana plays on the guitar. From now on, the Passion sparked and gives the boy, so far only moderate success with the girls had, new self-confidence and identity. Today, over a decade later, music is his life. The urgency to be artistic is so great that he decided against a career as a high school teacher Has. David Grabowski plays in numerous bands and successfully composes film
music for TV productions. He found his musical home in jazz. In his Compositions he writes for his quartet make Rock Grooves and Spherical Textures the outer poles, between which the music changes. His album "Land in Sicht", which he produces and publishes on his own in 2017, is the first stop from where it should continue. In 2018 the band will be visiting at the Elbjazz Festival, the Jazz Baltica, the Husum Jazz Days, the Siena Jazz Festival in Italy and plays concerts in jazz clubs in Germany. With Béla Meinberg am Piano, Christian Müller on bass and Felix Dehmel on drums unites David Grabowski his favorite musicians and good friends in his band. 2019 are already several tours and the production of a second album.
In addition, there is a cooperation with the Hamburg program "Mixed Generation"
US bassist Matt Penman is in the planning stage.

The MOVE String Quartet plays chamber music with bite. In her current program "Short Stories", her music roams the diverse worlds of chamber music jazz: Filigree sounds meet motor-driven songs, Nordic expanse encounters prickly pieces, fine sound culture combines with dirt under the fingernails. In their unorthodox string quartet occupation, a double bass replaces the second violin and extends the orchestra into the lower register. Her 2nd CD "Short Stories" was released by Jazzhaus Musik in 2018. Excerpts from it as well as live videos and more info at http://www.movequartet.com/p/videoaudio.html

the legendary Jam Session with Robin Draganic'

The Berlin Cool Jazz Project (BCJP) consists of 13 Berlin jazz musicians, who since 2015 have dedicated themselves to the sound of Cool and West Coast Jazz with great cast and passion. In addition to the original arrangements of u.a. Since 2017, Gerry Mulligan, Gil Evans, Claude Thornhill, Art Pepper and Miles Davis have also joined original compositions and arrangements by band members and befriended composers / arrangers.
Tonight, on the occasion of the 101st birthday of Leonard Bernstein, titles from the Westside Story will arrive in brand-new arrangements for (original) performances specially written for the BCJP, including titles such as "Somewhere", "Something's Coming", of course "Maria "And of course" Cool (Song & Fugue). "It all started when the Berlin drummer Michael Rowalska - ever since enthusiastic about the soundscape of the West Coast Jazz of the USA around the drummer Shelly Manne- in June 2014 befriended musicians of the Berlin Jazz Scene for the first Cool-Band-rehearsal Initially planned as "Rehearsal-Band", the regular rehearsals evolved into a continuously working ensemble with numerous concerts.
With the typical playing techniques, dampers and instruments of the cool tonal aesthetics-double woodwinds with soprano saxophone / flute / clarinet / bass clarinet, and the French horn rarely heard in jazz-the 13 musicians develop the typical, slightly oblique, and - despite the designation- In addition to the instrumentation and the densely set and exceptionally harmonized arrangements, a special tension arises from the alternation between orchestral "parts and improvised solo passages in which the compositions for the creativity and interaction of the individual musicians emerge to open.

Jörg Miegel would like to present his own pieces and ideas with this band of established Berlin jazz musicians. Jazz Waltz, Swing and Latin will travel through the evening as old acquaintances and will be presented with passion, passion and dynamism by the musicians. Small stylistic excursions provide atmospheric nuances of the concert. In the first set, guest Sahrin Rezai will enrich some of the pieces with her voice. In the second set, James Scannell will also not only be the guest for beautiful clarinet sounds in atmospheric corners, but also let it jazz with Jörg Miegel in the team neat saxophonistically.

Founded in 2000, the band Enrico & Groovemachine plays versatile programs including salsa, jazz, latin jazz, traditional Cuban music, Cuban folklore (rumba, guaguanco) and world music.
Enrico aka El Rey del Ritmo grew up in the neighborhood of Jesus Maria in Havana, where many great percussionists come from.

Founded in 2000, the band Enrico & Groovemachine plays versatile programs including salsa, jazz, latin jazz, traditional Cuban music, Cuban folklore (rumba, guaguanco) and world music.
Enrico aka El Rey del Ritmo grew up in the neighborhood of Jesus Maria in Havana, where many great percussionists come from.

The Tony Hurdle Septet was founded in October 1992 and has since proven its ability to interpret the music of jazz greats from Duke Ellington to Wayne Shorter as well as today's jazz masters such as Bobby Watson, Roy Hargrove and Philip Mossmann. The repertoire includes the popular pieces of swing or funk, as well as those of various jazz-related styles. The leader and trombonist of the group, Tony Hurdle, has brought together six excellent musicians from the USA and Berlin. The wind front is the heart and core of the septet. Traditional elements of jazz combine in their sound with new impulses from the personal experiences of the musicians. The wind instruments are supported by the rhythm section with drums, bass and piano, which swings and grooves confidently through the different styles and their moods. The music of the Tony Hurdle Septet, with all its variety, can best be described in three words: Spontaneous, varied, full of energy.

Although the name suggests otherwise: No! The SpVgg Xberg is not a pure gathering of sports fans from Kreuzberg; The team mainly romp around Heiko Kulenkampff (p, comp, arr) and Julian Gretschel (tb, comp, arr) on the musical playground instead of on the green lawn. The goal: melodic double passes to the end!
"The band is colorful and a game lasts 90 minutes!" - these freely translate wise words of Sepp Herberger are program: Unheard and previously unheard of the sub-disciplines Jazz, Latin and Creative Fusion to merge into a sweaty event, of which the sports show never will report - but that was already true for the moon landing! Be better live and look forward to two halves full of passion, team spirit and always fair body use.

the legendary Jam Session with Robin Draganic'

In the music of his sextet Damir Out Loud, Damir Bacikin unites European contemporary music with the improvisation of American jazz. "The band's sound is balanced without ever being boring. He is full and warm, but still remains transparent, "says Jan Tengeler in Deutschlandradio Kultur.
Press:
"It's pretty clear that this is a highly talented musician. But the way Bacikin implements his acoustic ideas makes him more than just a talented musician. The sound of the group is balanced and never boring - full and warm and always transparent. The same applies to the sound of the trumpeter. This man tells us the stories both as a soloist and as a composer. «Jan Tengeler," Germany Radio ", Germany
»With its unusual selection of brass instruments, which are naturally warm and carefully arranged, the Graduation Day confirms the classical roots of Bačikin following the adventurous jazz tracks of Gil Evans and Maria Schneider. Three worlds mingle with discreet Balkan colors and rhythms of his homeland to an organic universe. «Vojislav Pantic," Politika "Serbia, former Yugoslavia

Jannis Zotos, the Berlin-based Greek composer and musician, who has enjoyed a close musical and personal friendship with Mikis Theodorakis since 1980, has put together a fantastic band. He will play songs from his last CD s ("Siganes Phones tis Mnimis" - lyrics by Mikis Theodorakis, "Amour fou" - lyrics by Maria Polidouri / Kostas Karyotakis and "Zotos sings Theodorakis").

Mike Russell was born in 1952 in Washington D.C. and began studying classical and Flamenco guitar at an early age. His professional career started in the 60s with soul and blues bands. Song writing and composing was an early interest and this creative side resulted in some studio work with Columbia Records as guitarist and composer.  The year 1970 was his first record release as composer and the title "Black Woman" was recorded by Grammy nominated Gloria Taylor and culminated in a US tour. The year 1972 saw his own Jazz-Rock group "Water Forest" perform Andy Warhol at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Since moving to Berlin in 1989 he has performed with Eddy Harris, Billy Bang and many others. He formed the Black Heritage Orchestra with singer MFA KERA and released the CD in 1995 which reached the Top 10 European world music charts. He also has created his own Jazz-Soul-Funk sound. He performed on German TV, Guinness Festival South Africa, Greece, Poland and America and returned to Washington D.C. to perform with Mfa Kera & Black Heritage at the world famous Blues Alley Jazz Club and Smithsonian Center. He was also invited to host special workshops at the George Washington University Jazz Department.
He recently toured in Poland and Ukraine where he counts thousands of fans.

KARPAROV & BRUNN meets 13 STRINGS and the result is an intense meeting of two duos, who explore the musical and tonal possibilities of their instruments and thereby generate a dense and grooving sound! Karparov & Brunn are preparing a new duo CD and there is a lot of new material. Both duos are individually but also all musicians can be heard together. KARPAROV & BRUNN plays urban world-jazz, which combines the sound of Berlin and the sound worlds of Occident and Orient. Vladimir Karparov and Andreas Brunn released their CD "East Side Story" on the label ITM. The two musicians were laureates of the Berlin State of Culture-oriented Studio Jazz Prize.
13 strings play independent compositions, which make use of many worldmusic elements while sounding Jazzy & Funky. Andreas Brunn and Simon Rainer expand their instruments in imaginative arrangements: basses are tapped and percussive grooves on the guitar body of the 7-string acoustic guitar let you experience the temperament of Latin America.

Arik Strauss Trio will present music from his new album, Closing the Circle, released this spring, and from his previous albums. Arik Strauss is an international jazz pianist and composer born in Israel and currently living in Berlin. Thoughout his long career he lived and performed in New York, Israel and Paris and toured Japan.
"Closing the Circle is a wonderful addition to the piano trio repertoire and higly recommended to lovers of the genre." 
– Jazz in Europe / Jan Veldman.  
„Strauss plays with refined sense of feeling and sensitivity somewhere between Bill Evans and Frédéric Chopin…“
– All-About-Jazz / Jakob Baekgaard  
„Strauss fühlt sich einer Tonsprache zwischen Bill Evans und Richie Beirach verpflichtet…“
– Jazzthetik / Rolf Thomas  

Das Sound Kollektiv draws inspiration from the likes of Christian Scott, Robert Glasper and Thundercat. These pretty crazy ‘dogs’ from Zwolle, the Netherlands, present powerful improvised music. That's made up from a mix of R&B, HipHop, Soul and Jazz. In March 2017 they released their first EP called BORK. They toured about 2 months throughout the Netherlands and were streamed by Sublime FM and NPO

"The well-known from Paris and New York" Vandojam "is now also in the B-Flat instead.
Supported by Vandoren / Paris. "
Under the direction of Robin Draganic and Reiner Witzel

Indiana University professor and jazz pianist Monika Herzig comes to Berlin for a short visit and presents a special concert of her own compositions and arrangements together with her husband Gitarists / bassist Peter Kienle and drummer Josh Roberts. In 1987, the College of Education Weingarten awarded a scholarship for an exchange year at the University of Alabama to student and jazz pianist Monika Herzig. Together with her partner and guitarist Peter Kienle, she arrived in the US in August 1988 with one-way tickets, a suitcase, and a guitar. She has since graduated from Indiana University, where she now teaches and tours groups under her direction internationally, and has also opened for Yes, Sting, Santana, The Dixie Dregs, Tower of Power. Her latest project "The Whole World in Her Hands" with leading New York instrumentalists such as Leni Stern, Jamie Baum, Reut Regev, Linda Oh, Lakecia Benjamin debuted in New York's Birdland in December. In the summer she tours with Time Flies, a fusion project based on 90s recordings with Bob Berg.

Conexão Berlin is a Berlin-based jazz band with a strong connection to Latin American, especially Brazilian instrumental music. Their very intense contact with this very rhythm-oriented jazz makes this band one of the most powerful
Life Acts of the vibrant Berlin jazz scene. Members of the band include musicians such as pianist Tino Derado (Gary Burton, Jamey Haddad, Andy Gonzalez, Richard Bona), and bassist Thomy Jordi (Nick Bärtsch's RONIN, Helge Schneider, Rosenstolz ...) as well as the outstanding drummer Matthias Trippner (Christoph Titz, Stefan Raab ...) and the excellent trumpeter Christian Magnusson (Hannes Zerbe Orchestra, Heliocentric Counterblast, Dota) are among the strongest representatives of the European jazz scene. Bandleader Andreas Weiser (Xiame, The Elephants, Paulo Moura, Bob Moses, The Taal Tantra Experience ...) has been a member of the German jazz and pop band for more than 30 years as a percussionist
World music scene. His strong connection to and to Brazil and its music is one of the musical cornerstones of this project.
In autumn 2018, the band undertook a nearly 3-week tour of Brazil. Full halls and standing ovations accompanied her through this music-loving country. They will bring this spirit into the balt now.
"Conexão Berlin" and her "produto importado" is exactly the right music for the summer "
(Jazz`n more)

Conexão Berlin is a Berlin-based jazz band with a strong connection to Latin American, especially Brazilian instrumental music. Their very intense contact with this very rhythm-oriented jazz makes this band one of the most powerful
Life Acts of the vibrant Berlin jazz scene. Members of the band include musicians such as pianist Tino Derado (Gary Burton, Jamey Haddad, Andy Gonzalez, Richard Bona), and bassist Thomy Jordi (Nick Bärtsch's RONIN, Helge Schneider, Rosenstolz ...) as well as
the outstanding drummer Matthias Trippner (Christoph Titz, Stefan Raab ...) and the excellent trumpeter Christian Magnusson (Hannes Zerbe Orchestra, Heliocentric Counterblast, Dota) are among the strongest representatives of the European jazz scene. Bandleader Andreas Weiser (Xiame, The Elephants, Paulo Moura, Bob Moses, The Taal Tantra Experience ...) has been a member of the German jazz and pop band for more than 30 years as a percussionist
World music scene. His strong connection to and to Brazil and its music is one of the musical cornerstones of this project.
In autumn 2018, the band undertook a nearly 3-week tour of Brazil. Full halls and standing ovations accompanied her through this music-loving country. They will bring this spirit into the balt now.
"Conexão Berlin" and her "produto importado" is exactly the right music for the summer "
(Jazz`n more)

The 'York Trio' presents an interesting mix of jazz, rock and folk music. The band, founded in 2017, plays the compositions of conductor guitarist Robert York (UK), who were written for his master's degree with the help of guitarist Frank Möbus. The band plays songs from the new album 'Day Trip', which you can listen to on the website www.robertjpyork.com. Also here are the talented Tom Berkmann (double bass) and Mathias Ruppnig (drums) as a rhythm group.

The Viennese jazz pianist Johannes Thoma has meanwhile not only made a name for himself in his homeland with his partly lyrical, partly energetic interpretations of his own compositions. On stage, Thoma is a fine storyteller who keeps his audience in the best of moods with skilful New York jazz and long suspense. The steady flow of his music makes both the musicians and the audience visibly enjoy and shows the highest technical level and instrumental complexity. Johannes Thoma lived in Berlin for a long time in 2017 and during this time he met three wonderful musicians with whom he formed the Berlin Quartet. On board are David Beecroft from Canada on saxophone, Charles Sammons from Washington, DC on bass and Jan Leipnitz on drums. David Beecroft has developed a style of playing on the saxophone that is not limited to the classic well-tempered tuning and is thus an ideal interpreter of the harmoniously demanding compositions of pianist Johannes Thoma. Charles Sammons is the ideal foundation for the quartet with its groove-oriented playing style. And with Jan Leipnitz on the drums, the music gets a drive that you normally only hear in New York jazz clubs at the late-night sessions. The quartet will interpret newly arranged pieces by Johannes Thoma and David Beecroft, but this time there will be plenty of space for free improvisation (Katrin Karall-Semler / Johannes Thoma).

The Bob Spice Quartet plays mainly own compositions. The music is emphatically melodic, imaginative and expressive. Lyrical, carried pieces in romantic style alternate with quirky, colorful and humorous pieces that leave a lot of room for improvisation. The instrumentation without a harmony instrument allows free melodic and contrapuntal development. Supported by a freely breathing and pulsating rhythm group of bass and drums, trombone and saxophone create a multi-layered and original network of moods and melodies.

the legendary Jam Session with Robin Draganic'

The Hashima concept began with a cycle of poems inspired by "Ghost Island" Hashima photos occasionally featured on the internet. The Serbian writer Miloš Crnjanski, whose essay on the island of Sumatra serves as a symbol of hope for a better future, is here symbolized as the true devastation of the European spirit and hopes it will be recognized and revitalized. The verses written by Igor Miškovic alternate in each line from the "reality" to the island.
The musical inspiration for the band came from the annual concerts of the Belgrade Jazz Festival, which brought together some of the best international jazz groups. There are concerts by the Wayne Shorter Quartet, or by Esbjörn Svensson, the Dave Holland Quintet, Dave Liebman, Enrico Rava, Joachim Kuhn, Charles Lloyd ... The free improvisation postulates were used as a basic musical idea for the sound of the band, as opposed to one typical blues or Bop sound of a group. As an expression of this idea, a jazz quartet combo was chosen. The band was slowly built up with a few months of preparation in the free improvisation rehearsals. Music dynamics was the first quality that was built. Also, trying out different sounds on each instrument was crucial for the quality of the band.

Les Hommes du swing
founded in late 2015 in Hamburg and have been following in their music ever since the legendary Gipsy swing Django Reinhardt. The brothers Jeffrey, Roberto and Marcel are part of the great family of musicians Weiss. They have been playing together since childhood and manifest in the group the traditional style of playing Sinti Jazz or "Jazz Manouche". Characteristic of this is the characteristic rhythm, joy of playing, high virtuosity, dynamism and desire for improvisation. The close connection of the three brothers is audible in their excellent interaction. The violinist Jordan Rodin, at the same time violist of the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, adds an interesting coloring to the band with his classically trained playing, although the influence of the legend, Stéphane Grappelli, is unmistakable. The bassist of the quintet is Axel Burkhardt, a well-known figure in the jazz scene in and around Hamburg, who forms the stable basis with his rhythmic-pulsating playing. All have in common the love for Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, who founded the "Quintette du Hot Club de France" in 1934 and thus gave European jazz its own identity.
Have fun with music of lived tradition!

Les Hommes du swing
founded in late 2015 in Hamburg and have been following in their music ever since the legendary Gipsy swing Django Reinhardt. The brothers Jeffrey, Roberto and Marcel are part of the great family of musicians Weiss. They have been playing together since childhood and manifest in the group the traditional style of playing Sinti Jazz or "Jazz Manouche". Characteristic of this is the characteristic rhythm, joy of playing, high virtuosity, dynamism and desire for improvisation. The close connection of the three brothers is audible in their excellent interaction. The violinist Jordan Rodin, at the same time violist of the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, adds an interesting coloring to the band with his classically trained playing, although the influence of the legend, Stéphane Grappelli, is unmistakable. The bassist of the quintet is Axel Burkhardt, a well-known figure in the jazz scene in and around Hamburg, who forms the stable basis with his rhythmic-pulsating playing. All have in common the love for Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, who founded the "Quintette du Hot Club de France" in 1934 and thus gave European jazz its own identity.
Have fun with music of lived tradition!

“They were one and they’re music is a wonderful blend of two very different music worlds. And you could feel it and hear it with the audience’s response to the music.”     Hindustani Time City, Indien
In February 2014, Peter Hinz (percussion) and Steffen Dix (saxophone) travelled together to India for the first time. They took lessons in Indian classical music at the “International Music Centre Ashram” in Varanasi, one of the oldest cities of the world as well as one of the music capitals of India. Peter’s relationship with India and Keshav Rao Nayak – tabla master of the ashram – began years before on his first trip to India when they met and he became his guru and teacher of tabla. It is with his son, Sandip Rao Kewale (tabla) and the young sitar master, Shyam Rastogi that the two German musicians created “NeckarGanga” on the banks of the Ganges. The complete band, including the double bass player Jonathan Sell, met in July 2015 in Mannheim. Through the support of the city of Mannheim and the Oriental Music Academy of Mannheim the band could prepare their concert program and present their first live concerts in Germany.
In July 2016 NeckarGanga released their first Album entitled „innaad“ and toured throughout Germany and Switzerland. Since then the musician meet every Spring in India and every Summer in Europe for playing concerts.  This summer they will be in Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republik, Austria and Italy.