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When Florian Ross was awarded the WDR Jazz Prize in 2006, the jury praised him as a " bridge builder between the far-reaching history of jazz and the multi-stylistic avant-garde ". The Cologne composer, arranger and bandleader has also had a close association with the WDR Big Band for a long time. Five years after the release of the first CD " Front & Center " by Ross and the WDR Big Band, the band is now following up: Once again, Ross' pieces are combined with the energy and precision of the WDR Big Band. In contrast to the first joint production in 2020, for which a lot of new things were written, Florian Ross draws on previously unpublished material in " Plans & Drawers ", on plans that were previously only allowed to remain in the composer's drawer. Together with the WDR Big Band, these are now being brought to (new) life. The whole thing culminates in the auditorium of the University of Music and Dance in Cologne, where Florian Ross teaches arrangement for big band, among other things.

From the beginning of 2010 to the end of 2013, Marshall Gilkes was a permanent member of the trombone section of the WDR Big Band. These were formative and groundbreaking years for the American musician, because here he not only had the opportunity to develop further as a soloist, but also began to arrange pieces for big band. Success was not long in coming, as the first CD production "Cologne" with the WDR Big Band and Gilkes as guest arranger, band leader and soloist was nominated for two GRAMMYS in 2015. Now Marshall Gilkes is returning to his "old friends" and former colleagues with new material. The focus of this new program is the varied nine-movement suite "Cyclic Journey", which Gilkes sees as the result of his intensive musical self-reflection: "That's how I came up with the idea of ​​writing a soundtrack to my daily external and internal existence."

Promoting young talent at its finest: In its "Young Cats" concerts, the WDR Big Band is presenting exceptional young talents from the jazz scene for the third time. So far, the focus has been on national young talent, but this time, a young Belgian musician, saxophonist Simon Comté, is also taking part. Comté is currently living and studying in New York. The second soloist of the evening plays double bass and comes from Bavaria: Nils Kugelmann is a bassist, composer and band leader; his promising debut album "Stormy Beauty" was released in summer 2023. And there is also a new addition to the conductor's podium, as here too, a very young musician, Jakob Helling, who lived in NRW for the first 25 years of his life, will lead the WDR Big Band.

While the classical music scene is teeming with real or PR-generated child prodigies, the phenomenon of the highly gifted young musician in jazz is the great exception. One person to whom this attribute actually applies is Joey Alexander, born in Bali in 2003. Even at kindergarten age he was sitting at the piano and playing by ear music by Thelonious Monk, which he knew from his father's records. At the age of eleven he recorded his first record, and today he is a musician with his own band and his own voice in jazz. John Clayton says of him: "He is now 21 years old. But he is not only dazzling or impressive. He is also musically very profound. Where this depth comes from remains a mystery for most jazz musicians who play with him." Now the young pianist is coming to the WDR Big Band for the first time, and this project is being led by John Clayton, who has been considered one of the most experienced and renowned arrangers in jazz for years.

While the classical music scene is teeming with real or PR-generated child prodigies, the phenomenon of the highly gifted young musician in jazz is the great exception. One person to whom this attribute actually applies is Joey Alexander, born in Bali in 2003. Even at kindergarten age he was sitting at the piano and playing by ear music by Thelonious Monk, which he knew from his father's records. At the age of eleven he recorded his first record, and today he is a musician with his own band and his own voice in jazz. John Clayton says of him: "He is now 21 years old. But he is not only dazzling or impressive. He is also musically very profound. Where this depth comes from remains a mystery for most jazz musicians who play with him." Now the young pianist is coming to the WDR Big Band for the first time, and this project is being led by John Clayton, who has been considered one of the most experienced and renowned arrangers in jazz for years.

They met in 2010 at the Mannheim University of Music. Since then, the four jazz singers Juliette Brousset, Stephanie Neigel, Julia Pellegrini and Lisa Herbolzheimer have been the German-French vocal quartet Les Brünettes. With their stylistically diverse repertoire and sophisticated arrangements, they delight their fans across the country, not only a cappella, but also in collaboration with well-known instrumental ensembles. They are now guests of the WDR Big Band for the first time. Anyone who has ever seen or heard their version of the Burt Bacharach classic "I say a little prayer" will be able to look forward to an evening of concerts dedicated exclusively to the music of the great songwriter who died in February 2023.

Theremin meets jazz - an exciting and unusual evening of music is ahead: from jazz standards to pop music, Carolina and the WDR jazz musicians show their entire musical range. Including: a short taster session and first theremin lessons on the stage of the Cologne Philharmonic Hall!

The WDR Jazz Prize has been awarded for over 20 years to musicians who work or live in North Rhine-Westphalia. The WDR Big Band is a reliable partner when it comes to the practical implementation of the winners' compositions. This year, the WDR Big Band is once again touring NRW and presenting the current prizewinner, the Cologne musician Simon Oslender. The pianist, organist, keyboardist and composer convinced the jury with his "extraordinary artistic development, his international stage presence and his importance for the jazz scene in NRW". Oslender's services to the Hammond organ were particularly highlighted, which he made accessible to a wide audience with a new and stylistically open sound. Oslender worked early on with jazz greats such as Bill Evans and Wolfgang Haffner and several times with the WDR Big Band.

The WDR Jazz Prize has been awarded for over 20 years to musicians who work or live in North Rhine-Westphalia. The WDR Big Band is a reliable partner when it comes to the practical implementation of the winners' compositions.

This year, the WDR Big Band is once again touring NRW and presenting the current prizewinner, the Cologne musician Simon Oslender. The pianist, organist, keyboardist and composer convinced the jury with his "extraordinary artistic development, his international stage presence and his importance for the jazz scene in NRW". Oslender's services to the Hammond organ were particularly highlighted, which he made accessible to a wide audience with a new and stylistically open sound. Oslender worked early on with jazz greats such as Bill Evans and Wolfgang Haffner and several times with the WDR Big Band.