In the organizer's words:

Frank Gratkowski - In Cahoots feat. Ingrid Laubrock

GERMAN JAZZ PRIZE 2024:

German saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, internationally acclaimed for her virtuoso free playing style and based in New York since 2008, continues her collaboration with saxophonist, clarinettist and composer Frank Gratkowski and his quartet In Cahoots, which both began last year. Gratkowski, born in Hamburg in 1963, plays almost the entire spectrum of woodwind instruments, which he expands sonically through modifications and partly self-developed playing techniques and micro-intervallic concepts. In addition to his own formations, he is part of the ensemble Zeitkratzer and Günter Baby Sommer's Brotherhood & Sisterhood. In addition to his own band projects, Laubrock is a member of the ensembles of Anthony Braxton, Tyshawn Sorey and Mary Halvorson, among others. Her composition "Vogelfrei" for orchestra, soloists and choir from her album "Contemporary Chaos Practices" was listed among the 25 best classical music pieces of the year by the New York Times in 2018. Her latest album "The Last Quiet Place" was released in 2023.

Frank Gratkowski - sax/cl/comp
Ingrid Laubrock - sax
Philip Zoubek - p/synth
Robert Landfermann - b
Dominik Mahnig - dr

Immanuel Wilkins Quartet

GERMAN JAZZ PRIZE 2024:

After his debut album "Omega" was named "Jazz Album of the Year" by the New York Times in 2020 and his follow-up album "The 7th Hand" was also critically acclaimed, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins became a star. Even then, pianist Micah Thomas and drummer Kweku Sumbry were part of his quartet, who will also be performing in Cologne with Rick Rosato on bass. For "The 7th Hand", Wilkins, who was born in Philadelphia and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, composed a suite in seven movements. Having grown up in the black church in Philadelphia, Wilkins explores Afro-diasporic tradition. Musically, he translates this idea conceptually and compositionally: each movement of the suite is linked to the next by a triplet meter. These are codes with which he also refers to the history of slavery: "For the slave owner, Aunt Hester's screams were just screams. But to the other slaves, these screams were messages telling them to flee, to sing, to run - codes that the listeners might not understand."

Immanuel Wilkins - sax
Micah Thomas - p
Rick Rosato - b
Kweku Sumbry - dr

More info on jazzweek.de