Johannes von Ballestrem is a German pianist living in Berlin. He is known for his diversity, being able to perform in a variety of traditional and modern jazz styles. With different bands he regularly performs in Germany and internationally. He has shared the bandstand with jazz greats like Kurt Rosenwinkel, Greg Cohen, Norma Winstone, Eric Harland, Kurt Elling, Jim Black and Till Brönner.

Lionel Haas was born in Bonn on 27 December 1971. He took his first piano lessons at the age of nine and developed an early interest in jazz, blues and rock. At the end of 1999 he moved to Berlin, where he began to make a name for himself by performing in Berlin's jazz venues. In spring 2002 he founded the Lionel Haas Quintet. This evolved into the sextet formation BLOWING FRONT in 2007, which features three-horn arrangements of his original compositions in the style of straight-ahead jazz and groove music. Blowing Front won the 'Jazz and Blues Award' in 2007. In addition, Lionel Haas works as a supporting artist in various notable band projects in Berlin and continues to develop his musical versatility.

Latvian-born Agita Rando studied church music at the Latvian Music Academy in Riga. A scholarship brought her to Bremen in 2000, where she completed graduate studies in organ playing under the tuition of Hans-Ola Ericsson and Harald Vogel. Whilst working as a musician in the genres church music, classical music and jazz, Agita also studied jazz-piano under Joe Dinkelbach, Ed Kröger, Detlev Beier and Georg Rox. Since 2008, Agita Rando has been working in Berlin as a pianist, composer and organist.

Daniel Dodd-Ellis studied Theater and Music at Southwestern University's Sarofim School of Fine Arts in Texas. After moving to Europe, he sang with artists such as Marius Müller-Westernhagen and Stefan Gwildis in Germany. Ultimately, he formed his own soul quartet, the Upper East Side Band, in 2003. Daniel teamed up with soul music DJ, Daniel Dombrowe (a.k.a. DJ Dan D) for events in northern Germany. This led to him becoming Emcee of the Baltic Soul Weekender, one of Europe’s leading soul music festivals. Daniel released his first EP, Steppin' To You in 2009 and completed his second solo project, Souls Electrified, with Quinn McCarthy in New York. Daniel collaborated with electronic pioneer Burnt Friedman on 5 albums and EPs, which include First Night Forever, Secret Rhythms (No. 5) and their trilogy Cease To Matter, released on Groove Attack label. He recently worked with Sebastian Demarius (a.k.a. ComixXx) and Alexander Barck of the international collective, Jazzanova on music for their upcoming album.

A singer/songwriter who keeps away from temporary trends and consistently follows his own route, can set individual accents and develop their own profile in the long term. Ben Barritt loves timeless and multi-dimensional songs that gaze beyond the usual pop horizons. The versatile singer, guitarist, and songwriter was born in the UK in 1984 and used to be be firmly anchored in the London scene for years. He has performed with personalities such as Bobby McFerrin and Kenny Wheeler and on stages like renowned Royal Albert Hall. On his 2019 release, Everybody's Welcome, Barritt covers a wide range of musical, atmospheric and sound-aesthetic ground. He is inspired by British folk rock icons like Nick Drake and John Martyn, Stevie Wonder's advanced gospel funk, the clever ideas of pop thinkers, Steely Dan, and Joni Mitchell's groundbreaking collaborations with jazz stars. Barritt's compositions entice with catchy, unobtrusively beautiful melodies and unexpected harmonic changes. Sophisticated and dynamic arrangements reward repeated listening with ever new discoveries.

Torsten Goods is one of Germany’s leading jazz guitarists and jazz pop/RnB singers. He is the winner of the prestigious German ‚Musikautorenpreis‘ of the GEMA and was nominated twice for the Echo Jazz. He has released six solo albums up until today. We're looking forward to an evening of groovy 60ies Organ Jazz with lots of virtuosity and enthusiasm.

As a popular sideman both on stage and in the studio, pianist and composer Simon Anke accompanies artists such as Jocelyn B. Smith, Keimzeit, Tina Tandler and the Babelsberg Film Orchestra. Since 2016 he has been working for the tv production ‚The Voice Of Germany‘ as an accompanist. In his solo piano concerts, he plays his own compositions and all-time favourites from Elvis to Tom Waits via Daft Punk to Billie Eilish. A journey from the down below to the surface, from the heart to the ear.

Studied jazz at the Berlin University of the Arts. Freelance musician, pianist and keyboardist. Collaborations with Lily Dahab, Ed Sheeran, Joy Denalane, Till Brönner, Max Herre, Freundeskreis, Die Fantastischen Vier, Katie Melua, James Morrison, Ellie Goulding, James Blunt, Jazzkantine, Jazzanova, Jocelyn B. Smith, Lisa Bassenge, Micatone. 2020 solo piano recordings with and for Howard Shore (film music composer, a.o. Lord of the Rings, Hobbit, Gangs of New York, Aviator, Silence of the Lambs, The Irish Man...) and the Netflix production "Pieces of a woman" (Executive Producer : Martin Scorsese). Since 2011 keyboarder and pianist for "The Voice Of Germany" (PRO 7/Sat1). Support shows for John Legend, Elton John's "Stadium Tour" in Australia and Lionel Richie in Paris. On tour with Lily Dahab, Lisa Bassenge, Joy Denalane, Freundeskreis, Laura Lopez-Castro, Jocelyn B.Smith, jazzIndeed, Flexkögel, Sarah Connor, Jessica Gall, Maren Kroymann, Schmidt. Film music for Detlev Buck ("Liebe deine Nächste"), Margarethe von Trotta ("Die abhandene Welt"), Howard Shore ("Pieces of a woman").

Micatone started at the turn of the millennium as one of the early groups combining a live band with electronic breakbeats and club sounds. In conjunction with the voice of Lisa Bassenge the exceptional mixture of pop, jazz and electronics led to a number of record releases on Jazzanova ´s label Sonarkollektiv. Among the fans and supporters of the band were people like French House Dj Bob Sinclar or BBC radio presenter Gilles Peterson. Featured artists on Micatone tracks include Stuart Staples of the Tindersticks, Seeed ´s Demba “Ear” Nabé or jazz musicians like David Friedman or Gerald Presencer. At the Orania Micatone will play songs from their long and diverse band history.

United by their passion for improvised music, a German, a Uruguayan and a Brazilian meet in Berlin to draw on all the influences of a city that bursts with energy. Jazz, contemporary harmony and oriental sounds are fused with the rhythmic sensuousness of South America. With their musical thirst, creativity and enthusiasm the artists declare their love for the vitality of multi-cultural Berlin. Rolf Zielke has won many jazz awards. He has played at many international cultural events as a renowned artists of the jazz or World Music scene. This project is further proof of Zielke’s own particular style – his soulful, lyrical and expressive playing. Guilherme Castro and Rolo Rodriguez form an internationally famed rhythm duo. After long and intensive co-operation in many first-rate bands, their names stand for breath-taking groove and intuitive ensemble playing.

Daniel Stawinski began classical piano lessons at the age of 6. A few years later, he switched to jazz, taught by Alexander von Schlippenbach and Aki Takase. From 2001 to 2005 he studied jazz piano at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music and was a member of BuJazzO. From 2005 he lived in Paris, performing in France and neighbouring countries in the spectrum between jazz and Latin American music. Since 2015 he has been back in Berlin, where he formed both the Kammerjazz Kollektiv and a new piano trio (with Igor Spallati on bass and Diego Pinera on drums). He has performed all over the world, including at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Marciac Jazz Festival, Movimentos Arts Festival, Umbria Jazz Festival, Martinique Jazz Festival, Jazz Festival de Port-au-Prince and Jazz Festival de Saint-Louis. With Clave Azul he won the 1st prize at the Berlin Jazz & Blues Awards in 2005.

After learning classical music for 10 years Marque caught the jazz "bug" and has been trying to understand and perform this art form for some 40 odd years. “I've been lucky enough to play with some phenomenal musicians such as Tony Scott, Bireli Lagrene, Ira Sullivan, Ernie Watts, the cult group Embryo, Paramashivam, as well as my best friends Chris Hirson and Geoff Goodman. I've played with many accomplished and enthusiastic musicians in Freiburg and Berlin, Germany, as well as in the USA, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, etc. For the past 13 years I've been primarily working with and accompanying Lyambiko, who has developed into one of Germany's premier jazz singers.” At solo piano concerts Marque plays primarily his own arrangements of old "classics" and standards, or bossa nova and blues-oriented pieces, as well as his own compositions.

Johannes von Ballestrem is a German pianist living in Berlin. He is known for his diversity, being able to perform in a variety of traditional and modern jazz styles. With different bands he regularly performs in Germany and internationally. He has shared the bandstand with jazz greats like Kurt Rosenwinkel, Greg Cohen, Norma Winstone, Eric Harland, Kurt Elling, Jim Black and Till Brönner.

The Hungarian keyboarder Ivan Gatos and german drummer Dirk Erchinger have joined forces to celebrate their unconditional love to funk & soul music the old-school way. Funky drums and analogue keyboards blend together with the groovy bass of Björn Werra to a hot and spicy stew. Dirk Erchinger was the driving force of german Hip Hop/ Jazz pioneers Jazzkantine for 16 years and has been the drummer for the renowned Austrian funk/jazz band Count Basic since almost 25 years. Keyboard wizard and jazz pianist Ivan Gatos is one of Hungary’s most wanted musicians and has worked with world famous musicians like Peter Erskine, Victor Bailey, Billy Cobham. There will also be some soulful vocal featuring the talented Tamir Cohen tonight. So put on your dancing shoes and enjoy these grooving beat brothers.

Dvora Davis is an outstanding internationally established jazz artist , performing artist and composer/ singer songwriter, who has been charming audiences with her stunning voice and charismatic presence, from Belarus to Russia, Spain to Germany , UK to Holland. She has performed as a singer & songwriter in many genres with strong ties in jazz , adult contemporary guitar music and roots in blues. A musical painter, she has a unique warm and dynamic voice, taking hold of you every time. It is a one of a kind voice that rings out loud and true.Whatever she sings you believe. She is a storyteller, a strong songwriter and live performer. Dvora will perform eautiful original Jazz compositions from her albums ‚A Simple Affair' and ‚Love Life Expressions' with co-writer Jochem Braat along with a couple of her own arrangements of well known Jazz songs.

Micatone started at the turn of the millennium as one of the early groups combining a live band with electronic breakbeats and club sounds. In conjunction with the voice of Lisa Bassenge the exceptional mixture of pop, jazz and electronics led to a number of record releases on Jazzanova ´s label Sonarkollektiv. Among the fans and supporters of the band were people like French House Dj Bob Sinclar or BBC radio presenter Gilles Peterson. Featured artists on Micatone tracks include Stuart Staples of the Tindersticks, Seeed ´s Demba “Ear” Nabé or jazz musicians like David Friedman or Gerald Presencer. At the Orania Micatone will play songs from their long and diverse band history.

Eren began his professional training with a classical education at Badisches Konservatorium Karlsruhe and continued his studies in Jazz at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin with Reggie Moore and Jiggs Whigham. As a sought-after sideman, he works with artists from all over the world and performs concerts all over Europe. Collaborations and record releases with the duo Âme and his own project Pied Plat soon followed paying tribute to his roots in classical music and journey via jazz to techno. Eren is a wanderer, from various wind instruments to DJ-ing and producing, he has constantly expanded the dimensions of his work. But one love that has always remained is the grand piano and its versatility to provide melody, harmony and rhythm as a whole.

Ludwig Hornung began his education at the age of six with classical pianolessons and drumlessons, during the following years he won several prizes at jazz and classic competitions. In 2006 he began to study Jazz-Piano in Stuttgart, in 2008 he transfered to the Jazz Institut Berlin, where he finished his studies with top grade, taking lessons with Prof. Hubert Nuss, Prof. David Friedman and Prof. Kurt Rosenwinkel. At the same time he took classical lessons with Prof. Susanne Grützmann. He appeared with the Dima Bondarev Quintet at the competition of the Festival „Jazz à Montauban“ in France, where the group won the first prize. Tours led this group to the Festival „Jazz Bez“ in L'viv (Ukraine) and to „Jazz nad Odra“ (Poland). Other Festivals, where Hornung appeared, were the Jazzopen Stuttgart, German Jazz Nights in Brussels (Belgium), Jazz Festival Lyons (France) and the Nachwuchs-Jazzfestival Leipzig. His musical activities led him to France, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Belgium, Czechia, Russia, Poland, Bulgaria, Austria, South Korea, Switzerland, Ukraine, Netherlands, Turkey and in the USA.

Béla Meinberg is a German pianist, based in Hamburg and Berlin. He has worked with some of the finest Jazz musicians around including Billy Hart, Seamus Blake, Matt Penman, Chris Cheek, Doug Weiss and John Stowell. His playing characterises a lyrical approach, always swinging and a good sense of humour - constantly aiming to build on his musical ability. Whilst respecting the tradition of jazz, his priority is always searching for something new, both as an instrumentalist and as a composer. Béla has been featured in great festivals and locations during his career, such as the ElbJazz Festival, JazzBaltica, Auditorio Alfredo Kraus Las Palmas and Jazzsommer Augsburg. He was awarded first prize at the Steinway solo piano competition of Hamburg, as well as third prize at Yamaha solo piano competition Nuremberg. With trio MMO he released the album „MMO feat. Chris Cheek - the hiker“. The „Béla Meinberg Trio“ released its first album „It’s a Game“ on Bandcamp.com in May 2020.

The well-balanced combination of minimal music, complex rhythms, vocal melodies, and multidimensional harmonies characterize the play of Benedikt Jahnel. With his compositions, the Berlin-based pianist and composer creates delicate structures that create an almost enchanting attraction for the listener. His second passion, mathematics, flows into his music in the best sense of the word: crystal clear transparency and large forms design the framework for intense moods. Concert tours to nearly 50 countries, appearances at the Montreal Jazz Festival, Jazz Baltica, Carnegie Hall New York, as well as numerous sideman and soloist recordings at ECM and ACT show his boundless creativity and drive.

As a popular sideman both on stage and in the studio, pianist and composer Simon Anke accompanies artists such as Jocelyn B. Smith, Keimzeit, Tina Tandler and the Babelsberg Film Orchestra. Since 2016 he has been working for the tv production ‚The Voice Of Germany‘ as an accompanist. In his solo piano concerts, he plays his own compositions and all-time favourites from Elvis to Tom Waits via Daft Punk to Billie Eilish. A journey from the down below to the surface, from the heart to the ear.

Kenneth Berkel was born in Berlin in 1996. He started playing the piano at the age of 6. With 10 years he began to explore the world of Jazz. He graduated at one of Germany’s most popular music schools 'C. Ph. E. Bach in Berlin'. Afterwards he studied Jazz-Piano (Prof. Köhler) and Classical Piano (Prof. Grützmann) at Jazz-Institut Berlin (UdK/HfM). Kenneth Berkel lives in Berlin where he works as both a Pianist and Composer/Arranger. He has played concerts with the Big Band der Deutschen Oper and performed in the Youth Jazz Orchestras of Berlin, Brandenburg and Hamburg and has even played for the president of the German parliament. Kenneth performs concerts all over Germany and Europe. He has been granted a scholarship by Y. Menuhin Live Music Now Berlin since 2018.

Declan Forde is a pianist from Scotland and has been living in Berlin since 2014. In these past five years Forde has become the pianist of choice in Berlin across a broad spectrum of musical situations. From Early Jazz like Igor Spallati’s Musicomaniacs, to performing the music of Duke Ellington with American bassist Greg Cohen (Ornette Coleman, John Zorn, Woody Allen, etc). Forde also performs solo and was invited by the Berliner Festspiele to perform as part of American artist Rashid Johnson’s installation Antoine’s Organ at Berlin’s Gropius Bau from July-December 2019. He curates a monthly series at the club Donau115, named ‘one of the best jazz clubs in Europe’ by The Guardian, with bassist James Banner. The duo released their first album ‘Circus’ featuring João Lopes Pereira in October 2018.

Studied jazz at the Berlin University of the Arts. Freelance musician, pianist and keyboardist. Collaborations with Lily Dahab, Ed Sheeran, Joy Denalane, Till Brönner, Max Herre, Freundeskreis, Die Fantastischen Vier, Katie Melua, James Morrison, Ellie Goulding, James Blunt, Jazzkantine, Jazzanova, Jocelyn B. Smith, Lisa Bassenge, Micatone. 2020 solo piano recordings with and for Howard Shore (film music composer, a.o. Lord of the Rings, Hobbit, Gangs of New York, Aviator, Silence of the Lambs, The Irish Man...) and the Netflix production "Pieces of a woman" (Executive Producer : Martin Scorsese). Since 2011 keyboarder and pianist for "The Voice Of Germany" (PRO 7/Sat1). Support shows for John Legend, Elton John's "Stadium Tour" in Australia and Lionel Richie in Paris. On tour with Lily Dahab, Lisa Bassenge, Joy Denalane, Freundeskreis, Laura Lopez-Castro, Jocelyn B.Smith, jazzIndeed, Flexkögel, Sarah Connor, Jessica Gall, Maren Kroymann, Schmidt. Film music for Detlev Buck ("Liebe deine Nächste"), Margarethe von Trotta ("Die abhandene Welt"), Howard Shore ("Pieces of a woman").

Latvian-born Agita Rando studied church music at the Latvian Music Academy in Riga. A scholarship brought her to Bremen in 2000, where she completed graduate studies in organ playing under the tuition of Hans-Ola Ericsson and Harald Vogel. Whilst working as a musician in the genres church music, classical music and jazz, Agita also studied jazz-piano under Joe Dinkelbach, Ed Kröger, Detlev Beier and Georg Rox. Since 2008, Agita Rando has been working in Berlin as a pianist, composer and organist.

Lionel Haas was born in Bonn on 27 December 1971. He took his first piano lessons at the age of nine and developed an early interest in jazz, blues and rock. At the end of 1999 he moved to Berlin, where he began to make a name for himself by performing in Berlin's jazz venues. In spring 2002 he founded the Lionel Haas Quintet. This evolved into the sextet formation BLOWING FRONT in 2007, which features three-horn arrangements of his original compositions in the style of straight-ahead jazz and groove music. Blowing Front won the 'Jazz and Blues Award' in 2007. In addition, Lionel Haas works as a supporting artist in various notable band projects in Berlin and continues to develop his musical versatility.