European All Stars - Martin Sasse/Mini Schulz/Bernd Reiter feat. Stephane Belmondo & Gabor Bolla

Stephane Belmondo (FRA) (trumpet, flugelhorn), Gabor Bolla (HU) (tenorsax), Martin Sasse (GER) (piano), Mini Schulz (GER) (bass), Bernd Reiter (AT) (drums)

This international all-star quintet brings together outstanding soloists and bandleaders from four European countries (France, Germany, Hungary, Austria) who carry on the musical legacy of the great masters of jazz with great respect, esteem and passion.

Stephane Belmondo is one of the most renowned trumpeters in Europe. He has lived in Paris since 1986 and played in Laurent Cugny's big band "Lumiéres" as early as 1987, including on two of the band's albums with Gil Evans. Under Laurent Cugny, Belmondo also played in the Orchestre National de Jazz ("Hommage a Miles Davis" 1994). He accompanied Dee Dee Bridgewater for several years (album "Love and Peace" on Verve 1994) and also played with Andy Emler ("Sombritude" 1999), Stéphane Grappelli ("Michel Legrand et Stephane Grappelli" 1992), Michel Legrand and many others. His album "Wonderland" was released in 2004, for which he received a "Les Victoires du Jazz". In 1994 he received the Prix Django Reinhardt, for the album "Hymne au Soleil" he won both the "Les Victoires du Jazz" award (2004) and the "Prix Boris Vian" in 2003. Another "Les Victoires du Jazz" followed in 2006 for "Influence" with Yusef Lateef. In 2011, Belmondo played at several "Trumpet Summits" with Roy Hargrove and Tom Harrell.

Gabor Bolla, born in Budapest in 1988, began playing the clarinet self-taught and quickly received his first national Hungarian awards (National School's Clarinet Competition), switching to the tenor saxophone at the age of 12. In spring 2003 he was the only teenager to reach the semifinals of the "World Saxophone Competition" at the Montreux Jazz Festival, and in Budapest he was invited by the Vienna Art Orchestra as a guest soloist. In December 2004 he finally won the Hans Koller Prize in the "Talent of the Year" category, in 2006 he was again awarded the Hans Koller Prize New York Scholarship and lived in NYC from the beginning of October to mid-December 2007. Bolla went on to perform with musicians such as David Murray, Benny Golson, Johnny Griffin, Roy Hargrove and Kirk Lightsey, and has lived in Copenhagen since 2014.

Belmondo and Bolla are supported by an outstanding and well-rehearsed international trio. Martin Sasse from Cologne has been one of Europe's leading pianists since the 1990s and has worked as a leader and sideman with the most important soloists from the USA and Europe such as Al Foster, the New York Voices, Jimmy Cobb, Steve Grossman, Peter Bernstein, Vincent Herring, Roberta Gambarini, Till Brönner, Dick Oatts, Dennis Mackrel, Philip Catherine, Dusko Goykovich, Steve Grossman, Scott Hamilton, Tony Lakatos and many more. Mini Schulz is one of the most sought-after bassists in Europe due to his subtle and accomplished playing style. He has played countless concerts with international jazz legends and is also active as an organizer and teacher in Stuttgart. The Austrian drummer Bernd Reiter, who studied in Graz and New York and now lives in Paris after several years in Munich, has performed worldwide with many jazz greats such as Harold Mabern, Kirk Lightsey, Don Menza, Steve Grossman, Jim Rotondi and many more.

Together, the five extremely established and experienced musicians present classic, energetic and swinging jazz at the very highest level, in the style of their idols such as Cedar Walton, Steve Grossman or Freddie Hubbard, simply "Jazz at its Best"!!!