Singer and composer Céline Rudolph moves between Berlin, São Paulo, Paris and New York, between languages and genres, and always lands in the heart of music.

"Music is like breathing, it's been there ever since I can remember," says Céline Rudolph, recalling how her father would always pause when jamming on the guitar to give his children space for improvised lines or percussive fills. Born in Berlin and raised with her parents' rich record collection, the daughter of a Frenchwoman from Bordeaux and a cosmopolitan music lover from Berlin first learned to play and compose piano autodidactically and then began writing French songs on the guitar, which became her main means of expression. She later studied vocal jazz and composition at the Berlin University of the Arts with her mentors David Friedman, Jerry Granelli, Kirk Nurock, Jay Clayton and Catherine Gayer. She soon threw herself into African music and studied with percussionist Famoudou Konaté in West Africa. Her love of Brazilian music led her to São Paulo, where she met Rodolfo Stroeter, who produced three of her albums and four tours of Europe and Brazil so far: the albums are BRAZAVENTURE, METAMORFLORES (enja records) and SALVADOR (Verve, Universal).

Since 2015, she has been working with Beninese guitarist Lionel Loueke, with whom she recorded the duo album OBSESSION and performed at the 12th Jazz Festival in South Korea. "This is a very unique project because there are no boundaries. I knew from the beginning that we were from the same tribe, so to speak," says Lionel Loueke. Since then, the duo has toured Europe, Asia and Africa. The album OBSESSION reached the annual list of the "Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik" and earned Céline Rudolph the prestigious German Jazz Award ECHO JAZZ 2018 as best jazz singer.

Hailed by French radio station TSF as "a jewel of European jazz singing" and appreciated by many wonderful musicians such as Gary Peacock, Bob Moses, Naná Vasconcelos, Diego Figueiredo, Marcos Suzano, Bobby McFerrin, Lee Konitz or Jay Clayton, the adventurous pearl diver sailed from Berlin to Brooklyn for her album PEARLS (2019). Co-producer and drummer Jamire Williams: "I've never heard anything like Céline's music, she writes in such a unique way and her vocal sound is second to none. Her vibe and flow combined with what our band has created makes this production so special." In addition to Jamire Williams, the line-up includes Leo Genovese (p), Burniss Travis (b) and Céline's soulmate Lionel Loueke (git). "Undoubtedly one of the jazz vocal records of the year, and the main reason, apart from Céline's fine voice, is the quality of the compositional arc and the great sweep of style that runs through the album." Stephen Graham, marlbank.net (UK), 2019

Céline Rudolph developed the SONIQS project together with the multi-instrumentalist and sound inventor Sebastian Merk, who created his own drum set in which keyboards, electronics and video art are combined so that he can act very freely and intuitively. The sound resources also include dissected, sampled parts of the voice puzzle, which are sent through sound filters and rhythmically reassembled, as well as entire vocal melody lines, which form the basis of the compositions as looped "songlines". The quite complex music always keeps its lightness and playful song quality. In addition to the music, Céline Rudolph also writes texts that are independent of music, "poems", which SONIQS spontaneously set to music.

Peter Weniger, born in 1964 in Hamburg, is one of the most spectacular saxophone soloists on the international jazz scene.

His training began at the Musikhochschule Hamburg, where he received a diploma in popular music in 1984, and in 1992 he completed his jazz studies at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne "summa cum laude".

He has received numerous awards for his playing: in 1988 he won the Tonger Music Competition for saxophone in Cologne, in 1989 he was named best soloist at the Karlovy Vary Jazz Festival in what was then Czechoslovakia, in 1996 he received the SWF Jazz Prize and his CD "Tip Tap" was awarded the Quarterly Prize of the German Record Critics, and in 1998 he also won the Jazz Pott for the best progressive artist.

Peter Weniger has released nine CDs under his own name to date, among others with Hubert Nuss, Conrad Herwig, John Aebercrombie, Rufus Reid, Adam Nussbaum, David Liebman, Carl Allen, Dennis Erwin, John Schröder, Jeff Hamilton, Christian Ramond, Lynn Seaton, Wolfgang Haffner, Decebal Badila, Rob Pronk and the Metropol Orchestra. He has also recorded and toured with a wide variety of artists and ensembles, including Jasper van't Hof's "Pili Pili", Billy Cobham, Eddie Palmieri, Lionel Richie, Django Bates, Mike Stern, Leni Stern, David Friedman's TAMBOUR, Peter Herbolzheimer's RC&B, the Paul Kuhn Orchestra and the ARD Big Bands of SWR, HR, NDR, and WDR.

He has been a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts since the winter semester 1999/2000.

Projects: Peter Weniger Trio feat. Wolfgang Haffner & Decebal Badila, David Friedman's TAMBOUR ( CD: Earfood )

Helge Harding is a clarinettist and conductor with international concert and teaching experience. He performs as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral musician and in New Music ensembles, making guest appearances at the Salzburg Festival, among others. He has been a lecturer at the Berlin University of the Arts since 2007, at the Jazz Institute-Berlin since 2017 and at the Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Music High School at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music Berlin since 2018. He was awarded by the Federal Government as a Culture and Creative Pilot Germany.

Helge Harding received his professional training at the colleges of Detmold, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. He is a 1st prize winner of the European Young Soloists Competition in Luxembourg and attended courses with Sabine Meyer, Karl Leister, Eddie Daniels and Giora Feidman. His clarinet playing received special recognition from Sir Yehudi Menuhin. He made his conducting debut in Japan and has led the Kammerakademie Neuss and the Ensemble Mosaik, among others. Further studies with Pierre Boulez, Charles Dutoit, Sir Simon Rattle and Marek Janowski.

© Helge Harding 2018

Paulo Morello is considered one of the most versatile jazz guitarists in Europe. Together with Grammy winner Leny Andrade or Bossa Nova forefather Johnny Alf, Morello has performed at the most important European and South American jazz festivals. He passed his baptism of fire in the Hammond trio as a sideman of the legendary Jimmy Smith, whom he accompanied on his last European tour. Morello has worked with Randy Brecker, Pat Martino, Bob Mintzer, Billy Cobham, Paul Kuhn, Ivan Lins, Airto Moreira, Philip Catherine and Larry Coryell, among others. "Paulo Morello's guitar sounds as if George Benson had moved to Rio de Janeiro", says AZ München.

Prof. Wolfgang Köhler, born in Hofgeismar, received classical piano lessons at the age of eight and classical violin lessons at fifteen. After participating in the Burghausen Jazz Course in 1977, he developed an interest in modern jazz and founded the band "Just Friends" with saxophonist Allan Praskin. During a stay in New York in 1980, Wolfgang Köhler received lessons from Barry Harris and Ellis Larkins. At the end of 1980, he went to Berlin, where he first studied school music at the University of the Arts and passed the state music teacher's examination in 1985.

While studying, he was trained by Walter Norris and received classical lessons from Etzel Gundlich from 1982 to 1996. From 1982 onwards, Wolfgang Köhler was a member of the Lou Blackburn International Quartet, the Red Onions New Orleans Jazz Band and was a permanent touring accompanist of Karl Dall between 1982 and 1986.

Wolfgang Köhler played with Herb Geller, Lou Donaldson, Leo Wright, Lew Soloff, Silvia Droste, Bobby Shew, Billy Elgard, the RIAS Dance Orchestra conducted by Horst Jankowski and the RIAS Big Band conducted by Jiggs Whigham, among others.

He has given concerts and made CD recordings with the Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin and the Deutsches Sinfonie-Orchester. For television, Wolfgang Köhler was engaged as pianist for the SFB talk show "Berlin Mitte" in 1992 and as temporary organist for the Viva talk show "Ma Kuckn" with Stefan Raab.

In addition to working with his own formations, he has composed film scores and worked with theatres such as the Freie Volksbühne and the Maxim Gorki Theater.

Wolfgang Köhler has been active as a teacher since 1980. From 1992 to February 1999, he was a lecturer for jazz piano at the Berlin University of the Arts. Since 1995, Wolfgang Köhler has been associated with the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music Berlin as a lecturer in jazz piano and accompaniment. In 1995/96 he was piano teacher at workshops in Bologna and in 1996/97 correpetitor at jazz singing workshops with Silvia Droste in Bielefeld. In the summer semester of 1999, Wolfgang Köhler was appointed professor of piano in the Jazz and Popular Music Department of the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music Berlin.

Born in Munich, Tino Derado studied at the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston and at the New York "New School for Music", where he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in 1995. During his 13-year stay in the USA, Tino Derado became a sought-after member of the jazz and Latin scene and played concerts with, among others. with Gary Burton, Peter Erskine, Bob Moses, Randy Brecker, Bill Evans, Paul Winter, Dave Liebman, Jimmy Cliff, Frank Gambale, Jamey Haddad, Chiara Civello, Richard Bona, Matthew Garrison, Joe Chambers, Till Brönner, Nils Langren, Jojo Meyer, Papo Vasquez, Orlando Marin Y Su Orchestra, Andy Gonzales, and Fred Hersch.

Since his return to Germany, he has played in various bands, such as with Andy Middleton, Rebekka Bakken, Esther Kaiser and the NDR Bigband.

He has been a lecturer at JIB since 2009 and lives with his family in Berlin. In April 2014, he accepted a position at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Hanover.

Reggie Moore was born in New York City in 1938. His father, arranger / pianist Billy Moore wrote for Jimmy Lunceford and Charlie Barnet, among others. In the course of his 40-year career, Reggie has shared the stage with many jazz legends, playing with Betty Carter, Gary Bartz, Benny Golson, Kenny Burrell, Johnny Hartmann, Anita O'Day, Woody Shaw, Houston Person, Red Halloway, Hal Singer, Cab Calloway, Scott Hamilton and Harry "Sweets" Edison. He arranged for the big bands of Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, among others, played in the swing shows Bubbling Brown Sugar, Ain't Misbehavin' and Andre Heller's Body & Soul and toured the USA, Japan and Europe with his own trio.

In 1996 Reggie took over the musical direction of the Hamburg production of Ain't Misbehavin at the St. Pauli Theatre, and in spring 1998 he was responsible for the music in the production of Tennessee Williams' "The Cat on the Hot Tin Roof" at the Maxim Gorki Theatre in Berlin. In December 2003, Jackie Lowe engaged him as musical director for the world premiere of her play "A Portrait of Billie Holiday".

Reggie Moore has performed at countless international festivals and studio productions and has helped shape the repertoire of various solo artists and big bands as an arranger. The publicist Nat Hentoff described the pianist in the cover text of his debut album "Wishbone" with the following words: "...with his strongly propulsive beat, crispness of articulation and emotional directness, Reggie Moore does indeed communicate to a wide range of listeners …"

For 19 years now, Reggie Moore has lived in Berlin, his adopted home, together with his wife, the jazz singer Cornelia Moore, and their daughter; he has enriched the city's music scene immensely and has taught there at the HfM Hanns Eisler since 1996.

Studied piano and jazz piano at the Hochschule für Musik "Franz List" Weimar with Manfred Schmitz. Numerous ragtime concerts for the music publisher "Edition Peters". Participation in the Schwetzingen Festival as solo pianist in the ragtime opera "Treemonisha" by Scott Joplin. Founder of "Hessel's Ragtime Band", multiple participation in the Dresden Dixieland Festival and winner of the 1st Dixie Prize. Accompanist of numerous jazz singers such as Ruth Hohmann, Uschi Brühning, Angelika Weiz and Brenda Jackson as well as chanson singers in various theatres and concert halls in Germany. Frequent participation in events "Jazz im Frack" at the Komische Oper Berlin, Schauspielhaus Berlin and Gewandhaus Leipzig. Pianist in various bands e.g. "Jazzin' the Blues" , "Jumpin' Jackets", collaboration with Günther Fischer and numerous solo performances in jazz clubs.

Since 1984 piano teacher and répétiteur at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music Berlin.

Although as a pianist he serves all jazz styles, his special efforts are devoted to the preservation and performance of classic jazz piano styles such as ragtime, boogie woogie, stride piano and swing.

Born in Bremen in 1959. Studied at the Berlin University of the Arts; master student. At the same time, private jazz piano lessons with, among others, Prof. Walter Norris.

1995 New York scholarship from the Berlin Senate Department for Cultural Affairs. Private lessons with Kenny Werner. 1999 Sophie Said, Christian von der Goltz Trio: Christian von der Goltz - p, comp; Stefan Weeke - b; Michael Griener - d; MONS-Records. Shit, free improvised jazz with Rudi Mahall (bcl), Gerold Genßler (b), and John Schröder (d); Two-Nineteen-Music, Berlin Wheels of Time, piano solo improvisations.

2000 Jazz workshop in Riga / Latvia for the Goethe-Institut Riga together with Stanley Sulzmann and Danny Gottlieb.

2001 Goethe-Institut tour of Turkey and Israel by the Christian von der Goltz Trio

2002 Dreaming, Christian von der Goltz Trio: Christian von der Goltz - p, comp; Ed Schuller - b; Eliot Zigmund - d; yvp-records, Goethe-Institut tour of the Christian von der Goltz Trio in St. Petersburg, Helsinki and Tallinn (Estonia)

2003 Concert for the Goethe-Institut Toronto (Canada) as part of the Jazz Festival there, with Ed Schuller and Eliot Zigmund.

2005 Complicated stories (with no end), Christian von der Goltz Trio: Christian von der Goltz - p; Paul Imm - b; Heinrich Köbberling - d; Konnex Records (No. 5152). Participation in: Andare in fondo al cuore, Miriam Netti. Compositions and arrangements: Christian von der Goltz Vladimir Karparov Quartet

Since 1995, teaching position at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music. Co-founder of the Jazz & Rock School Berlin (today Jazzschule Berlin). Christian von der Goltz has played with: Thomas Alkier, Pepe Berns, Carlos Bica, Till Brönner, Giorgio Crobu, Frank Gant, Walter Gauchel, Danny Gottlieb, Michael Griener, Paul Imm, Kalle Kalima, Jan von Klewitz, Heinrich Köbberling, Johan Leijonhufvud, Björn Lücker, Rudi Mahall, Sebastian Merk, Frank Möbus, Allan Praskin, John Schröder, Ed Schuller, Coco Schumann, Oliver Steidle, Stanley Sulzmann, Dejan Terzic, Felix Wahnschaffe, Henrik Walsdorf, Stefan Weeke, Eliot Zigmund …

In his contemporary jazz projects, the pianist Rolf Zielke reflects on his deep experiences with South American and Oriental music and works on compositions from „classical“ and „new“ music. „Technically up to speed...“ „The man from Berlin presents himself as a pianist who provides fresh tones in the crowded trio genre.“ (jazz thing) „The listener experiences piano trio jazz of the Champions League.“
(jazz podium)

International festivals a. o.:
French German Jazz Series, Washington DC (USA), „Dedication to Maestro Festival", St. Petersburg, Hermitage (Russia), European Culture Festival in Algiers (Algeria), German-Kurdish Culture Days Erbil (Iraq), International Jazz Festival - lasi (Romania), Music Festivals in Peking u. Fuzhou (China), Ohrid Summer Festival (Macedonia), Jazz an der Oder - Wroclaw (PL), International Jazz Fair - Poznan (PL), Dialogue of Cultures, Lodz (PL), Martinu Festival, Basel (CH), Rheingau Music Festival (D), Schleswig Holstein Music Festival (D).

Concerts / studio recordings with e.g.:
Charlie Mariano, Thomas Quasthoff, Mike Stern, Hendrik Meurkens, David Friedman, Peter Weniger, Ed Schuller, Bireli Lagrene, Jiggs Whigham, Benny Baily, Red Holloway, Scott Hammilton, Krzesimir Debski, Stacy Kent, Judy Niemack, Sergej Starostin („Moskow Art Trio“), Kaigal-Ool Khovalig („Hun Huur Tu“), Nahawa Doumbia, Urna Chahar-Tugchi, Eda Zari, „RIAS" Big Band Berlin …

Tours:
USA (New York, Florida, Washington DC), Africa (Algeria, Cameroon), Asia (China, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Iraq) and in 15 European countries (concerts in London, Madrid, Zurich, Rome, Warsaw, St. Petersburg, Istanbul, among others).
„... The music played by the duo was particularly appealing to the audience. It was clean, free from useless gimmicks and artefacts, with impeccable timing and rhythm shifting that kept everyone focused …“
(The Jordan Times, Oct.09)

Awards:
- 13 times „Jazzpodium Niedersachsen“
- 3 times „Studio Project“ of the Berlin Senate

Rolf Zielke teaches at the „Jazz Institut Berlin“ (JIB), at the Hochschule für Musik „Hanns Eisler“, at the UdK and at the University of Potsdam. He was musical director at theatres in Hanover and Hamburg and composed film and theatre music. In 2006 he led the Lower Saxony „Jazz Art Ensemble“.

CD selection:
2013 - „Hasretim“ (ECM)
Dresdner Sinfoniker mit Gastmusikern
2011 - Rolf Zielke - Mustafa Boztüy Duo
2009 - „Rolf Zielke: Handel Jazz“ feat. Stephan Abel (Roger Cicero) / Rhani Krija (Sting)
2004 - "Hot Impressions" feat. Charlie Mariano
2002 - "Exosphere" feat. Mike Stern
2001 - "Rolf Zielke Trio" feat. Mustafa Boztüy
1996 - "BLOW UP" feat. Ulita Knaus / Krzesimir Debski

Film and theatre compositions:
„Deszcz“ („Regen" 1990) und „Slub Krawca" („Die Hochzeit des Schneiders" 2000) with the Polish film artist Elzbieta Wasik.
„Hexentanz und Teufelsschwanz“: Composition for the 100th anniversary of the „Bergtheater Thale“ for orchestra, choir and ballet

Pianist SooJin Anjou enjoys an astonishingly varied international career as soloist, chamber musician and partner in diverse interdisciplinary projects. Born in South Korea, she was educated in the United States, Hungary and Germany. She graduated from the Juilliard School as the only person in its history to win both of Juilliard’s undergraduate commencement prizes, for achievement and leadership in music and the liberal arts. While still a student, she was prominently featured in Asahi-TV’s documentary “New York, New Yorkers”, which was televised in many parts of Asia and released on DVD.

SooJin Anjou is an avid performer of contemporary music, and composers have been entrusting their work to her since she was 15. She has premiered works by, among others, Valentin Silvestrov, Elena Kats-Chernin and David Del Tredici. In January 2019, her world-premiere recording of the complete piano works of electronic music legend Morton Subotnick was released to great acclaim, eliciting such praise as “magical and beguiling” (Wire Magazine, London).

As soloist, she made her Boston Symphony Orchestra debut at 16 with Prokofiev's 3rd Piano Concerto. She is a laureate of the Robert Schumann International Piano Competition (Zwickau, Germany) and the Orléans International Piano Competition (France). Her broad repertoire includes more than 40 concertos, ranging from Bach to Berio, as well as the complete works of Ravel. She has been a dedicated teacher at the JIB since 2016, and has previously taught chamber music and solo piano at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg.

Maximilian Hughes was born in Heidelberg and grew up in Germany and America. He has lived in Berlin since 1993. He received his first music lessons in singing at the age of six, followed later by clarinet and drums. At the age of fifteen, electric bass as his main instrument.

Studies in Classical and Modern Music, University of California/ San Diego, then Bachelor of Arts in Music (1991), Berklee College of Music, Boston/ Massachusetts.

Further artistic training with, among others: Paul Amrod, Whit Browne, composer John Bavicchi, Jimmy Cheatham, Hal Crook, Oscar Stagnaro and film music legend Oscar Sala (serious music).

Since 1994 lecturer for electric bass at the "Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik" in Berlin. Since 1998 lecturer for electric bass and computer music at the University of the Arts (UDK), Berlin.

Author of the textbook "Creative Solo Bass - Find your Individual Way", 1997, AMA Verlag, Brühl near Cologne.
Active freelancing and studio work in Europe, Brazil and the U.S.A.

Collaboration as bassist/producer for organisations such as Alcatel, Friedrichstadt Palast Berlin, Inwent, KPMG, Marleaux Guitars, New York Broadway Ensemble, Telescope Film, etc., and artists such as Yamil Borges, Johnaul Bourelly, Toni Braxton. and artists such as Yamil Borges, John-Paul Bourelly, Toni Braxton, Flo Dauner, Wolfgang Dauner, Abdourahmane Diop, Marcelo Elias, Blanche Elliz, Wolfgang Fiedler, Roland Gebhardt, Tino Gonzales, Derrick James, Hilmar Jensson, Aly Keita, Fuasi-Abdul Khaliq, Chaka Khan, Dorothea Lorraine, Kenny Martin, Aviaja Lumholt, Jocelyn B. Smith, Marisa Turner, Ack van Rooyen, etc.

Studies
- 1988-1994 studies at the University of Music and Theater in Hamburg
- 1994-1996 studies at the New School New York City (Mannes College of Music) with a scholarship from the DAAD. Lessons from John Riley, Jamey Haddad, Marvin B. Smith, Joe Cusatis, Richie Beirach, Reggie Workman, George Garzone and many more

Musical career/development
- 1986-94 concerts with Sal Nistico and Rachel Gould Quartet, Mercedes Rossy, Herb Geller, James Moody, Joe Pass, Walter Norris, Clark Terry, Birelli Lagrene Trio, Gunther Hampel
- 1991-94 member of the Barbara Dennerlein Trio (concerts and tours in Canada, USA, UK and Europe
- 1994 moved to New York (studies at Mannes College/New School)
- from 1995 concerts and tours with: Ben Monder, Lee Anne Ledgerwood, Attila Zoller, Anthony Coleman Trio, Richie Beirach, Ilhan Ersahin, Eddie Henderson, Ben Street, Manny Duran, Benny Bailey
- 1998/99 CD recordings with Derek Bronston and Tom Harell, Marc Johnson and Ben Monder, Andreas Schmidt/ Celine Rudolph and Gary Peacock and many more
- Founded the band 8-Doogymoto and collaborated with Matthew Herbert, (2 albums and 3 EP'S for Accidential)
- Since 2001 member of the Ernie Watts Quartet Europe (tours in Europe and 6 CD productions)
- Beginning of collaboration with Aki Takase and Rudi Mahall (4 CD's) - Japan and England tour with Matthew Herbert and Matmos.
- since 2000 concerts as a sideman with, among others, Charlie Mariano, Benny Bailey, Dee Dee Bridgewater, NDR Big Band, Frank Chastenier, Gustavo Bergalli, Richie Cole, Calexico, Lynn Arriale Trio, Julia Hülsmann Trio feat. Rebbeka Bakken/ Anna Lauvergnac/ Roger Cicero,), "Lyambiko", Marc Sinan's "Facil', Denzal Sinclaire
1997: Solo CD "Pisces" with Ben Monder/Matt Renzi/ Marc Johnson
2010: Solo CD "Parasol" with Rudi Mahall, Tino Derado and Paul Imm
Since 2008 7 CD productions for ECM with Julia Hülsmann
- Participation as a sideman in more than 50 CD productions (e.g. with Jan Delay "Mercedes Dance").
- Concerts and touring in Europe, Canada, USA, China, Japan and South America Jazz festival performances :
Montreal, New York, Rochester, Ottawa, Seattle, Paris, London, Rome, Tokyo, Northsea, Shenzen,Washington, Molde, St.Petersburg, Moscow, Barcelona, Madrid ,Warsaw, Vienna, London, Hamburg, Berlin, Stuttgart, Frankfurt , Duisburg, Leverkusen, Vienna, Zurich, Jazz-Baltica, Hanover, Dresden, Würzburg ...

Current bands and projects
- Ernie Watts Quartet Europe
- Julia Hülsmann Trio
- Peter Less's Deluge
- Alexander v. Schlippenbach Quartet
- Since 2007 Professor for Jazz/Pop Percussion at the University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig
from October 2019 professor for jazz drums at the Jazz-Institut Berlin

Wolfram Blechner was born in 1961. He began learning drums when he was seventeen. He has been studying and playing West African rhythms since 1986. He acquired his knowledge on study trips to Africa, workshops and years of collaboration with African artists. His most important teachers were or are members of the famous Ballet Africain, a selection of the most talented artists from all over Guinea, such as Famadou Konate, Mamadi Keita, Koumbana Konde, Mohamed Sylla and many more

The accompaniment of (African) dance has been a focus of his work for almost twenty years, alongside his teaching and musical work, for Norma Claire (Paris), Elsa Wolliaston (Paris), Carmen Issler, Brigitte Rumpf and many more he performs throughout Germany with the Oasis Dance Ensemble.

Since 1994, the music of Gnawa, who mainly lives in Morocco, has become a further field of research and activity. In 1995 and 1997 he traveled for two months to his teacher Mahmoud Gania, a master of the bass lute-like Gembri, well known beyond the country's borders.

1991-2001 teacher for African rhythms at the music school in Neukölln. Since 1995 teaching position at the "Hanns Eisler" Music Academy in Berlin.

In the course of his work, Wolfram has already worked with a wide variety of band projects and artists throughout Germany and other European countries, e.g. Kamalesh Maitra, Sankar Chatterjee, Michael Clifton, Ali Keita in the English Garden (Berlin), Dudu Tucci, 5th Schöneberger Tanznacht, Bobby McFerrin, Famadou Konate and many others. CD production with Christoph Griese, Pulz, DVD production with Oasis.

Prof. dr Thorsten Wollmann was born on February 10, 1966 in Laupheim. He completed his studies in composition/arrangement at the Musikhochschule in Cologne, where his final concert was recorded by WDR and broadcast on the radio. After further studies in music theory, he moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand, where he taught composition and jazz as a long-term DAAD lecturer. Thorsten received his PhD in composition from the University of Auckland in New Zealand and became a Doctor of Music in 2005. The composer received the Philip Neill Memorial Prize from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, a Best Original Soundtrack Award for his score for the New Zealand short film Promenade and a Doctoral Completion Award for his artistic doctoral work.

Tours have taken him as a jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player to West Africa (Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic), Southeast Asia (Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines), India, Mexico, Portugal and Spain. His own formation, the Thorsten Wollmann Quintet, made guest appearances with SDR, SWF and with the Cologne Radio Orchestra for WDR. Today he enjoys playing the piano in his own jazz trio.

As a composer, he wrote commissioned compositions for the Cologne Radio Orchestra, the Big Bands of WDR, HR, NDR, SWR & SDR, the jazz soloists Bobby Shew (USA), Tom Harell (USA), John Taylor (UK), the German Jazz Orchestra, BUJAZZO, the German Music Festival, Bosch music groups, Ensemble Pyramide (Switzerland), Duo Concertante (Cologne), LBO Baden -Württemberg, the Trossingen Music Academy trumpet ensemble, Saxoforte, the Südpool Ensemble and the Bamberg Symphony Big Band. His music has been performed and recorded by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia, Karlheinz Company (Auckland), New York Philharmonia, Universal Studios Orchestra (Hollywood), Sofia Radio Orchestra (Bulgaria), North University Choir (Thailand), Salamander Big Band ( Indonesia), the symphonic wind orchestras of the Franz Liszt Academy (Budapest) and the Anton Bruckner Conservatory (Austria), Banda Sinfonica de la Provincia (Argentina), Südwind, Tango Fuego (Germany/Argentina), Due Boemi Di Praga (Czech Republic) and the Pianist Bennett Lerner (USA).

As a conductor, he is repeatedly invited by orchestras, chamber music groups, wind orchestras, big bands and choirs to conduct his own works.

Thorsten Wollmann was awarded the Baden-Württemberg Jazz Prize in 1992.

Gert Müller studied trombone at the Berlin University of the Arts. He played in various jazz formations and new music ensembles at international festivals, in musical, CD and radio productions and won several jazz competitions. Later he was musical director and house composer for about 30 productions at the Schillertheater Berlin, the Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin and the Theater Dortmund and orchestra director of the Rias Big Band. Since 1995, he has taught at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin, where he was vice rector from 2011 to 2014. Since 2016, he has been giving workshops in various African countries at music academies of the European Union and is also involved in musical research and cultural preservation projects there for the German Foreign Ministry.

Björn Sickert was born in Stuttgart in 1963. He learned to play the double bass and electric bass with Peter Schönfeld, Peter Christl, Dieter Ilg and Thomas Heidepriem, later adding the tuba as a third instrument. Writing music has always held a great, unbroken fascination for him.

He studied bass, arrangement and composition at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. During his studies, he was busy touring with jazz, rock and fusion ensembles all over the east coast of the USA, as well as studio work in Boston and Nashville. After graduating, he moved to Berlin. He worked for big names in the German music business, toured the German-speaking world with various musicals, and played bass at well-known theaters and musical stages in Berlin. As a member of free orchestras and big bands, music took him through Europe, South America and parts of Africa. In addition to working on his own compositions with a wide variety of orchestrations, he wrote around 250 commissioned works for larger ensembles such as Theater des Westens, Friedrichstadtpalast, Hessischer Rundfunk, ... and has worked for a number of major label and small label productions as a bassist or arranger. p>

He acts as a consultant for the music and music software industry, produces music, was a product manager for online platforms and gained relevant experience in the advertising industry as a freelancer for advertising agencies

Peter Tenner was born in Freiburg im Breisgau. He studied school music, music theory and jazz at the music academies in Freiburg and Trossingen. During his studies he also trained as a teacher of the F. M. Alexander technique.

After graduating, he worked as a lecturer in music theory and ear training at the Musikhochschule in Freiburg. From October 1999 he was head of the jazz and pop department at the school for music, theater and dance in Sindelfingen. Since October 2000 he has been working as a lecturer in jazz theory, "classical" music theory, ear training, arrangement and composition in the jazz department of the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin and from October 2005 in the same position at the Jazz Institute Berlin.

During his studies, he wrote big band compositions and arrangements for the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Education and the Bavarian State Youth Jazz Orchestra, among others. In 2008 he founded the Peter Tenner Jazz Orchestra (traditional big band formation), with which he performs his compositions and arrangements.