The WDR Big Band is set to captivate jazz enthusiasts with a series of enthralling performances in 2025. Featuring a blend of seasoned maestros and promising young talents, the line-up promises a vibrant journey through jazz's diverse landscapes. From Florian Ross's 'Plans & Drawers' reviving hidden compositions to Marshall Gilkes's introspective 'Cyclic Journey,' and from Joey Alexander's profound artistry to the vocal harmonies of Les Brünettes, these events offer an unparalleled musical experience. Join us as we delve into the heart of these groundbreaking performances.

Embarking on a Musical Odyssey: WDR Big Band's Stellar Line-Up for 2025

The WDR Big Band is set to dazzle audiences with a vibrant series of concerts featuring young jazz talents and seasoned musicians alike. Embracing a diverse lineup, these events will spotlight emerging stars like saxophonist Simon Comté and pianist Joey Alexander while celebrating the profound musical contributions of seasoned artists such as Chris Potter. From exploring jazz standards with a twist to showcasing the extraordinary versatility of the Hammond organ, these performances promise a rich tapestry of sound and an unforgettable journey through contemporary jazz landscapes.

A Symphony of Young Talent: WDR Big Band's Dynamic Jazz Explorations

Join the WDR Big Band as they embark on a musical journey in 2025, featuring a vibrant lineup of events that celebrate jazz in its many forms. From the elegant harmonies of Les Brunettes to the thrilling intersection of theremin and jazz, and the remarkable talents of Simon Oslender and Chris Potter, these events promise to captivate music lovers. Discover the compelling narratives of each artist and the unique contributions they bring to this grand orchestral experience.

A Harmonious Celebration: WDR Big Band's 2025 Jazz Odyssey

The WDR Big Band is set to light up the stage with a series of eclectic jazz performances this spring and summer. From the harmonious tribute to Burt Bacharach by Les Brunettes to the innovative blend of jazz and theremin, and the electrifying collaboration with saxophonist Chris Potter, these events promise to showcase the finest in jazz talent. Featuring celebrated artists such as Simon Oslender and Carolina Eyck, these concerts are a vibrant celebration of the jazz genre's diversity and enduring appeal.

A Symphony of Jazz: Celebrating Diversity and Innovation with the WDR Big Band

This year, the WDR Big Band is embarking on a jazz journey through North Rhine-Westphalia, showcasing the extraordinary talents of Simon Oslender and Chris Potter. They are celebrating the WDR Jazz Prize's legacy, which has been honoring musicians for over two decades. This tour promises a fusion of innovative jazz sounds and remarkable artistic talents, featuring complex compositions and stunning performances. Join us as we explore the distinctive contributions of these jazz prodigies and the unique musical experiences they bring to the stage.

Jazz Masters Unite: The WDR Big Band Tours with Simon Oslender and Chris Potter

With his energetic and intuitive saxophone playing, Chris Potter is one of the most influential jazz musicians on the American scene. He has also made a name for himself as a composer with his skilled arranging technique. Chris Potter comes from Chicago and gave his first professional concert at the age of 13. By his early 20s, the saxophonist was already playing with greats such as Charles Mingus, Red Rodney and John Scofield. The tide has now turned and jazz greats are coming to him - Potter recorded his last CD with Brad Mehldau, John Patitucci and Brian Blade. The musical direction of this project is by arranger and pianist Mike Holober.

WDR Big Band feat. Chris Potter

Alter Schlachthof

With his energetic and intuitive saxophone playing, Chris Potter is one of the most influential jazz musicians on the American scene. He has also made a name for himself as a composer with his skilled arranging technique. Chris Potter comes from Chicago and gave his first professional concert at the age of 13. By his early 20s, the saxophonist was already playing with greats such as Charles Mingus, Red Rodney and John Scofield. The tide has now turned and jazz greats are coming to him - Potter recorded his last CD with Brad Mehldau, John Patitucci and Brian Blade. The musical direction of this project is by arranger and pianist Mike Holober.


EPSG:4326

Philharmonie

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.

WDR Big Band feat. Simon Oslender | WDR Jazz Prize 2025

Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum

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.

Ebertbad

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.

Westphalian State Museum of Art & Cultural History

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!

Jazz with a difference: Big Band meets Theremin | WDR@Philharmonie

Cologne Philharmonie

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.

WDR Big Band feat. Les Brunettes - Four Ladies For Burt

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. 

John & Joey - WDR Big Band feat. Joey Alexander

Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal GmbH

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.

Young Cats - feat. Simon Comté, Nils Kugelmann & Jakob Helling

WDR Funkhaus

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."

Cyclic Journey - WDR Big Band feat. Marshall Gilkes

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. 

Plans & Drawers - WDR Big Band feat. Florian Ross

University of Music and Dance

If that's not a reason to celebrate: bassist John Goldsby has been on stage for 50 years, and with the WDR Big Band alone he can look back on 30 years together. At this concert, John Goldsby will be saying goodbye to the WDR Big Band with a very special selection of pieces: the first part includes the groovy and thoughtful Baden-Baden Suite, which was composed by Goldsby himself and arranged by chief conductor Bob Mintzer. The second part presents a selection of Goldsby's rich compositions that the band performed during his tenure. The arrangements come from important companions such as Vince Mendoza and Michael Abene. A musical cross-section that once again underlines how strongly John Goldsby's bass playing has influenced the WDR Big Band and the international jazz scene.

Bassic Goldsby - 50 Years On Stage

The singer Lynne Fiddmont comes from St. Louis, Missouri. She moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music, then went on to Los Angeles, where she got her first gig with the Jazz Crusaders. Fiddmont became a sought-after studio and tour singer and worked with many famous artists such as Iggy Pop, Burt Bacharach, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Diana Ross. Now Lynne Fiddmont is joining the WDR Big Band for the first time and will demonstrate in this very special program that Christmas songs don't always have to sound soft, sweet or corny. Bob Mintzer, chief conductor and arranger, will ensure the "right" sound.

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WDR Big Band feat. Chris Potter

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