Matti Klein Soul Trio – Jazz

What is soul? A rousing style of music, say some. An overwhelming feeling, claim others. It’s what makes us unique, according to the relevant English dictionaries. Each of these definitions applies to the Matti Klein Soul Trio, but the latter particularly captures the essence of this trio, which was founded in 2017. Here, three kindred spirits have come together in the name of the groove, forging their own unique path beyond the well-trodden paths of Hammond organ trios. At the heart of their sound are the warm Wurlitzer tones of internationally renowned bandleader Matti Klein, who has already performed on the stages of major jazz clubs in New York, Tokyo, London, and Paris. 

In the low-frequency range of his soul trio, the sound of a modified 1973 Fender Rhodes piano bass creates a pleasant tingling sensation in the gut. This rare instrument is as much a defining feature of the group as Lars Dieterich’s love of experimentation on the tenor saxophone and bass clarinet; in addition to his expressive solos in the vein of Stanley Turrentine, Bennie Maupin, or Maceo Parker, uses sound effects with pinpoint precision to become an additional synth player and bassist. Another hallmark of the Soul Trio is their unpretentious penchant for odd meters—a trait that, thanks to drummer André Seidel’s springy playing, you literally can’t hold against the trio in the truest sense of the word.

All these qualities also define “Soul Trio: Bouncin’ In Bubbleverse,” the trio’s third album to date. On this recording, Klein & Co. draw on their rich touring experiences to craft catchy melodies and social reflections that linger long after the music fades.

The Berlin-based band has now performed well over 300 concerts all over the world, including in Haiti at the Port-au-Prince International Jazz Festival, in South Africa, Malaysia, Bahrain, Finland (Pori Jazz), and as part of a UK tour. The fact that the trio manages to ignite the audience’s enthusiasm in no time at all has a lot to do with Matti Klein’s compositions. On the one hand, they give the band room for improvisations full of passion and wit. On the other hand, they are rooted in deeply personal experiences that are transformed into richly varied musical narratives—vibrant soul-jazz and the instrumental funk of The Meters or The Crusaders sit organically alongside hip-hop elements or spacey post-rock. Every note speaks to just how deeply Klein cares about forging an emotional connection with the audience.

It’s therefore no surprise that soul connoisseurs like BBC radio legend Robert Elms or singer Max Mutzke rave about the trio. And the media response to the band’s live shows and albums speaks for itself. “It grooves like crazy,” says Deutschlandfunk, for example, while the British magazine Jazzwise states plainly: “A new, smoking’ hot twist on the much-loved organ trio format. They deserve to be huge everywhere!”

Doors open at 7:30 p.m.