Högberg Extended Attack // Kühn French Trio // Sun Ra Arkestra

18:30

Anna Högberg Extended Attack

(AT, DK, SE)

German premiere

Last August Swedish saxophonist Anna Högberg blew away unsuspecting audiences at the International Jazzfestival Saalfelden, ending a three-year hiatus for her hard-hitting sextet Attack. They situate searing, wide-open improvisation within sturdy tunes that provide both full-bodied melody and genuine freedom. The frontline of Högberg’s wily alto saxophone, Elin Forkelid’s soulful post-Coltrane tenor and Niklas Barnö’s spry trumpet rides upon roiling grooves laid out by a rhythm section led by pianist Lisa Ullén. 

Högberg was visibly energized by the reception of her band, inspiring her to create a new set of tunes and additional voices for Extended Attack. Following a premiere at the Stockholm Jazz Festival, she brings the new band to Berlin with a combo fueled by twin drummers Anton Jonsson and Dennis Egberth, double bassists Kansan (Torbjörn) Zetterberg and Gus Loxbo, with Ullén, Forkelid and Barnö enhanced by the presence of guitarist Finn Loxbo, turntablist Dieb13, tubist Per Åke Holmlander and trombonist Maria Bertel. Högberg’s gritty tunefulness is already outsized and seething with passion, and we can’t wait to hear what she’s done with this larger combo packed with a crew of fearless improvisers.

Line-up

Anna Högberg – alto saxophone
Niklas Barnö – trumpet
Elin Forkelid – tenor saxophone
Maria Bertel – trombone
Per-Åke Holmlander – tuba
Dieb 13 – turntables
Lisa Ullén – piano
Finn Loxbo – guitars, saw
Kansan Zetterberg – double bass
Gus Loxbo – double bass, saw
Anton Jonsson – drums
Dennis Egberth – drums
        

---

20:00

Joachim Kühn French Trio

(DE, FR)

World premiere

One of the greatest figures in German jazz history, pianist Joachim Kühn has built a career upon openness and constant transformation with music enfolding post-bop, free jazz, fusion, classical and more. He first emerged alongside his older brother Rolf – the virtuosic clarinetist who died in August of 2022 – and went on to lead many disparate bands over subsequent decades. He famously collaborated with the legendary Ornette Coleman, one of a handful of keyboardists to work with him, and he’s also remained open to collaboration with younger talents, including drummer Christian Lillinger.

In 2016 he appeared as a guest of the Parisian saxophonist Emile Parisien on the album “Sfumato”, where he first encountered the drummer Sylvain Darrifourcq. Soon after he met French bassist Thibault Cellier, who performs with the drummer in the sublime quartet Novembre, which profoundly moved Jazzfest Berlin listeners in 2023 with its “Apparitions” programme. They’ve formed a deep connection, anticipating one another’s next move within the context of lightning-fast changes. Working under a master like Kühn – who received the German Jazz Prize Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 for his work with Rolf – the music can go anywhere. Despite celebrating his 80th birthday earlier this year, Joachim has more to say.

Line-up

Sylvain Darrifourcq – drums
Thibault Cellier – double bass
Joachim Kühn – piano

---

21:30

Sun Ra Arkestra

(US)

It’s not easy to meaningfully carry on following the loss of a visionary leader, and it’s even rarer when that individual was as iconic as keyboardist Sun Ra. The brilliant composer, bandleader and keyboardist, who found his voice in Chicago in the 1950s, forged a singular aesthetic that easily mixed the swing music he was raised on with the most far-flung experiments in sound and collective improvisation. Sun Ra often claimed he was from Saturn, the Arkestra played the part, attired in bespoke, sequin-encrusted outfits. The group’s performances have long been visual spectacles complementing the cosmic sounds emanating from the stage.

The group soldiered on after Sun Ra’s passing in 1993, but under the reins of alto saxophonist Marshall Allen, who turned 100 this year, the Arkestra has maintained its vigor, imagination and unalloyed enthusiasm. Sadly, Allen no longer performs far from his home in Philadelphia, but the current line-up embodies his guidance, showmanship, and musicality. The extraordinary singer Tara Middleton provides a promising step forward, as she goes beyond the role of the late June Tyson; in some ways her presence holds it all together. The band includes veteran members like saxophonist Knoel Scott, trumpeters Michael Ray and bassist Tyler Mitchell.

Line-up

Knoel Scott – alto and baritone saxophone, congas
Anthony Nelson – clarinet, baritone saxophone
James Stewart – flute, tenor saxophone
Chris Hemingway – alto saxophone
Michael Ray – trumpet
Cecil Brooks – trumpet
Robert Stringer – trombone
Elson Nascimento – surdo, percussion
Tyler Mitchell – double bass
George Gray – drums
Tara Middleton – vocals
Farid Barron – piano, keyboards