Articles by Matty Bannond
Melissa Aldana Quartet At The Philharmonie
by Matty Bannond
Melissa Aldana, Pablo Held, Pablo Menares, Kush Abadey The Philharmonie Cologne, Germany March 21, 2026 In northwest Germany, the natural order slides out of whack in early Spring. Lazer-blue skies blacken in the flicker of an eyelid. Afternoon strolling requires sunglasses and waterproof footwear. Mosquito bites burn as you scratch frost off the car windscreen. It is a fitful, jumbled-up and unpredictable time. And it is possibly the optimal moment for locals to experience the ...
Continue ReadingSarah Hanahan Meets Joan Fort Quartet at DAI, Heidelberg
by Matty Bannond
Sarah Hanahan, Joan Fort, Philip Lewin and Frederik Villmow Jazzclub at the DAI jny:Heidelberg, Germany February 14, 2026 Two incongruent events busied media outlets in Germany on February 14. In the morning, Secretary of State Marco Rubio grabbed headlines with a speech outlining the US government's plans to upend the geopolitical order. It was also Valentine's Day. With love in the air and international relations kaputt, patrons packed every seat in the DAI for a ...
Continue ReadingMark Guiliana at Stadtgarten
by Matty Bannond
Mark Guiliana Stadtgarten jny: Cologne, Germany January 22, 2026 Moderation is abundant in January. But on this frosty Thursday evening, dizzied by the sugary scent of fructose-heavy mocktails and alcohol-free pilsner, an above-capacity crowd treated themselves to an unguarded night at the Stadtgarten. Their host, Mark Guiliana, served up a potent brew of fizzy percussion and smooth-noted melodies. It was a one-man show, despite Guiliana's claims to the contrary. In a short speech ...
Continue ReadingMary Halvorson's Amaryllis Sextet At Domicil
by Matty Bannond
Mary Halvorson's Amaryllis Sextet Domicil Dortmund, Germany November 6, 2025 Sixty seconds before this concert's advertised start time, a member of the venue's tech team deposited a gym towel on each on-stage music stand. It was an ominous gesture for a chilly evening in autumnal north-west Germany. Mary Halvorson's Amaryllis Sextet clearly planned to push for the burn. The group has released three albums and features vibraphonist Patricia Brennan, trombonist Jacob Garchik, bassist ...
Continue ReadingThe German Jazz Prize: Efficiency, Attitude And 22 Triangles
by Matty Bannond
Silver triangles flashed beneath pastel-toned stage lights at the German Jazz Awards in north-west Germany on June 13. The three-sided trophies got pressed into the clammy hands of winning artists and projects in 22 categories. It was a snappy-paced evening, where a heap of equilateral gongs got handed out within just three hours--alongside three live performances and a meandering speech from the Mayor of Cologne. Now that is German efficiency. This year's event marked the fifth edition of ...
Continue ReadingEmma Rawicz Quartet At Alter Schlachthof
by Matty Bannond
Emma Rawicz Quartet Alter Schlachthof Eupen, Belgium May 14, 2025 Foaming streams of clotted blood surged over the concrete floor of the Alter Schlachthof Eupen for almost a hundred years. Now, amber beer gushes into wide-bottomed goblets and catches the last sparkles of daylight as the sun sinks below large windows that line one external wall. Four young Europeans are getting into full flow on the purple-lit stage at this spotless modern venue.
Continue ReadingBlind Io At LOFT, Cologne
by Matty Bannond
Blind Io LOFT jny: Cologne, Germany March 17, 2025 It is early evening in Cologne and the fragile springtime sunlight has vanished. Cold, dry air clings to lungs and scratches windpipes as audience members climb four flights of stairs to LOFT. Inside this dusty post-industrial venue, the windows are shut and invisible particles between the 25 attendees are stuck in place, motionless. But not for long. Four members of Blind Io shuffle into ...
Continue ReadingPatricia Brennan at The Jazz Gallery
by Matty Bannond
Patricia Brennan The Jazz Gallery New York, NYDecember 6, 2024 One string quartet, a grand piano, a double bass and a drum kit were squished onto the cozy stage at The Jazz Gallery, but vibraphonist Patricia Brennan still had enough room to boogie. Even in Midtown Manhattan, where every square inch carries a hefty premium, there was space for movement behind the bandleader's hardware. And there were movements about space, too. “Suite of ...
Continue ReadingNduduzo Makhathini At The Philharmonie
by Matty Bannond
Nduduzo Makhathini The Philharmonie Cologne, Germany November 23, 2024 In the South African district of uMgungundlovu, November is a late-spring month of flipflops and chilled drinks. But icy wind was howling against gloved hands and mugs of hot Glühwein in jny: Cologne on this November evening. The city in northwest Germany welcomed pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini to perform in its Kölner Philharmonie concert hall. It was a night of ...
Continue ReadingDenis Gäbel: A Deeper Meaning
by Matty Bannond
This year, the hr-Bigband welcomes star guests including Nils Landgren, Camille Thurman and John Beasley. It also welcomes a new lead tenor saxophonist: Denis Gäbel. In an interview with All About Jazz, he shares his thoughts about playing with this historic and highly-regarded German big band. Denis Gäbel grew up in a showbiz family. His brother Colin is a TV presenter and his brother Tom is a singer--but it was his saxophone-playing mother who inspired him to try ...
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