Lecturer-Team 2026
Gilad Atzmon: Greece (art director, saxophone, clarinet)
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In the English capital, Atzmon works as a producer and arranger in the fields of rock, jazz, and world music. In the process, he meets colleagues such as Ofra Haza, Jack DeJohnette, and Michel Petrucciani. Furthermore, the talented newcomer works as a session musician for Paul McCartney, Sinéad O'Connor, and Robbie Williams. Concurrently, he studies philosophy.
From 1998 onwards, Atzmon is a member of the punk band "Ian Dury and the Blockheads," with whom he continues to tour following Dury's death. Atzmon's first solo album, *Spiel*, is released in the very year of his arrival in London. Together with drummer Asaf Sirkis, bassist Yaron Stavi, and keyboardist Frank Harrison, he founds the "Orient House Ensemble," with which he undertakes numerous tours and releases a host of albums—including on the Munich-based jazz label "Enja." Among these releases is the album *Exile*, which the BBC names its Jazz Album of the Year in 2003, as well as the 2009 album *In Loving Memory of America*, which pays deep homage to Charlie Parker's recordings with classical strings.
In 2007, Gilad Atzmon released—together with the Orient House Ensemble—what was hailed at the time as "one of his most mature and musically nuanced works" (Chris May, British music journalist and Senior Editor at allaboutjazz.com). Released in 2010 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Orient House Ensemble, the album "The Tide Has Changed" was celebrated by critics as a mature, genre-spanning masterpiece. The album masterfully blends post-bop jazz, Arabic microtonal melodies, and Weimar Republic cabaret with spectacular musicality.
Among his more well-known later releases is "Songs of the Metropolis" (2013). Overall, the album feels quieter and more nostalgic than his earlier works. Many tracks combine urban jazz moods with melancholic clarinet and saxophone lines. Critics have described the work as cinematic and atmospheric, at times reflecting influences from European film scores. On the 2017 album "The Spirit of Trane", Gilad Atzmon—joined by his Orient House Ensemble and the Sigamos String Quartet—pays tribute to the jazz giant John Coltrane.
During the pandemic period beginning in 2020, a portion of his activities shifted to online appearances, interviews, and smaller studio recordings. Major international tours became less frequent, yet he remained a presence within Europe’s alternative jazz and cultural scenes. In recent years, Gilad Atzmon’s musical output has been characterized primarily by continuous live performance, chamber-jazz-style ensembles, and stylistic distillation. In contrast to his earlier career—which was heavily defined by studio albums and large-scale concept productions—Atzmon has increasingly focused on immediate musical interaction, improvised concert formats, and smaller, often independent productions.
Marta Capponi: UK (vocals, improvisation)
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Italian singer, improviser and composer Marta Capponi moved 2012 to London, where she established herself as one of the leading vocalists on the capital's jazz scene. Capponi is known for her striking vocals and creative and exciting improvisation. Her vocal versatility has allowed her to be involved in a large variety of projects from jazz to pop, folk and Brazilian music. During the last few years, Capponi has led 3 projects herself: In A Moment; NuCleUs and Life Within. In A Moment was Marta's first project as leader and composer, and gave her the opportunity to work with a great variety of musicians, both in Italy and in London, exploring the sounds of her first original compositions. NuCleUs is an original duo project of vocals and percussion with her musical and life partner Emiliano Caroselli. Finally, Life Within is Marta's latest album, which was released on 9th march 2021.
Life Within is Marta Capponi's first release under her own name, where she explores the music that has guided her career since an early age and where she feels connected with her roots and her love of jazz. This project features some of the UK's finest jazz musicians - Jo Caleb on guitar, Ross Stanley on Hammond organ and piano, Dario Di Lecce on double bass and Emiliano Caroselli on drums.
Following the restrictions of the pandemic, Capponi began performing live more intensively again in 2022. Of particular significance was her renewed presence on the London jazz scene, where she had already established herself as a versatile vocalist since moving there in 2012. In February 2022, she performed at London's renowned 606 Club, where she presented her album "Life Within" live in a comprehensive performance for the first time. Also in 2022, she performed in Budapest with the Cseke Gábor Trio. The Hungarian jazz press described her stage presence as intense and her stylistic range as exceptional—spanning everything from jazz standards to Brazilian music and contemporary improvisation.
In 2023, Capponi’s work increasingly shifted toward her own compositions and more experimental formats. Her duo project NuCleUs—which she runs jointly with drummer Emiliano Caroselli—remained of particular importance in this regard. Concurrently, she intensified her activities as an educator and curator. She became a lecturer in jazz vocals at the Saint Louis College of Music and began conducting workshops and masterclasses on an expanded scale.
2024 marked the beginning of a new creative phase for Capponi with the announcement of her album "Shaking the Blue". The work has been described as her most personal and stylistically open project to date. It blends jazz, atmospheric art-pop, improvised passages, and experimental sonic concepts in the spirit of David Bowie and Laurie Anderson. In July 2024, she premiered parts of this material live as part of the Italian concert series "Donne in Blues". The Italian press described the music as "energetic" yet simultaneously emotionally profound.
The year 2025 was largely defined by the live presentation of her new material for the album "Shaking the Blue", which was initially introduced through preview concerts. Her performance at the 2025 Gravina in Jazz festival in Sicily was particularly significant; there, she presented substantial portions of the album for the first time, backed by an expanded band lineup. Furthermore, Marta intensified her touring schedule between Italy and the United Kingdom. Of particular note was her return to British jazz stages—such as the Twickenham Jazz Club—where she performed with a quartet featuring Hammond organ, guitar, and drums.
Ulrich Glaszmann: Netherlands (bass)
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He has given a number of workshops to amateurs as well as music students and groups of musicians (eg the Daimler-Chrysler Big Band). In Spain, together with the teacher Ana Soler Gimenez, he directed John Zorn's improvisation piece "Cobra" in a workshop for children. As musician he plays since his arrival in the Netherlands in various groups, such as Edgar van Asselt Trio, Philip Harper, Rachel Gould, Steve Altenberg and Sergei Ostromoumov, among others, include the Wim Bronnenberg Quintet, the Freejazz Quartet "Take the Duck" and Edgar van Asselt Trio.
Ulrich plays regularly with musicians such as Ack van Rooyen, Tilmar Junius, Rob van Kreeveld, Frans Elsen, Jorge Vistel, Martien Oster, Marco and Wim Kegel, Harmon Franje, Owen Hart, Juraj Stanik, Hein van der Gaag. Since 2013 Ulrich is a combo teacher at the jazz school The Hague.
In the early 2020s, Glaszmann remained active primarily within the European jazz and workshop scene. His work was focused less on achieving a major international media presence and more on live performance, pedagogy, and ensemble-based collaboration. A particularly visible project of this period was his ongoing collaboration with the Dutch guitarist Martien Oster. Working as a trio with Jean-Clair de Ruwe, they developed a modern acoustic jazz format that combined contemporary straight-ahead jazz, lyrical ballads, modern harmonies, and improvisational openness.
Jim Hart: UK (drums, vibraphone)
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He started his own group Gemini in 2003 with whom he went on to become a founder member of London's LOOP Collective. He has recorded five albums under his own name with his bands Gemini, The Jim Hart Quartet and his current project The Cloudmakers Trio which features long-standing associates Michael Janisch on bass and David Smith on drums. As well as being a bandleader he also plays regularly in Marius Nesest's Birds (vbs), Julien Lourau's Electric Biddle (drs), the Ivo Neame Quintet/Octet (vbs), Stan Sulzmann's Neon Quartet (vbs) and Duo Plus (vbs + drs). Outside of the jazz world his drumming has kept him busy with a number of projects including Sister Mary and the Choirboys and he has been involved in several projects exploring music of West and North African Origin including Dan Nichols' Point X, Bex Burch's Vula Viel, Fofoulah and Electric Jalaba.
Jim has toured extensively with visiting American musicians in the last few years including Ralph Alessi (with whom Cloudmakers Trio recorded their first album Live at the Piazza Express), Joel Frahm, Jaleel Shaw, Terrel Stafford, Logan Richardson, Richie Barshay and in 2010 he was a special guest with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra as part of their London residency with the Barbican Centre. In 2013 and 2012 Jim was nominated in the Downbeat Magazine Reader's Poll' in the vibraphone category and was nominated for Musician of the Year in the 2011 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. He also won the Young Jazz Musician of the Year Award from the Worshipful Company of Musicians.
As well as his busy performance schedule, Jim is also very active in education. He holds a post at the Royal Academy of Music and has led masterclasses and been a visiting tutor at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, Birmingham Conservatoire, Leeds College of Music, Chetham's School of Music, The Purcell School and Well's Cathederal School. He is also a tutor on the National Youth Jazz Collective summer school. Jim is a Mike Balter Artist and uses their vibraphone and Marimba mallets.
By 2015, Hart was already firmly established within the British and European jazz scenes. During this period, he worked extensively with the Cloudmakers Trio, Ensemble Gemini, and numerous international improvisational musicians. His playing combined complex rhythmic structures, melodic openness, and electronic timbres with contemporary jazz harmony. In 2018 and 2019, Hart collaborated with musicians such as Ralph Alessi, Iain Ballamy, Eddie Parker, Huw Warren, Kenny Wheeler, Hermeto Pascoal, and Marius Neset. His style spanned a spectrum ranging from contemporary chamber jazz and Scandinavian-influenced atmospheres to rhythmic avant-garde and lyrical improvisation.
A significant milestone was the album "Multiverse"(2020), recorded with his quartet. The work blended elements of electronic sound design and acoustic jazz—incorporating polyrhythmic structures—with modern compositional techniques. Particular praise was directed at the immense transparency of the arrangements, Hart’s ability to render rhythmic complexity melodically accessible, and his vibraphone sound spectrum, which ranged from percussive precision to floating harmonies. Parallel to his concert career, Hart further established himself as a prominent jazz educator. He taught at institutions such as the Royal Academy of Music in London, as well as at international jazz workshops and European improvisation courses.
Amos Hoffman: Israel (guitar, oud)
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To date, Hoffman has recorded 5 solo albums: The Dreamer (1999), Na'ama (2006), Evolution (2008), Carving (2010), and his most recent release, Back to the City (2015). He has also contributed on dozens more for artists in Israel and worldwide including Avishai Cohen, Kiko Berenguer (Spain), and Jan Mlynarski (Poland).
In 2013, Amos was awarded one of Israel's most prestigious prizes - The Landau Prize for Arts and Sciences for Outstanding Achievement in the field of Jazz. Now based in the U.S., Hoffman looks forward to creating new musical adventures and reaching an even larger audience.
Since around 2015, Amos Hoffman has increasingly steered his musical output toward a mature, highly pared-down, and internationally inflected form of Mediterranean modern jazz. While his earlier years were characterized primarily by the establishment of the oud within a jazz context, his later work has focused more intently on compositional depth, chamber-style ensembles, modal improvisation, and rhythmic subtlety.
The most significant album of his later career to date was released in 2024 under the title "Minor Operation". Released on Jojo Records, the album is regarded as a kind of synthesis of his musical evolution—drawing together modern jazz, the Arabic musical tradition, and modal improvisation.
Claus Krisch: Germany (piano)
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In the years that followed, he developed his own style at the piano. His playing combined traditional jazz harmony with lyrical and improvisational elements. Concurrently, he also played the bass for a time and collaborated with various ensembles. The "Krisch Quartet" later became a fixture in the German jazz scene. The group released, among others, the albums "Tribute To Milt Jackson" (2003) and "Black Cotton Songs" (2008). These productions demonstrated the Krisch family's deep connection to classic vibraphone jazz and to the legacy of the American Modern Jazz Quartet.
Alongside his career as a musician, Claus Krisch devoted himself intensively to the training of young jazz musicians. Following his university studies in music pedagogy, he worked for many years as a jazz instructor at the "Freie Kunstschule Saarlouis/Picard." There, he taught generations of musicians. Many who went on to become professional jazz musicians from the Saarland region were profoundly shaped by him—or at the very least, guided by him for a time. He placed particular emphasis on practical work involving improvisation, ensemble playing, active musical listening, and spontaneous creativity. In interviews, Krisch repeatedly stressed that jazz is, above all, communication. For him, the art of jazz lay in listening to one another and responding spontaneously through music.
Claus Krisch played a pivotal role in the development of the jazz scene in Saarwellingen. There, he was instrumental in establishing the "Jazz Weeks" and the regular jam sessions, as well as the "International Jazz Werkstatt"—an initiative in which he has participated as an instructor since its inception. Thanks to these events, Saarwellingen evolved over many years into a key meeting point for the European jazz scene. International musicians from Great Britain, Italy, Canada, Hungary, and Germany collaborated there with young talents. Claus Krisch is regarded as the project's "spiritus rector"—its spiritual heart and musical mentor. His calm, humorous, and practice-oriented teaching style was particularly appreciated; rather than relying on dry theory, he prioritized collaborative music-making and direct, hands-on experience.
Krisch belongs to that generation of German jazz musicians who profoundly shaped European jazz in the aftermath of the Second World War. While other musicians pursued major international careers, Claus Krisch focused intently on fostering regional cultural scenes and young talent.
Tony Lakatos: Hungary (saxophone)
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In 1997 a CD "Generation X" (jazzline) came out with American world star trumpeter Randy Brecker. He is continually touring in Japan with his own formations, and signed an exclusive contract with SKIP RECORDS in year 2002. Tony Lakatos has been touring in all countries of Europe, in the USA,Canada, Japan, South Africa, Lebanon,India,Thailand, Singapore,Taiwan,China and many other parts of the world.
Lakatos has appeared as a soloist on numerous jazz, pop, and rock recordings and in concerts. He has performed on saxophone on approximately 350 LP and CD recordings, serving either as a bandleader or as an accompanying musician. Frankfurt am Main has been his home since 1993, where he served as a soloist with the "H.R.-Big Band" until 2021. In 2020, Lakatos received the Hessian Jazz Prize—one of Germany's most prestigious jazz awards.
In 2023, he released the album "Blue Chili", featuring Alex Sipiagin, Danny Grissett, Gregory Hutchinson, and Hans Glawischnig. The album blends modern hard bop, lyrical ballads, and contemporary straight-ahead jazz with a European sonic aesthetic. Lakatos is the first Hungarian musician to reach the Top Ten on the "Gavin Report" on American jazz radio with his albums.
He tours continuously throughout Europe, as well as in the USA, Canada, Japan, South Africa, Lebanon, India, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, China, and many other parts of the world. He gives numerous masterclasses worldwide and serves as an instructor at a number of renowned workshops. Today, Tony Lakatos is regarded as one of the most significant European tenor saxophonists of his generation.
Johannes Müller: Germany (saxophone)
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His bio is characterized by a wide range of international engagements and productions. So from 2002 to 2005 he was a member of the German National Jazz Orchestra (BuJazzO). He is co-initiator of the project "Euro-jazz" with the HR BigBand, where he often plays as a guest. Furthermore, he is involved in numerous theater productions. As a soloist, he plays internationally at major jazz festivals such as San Jose, London, The Hague, Brussels, Cape Town, Mumbai, Delhi, Sapporo, etc.. In 2005 he won the soloist prize in the BigBand-Competition of universities of the Federal Republic of Germany. Müller also performs in the most prestigious jazz clubs around the world such as Ronnie Scott's London (UK), Bimhuis Amsterdam (NL), Yoshi's Oakland (USA), Jazz Alley Seattle (USA), Sundside Paris, Bird's Eye Basel etc. On tours and concerts, he has played so far in 27 countries around the world (including the US, India, South Africa, Malaysia, China, Namibia, Russia, Britain, etc. )
But also in the studio Müller could ask his talent. Until today he appeared on about 30 recordings. His experience made him a welcome sideman to various artists such as Dave Liebman, Randy Brecker, Bob Mintzer, Claudio Roditi, Amina Figarova, Michel Camilo, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Ingrid Jensen, Rebekka Bakken, Don Braden, Ack van Rooyen, Peter Herbolzheimer, Lalo Schifrin, Jean Louis Rassinfosse, HR BigBand, SWR Radio Orchestra, etc..
As a teacher, he taught at the International Jazz Werkstatt Saarwellingen 2006, 2007, 2008, an since 2014 (apart from 2017) and he gave master classes at the University of Cape Town and Durban. From 2013 to 2016, he played the lead-alto in the police(big)band of the Saarland, since 2014 he teaches jazz saxophone at the University of Music in Saarbruecken. Since 2016 he is steady member of the 'Big Band der Bundeswehr' (the german army big band).
Randolph Matthews: UK (vocals, beatboxing)
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Over the course of his 20-year career, Randolph has performed with countless musicians, including Plan B, Herbie Hancock, SK Shlomo, will.i.am, as well as Maceo Parker, Amp Fiddler, Grace Jones, Jazzanova, and Angélique Kidjo. He has graced the prestigious stages of the Royal Albert Hall, Glastonbury, and Umbria Jazz, and enjoys permanent guest status at London's renowned Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club; he has even performed before Queen Elizabeth herself. He firmly believes in the power of the voice—that it possesses the capacity to change the lives of individuals, if not the world itself.
Since the late 2010s, his work has become increasingly interdisciplinary. Matthews has collaborated extensively on dance projects, theater productions, and experimental stage formats. His more recent performances frequently combine electronic soundscapes, free vocal improvisation, and rhythmic structures with narrative or performative elements. In the process, the boundaries between concert, sound art, performance, and theater are becoming increasingly blurred.
Alongside his stage work, Matthews is deeply committed to the field of education. He leads workshops, works with young people, and teaches creative vocal development and improvisation. Of particular importance to him is the idea that every individual can develop means of musical expression through the voice. Consequently, his pedagogical work focuses less on traditional vocal training than on a sense of rhythm, creativity, and spontaneous musical communication.
In 2023, Matthews focused increasingly on improvisation-oriented ensemble work. His beatboxing was employed more subtly and was now more deeply integrated into open ensemble communication. Instead of dominant rhythmic patterns, he worked more frequently with subtle vocal textures, slight rhythmic shifts, and spontaneous melodic fragments. Particularly in collaboration with jazz musicians, he developed highly communicative improvisations in which his voice responded flexibly to harmonic changes and rhythmic impulses. A notable feature of this approach was the growing significance of silence and reduction. Many of his performances consciously utilized pauses, breath, and gradual sonic development. This resulted in a highly intense and physical form of vocal improvisation.
In 2025, Matthews collaborated with Osiki "OjoSound" Ojo. The single "Bright Eyes" emerged from this collaboration. The track clearly showcases the qualities that have defined Randolph's later work since the 2020s: a blend of atmospheric vocal aesthetics, rhythmic subtlety, and improvisational openness.
Nicolas Meier: UK (guitar)
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Meier originally hails from Switzerland; born in 1973, to parents who are great lovers of the arts. Never short on ambition, Meier founded his own record label, MGP Records, in 2009. To date, he's produced twelve albums: as a solo artist; in various group formats (The Nicolas Meier Group; Nicolas Meier Trio; Eclectica!; Nicolas Meier World Group); with his heavy metal band, Seven7, and; in a duo format, with long-time partner, fellow guitarist and collaborator, the fabulous UK master, Pete Oxley. (Their 2015 release, "Chasing Tales", was a masterful, benchmark album, in the dual-guitar format). 2017 was a breakthrough year: one in which Steve Vai's Favored Nations Records released Nicolas' brilliant solo album, "Infinity".
More recently, Nicolas has completed and released two new albums on MGP (Meier Group Productions): the already very well-received new duo album with Pete Oxley, "The Alluring Ascent", and the Nicolas Meier World Group’s pristine effort, "Peaceful", released in 2019. 2020 saw the release of the World Group’s "Live" album—recorded at the Colchester Arts Centre—as well as the Meier Budjana Group album "Flying Spirits" (featuring Jimmy Haslip), the solo guitar album "Stories", and "Escapades"—a metal album by Nicolas’s project, My Dark Side!
In the years following the pandemic, Meier increasingly released—or documented—live material featuring smaller ensembles and concert formats. His performances at the renowned Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London, in particular, garnered significant attention within the European jazz scene. These live recordings reveal a Meier who is more open in his improvisation, freer rhythmically, and more ensemble-oriented than on many of his earlier studio albums.
In 2025, Meier released the album *Proof of Life* together with Ola Onabulé, recorded at Onabulé’s "Casa del Funk" studios. It illustrates the synergy between the two artists as they explore culturally diverse concepts and themes. Their partnership—which began with a series of livestream performances during the pandemic—has evolved into a collection of ten original compositions. The album unites Onabulé’s signature songwriting style—characterized by polyrhythms and melodies rooted in his African heritage—with Meier’s penchant for Eastern themes, world music, and jazz, as well as his expertise on a wide array of string instruments. The result is a work of rich sonic texture that reflects themes such as love, life, and philosophies of survival in turbulent times.
Nicolas Meier, who has left a lasting impression on Messrs. Bill Bruford, Jeff Beck, and Steve Vai, is undoubtedly one of the most versatile, ambitious, and masterful talents of our time.
Carlo Nardozza: Belgium (trumpet)
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In 2012, the album "Dancing Steps" was released, on which his compositional language continued to evolve. The music felt rhythmically more fluid and harmonically more open than in his earlier works. At the same time, the strong melodic orientation—which remains one of the most important characteristics of his work to this day—was preserved. The album was received very positively within the Italian jazz scene and solidified his reputation as a distinctive bandleader.
In 2015, he released the album "Playtime", which is regarded as another significant step in his artistic development. The music now demonstrated an even greater balance between improvisational openness and compositional structure. Critics described his trumpet playing on this album as particularly controlled, lyrical, and atmospheric. In 2021, Nardozza released the album "Aurora", which is considered by many critics to be one of his most mature works. The music is characterized by an exceptionally transparent sonic aesthetic. Here, his trumpet tone sounds particularly warm, mellow, and controlled. The pieces unfold slowly and possess an almost meditative quality. At the same time, a rhythmic energy remains subtly present.
In the following years, Nardozza was involved in several musical projects that he founded together with fellow musicians, including Duology, The Carlo Nardozza Quartet, and The Delirium Quintet. Carlo is now launching a new project, "Big Band Nardozza", in which he is accompanied by various big bands across Europe.
In 2024, the Jazz Department of Conservatorium Maastricht—where Nardozza works as a teacher—hosted an "Open Day – Jazz 2024", during which he collaborated with Rob Bruynen. In 2025, Nardozza performed alongside the Olivier Chavet Quartet at the 8th Fabrik Jazz Festival in Frankfurt/Sachsenhausen, Germany. In February 2026, the album "In The Brass Palace" by Kurt Elling & the WDR Big Band was released, featuring Nardozza.
Yaron Stavi: UK (bass)
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In 2002 Yaron moved to London. He is a member of Gilad Atzmon's band The Orient House Ensemble which regularly tours Europe and won best CD in the BBC Jazz awards in 2003. He has played with the violinist Nigel Kennedy in his Jazz band and Jazz musicians including Larry Coryell, Peter King, Jarek Smietana, Leszek Mozdzer, Gary Husband, John Ethridge, Julian Siegel, Gene Calderazzo, Stephen Keogh, and Estelle Kokot. Yaron played on Robert Wyatt's albums Cuckooland and Comicopera and recorded two albums for John Zorn's label Tzadik with Koby Israelite. He appears on Phil Manzanera's (Roxy Music) albums 6PM, Vozero and 50 Minutes Later, recorded an album with David Gilmour in 2005 and instrumental album with Phil Manzanera in 2007.
Since 2014, he has been teaching at the "International Jazzwerkstatt" in Saarwellingen, Germany. The collaboration "The Stone House", released as early as 2017, serves as a crucial foundation here—one that continued to exert stylistic influence in subsequent years and was carried forward in live performances and follow-up projects. This music is characterized by a profound openness spanning ambient, free jazz, rock, and experimental sound design, with Stavi frequently assuming a pivotal structural role. In the 2020s, his focus shifted even more strongly toward international project work and collaborative studio recording. An example of this is his involvement in recordings and projects within the circle of Mark Wingfield and Asaf Sirkis, situated in the realm of modern European improvisational music and fusion.
A particularly significant documented release from the early 2020s is his participation in the "Hilda – Abbey Road Sessions" project, released in 2021. Here, Stavi appears in a distinctly more song-oriented context—one leaning more toward atmospherically arranged studio work than toward classical jazz improvisation. In such productions, his bass work is typically geared toward providing harmonic stability and sonic depth without pushing itself into the foreground.
Stavi is now increasingly active in transcultural projects that blend jazz with elements drawn from Southeast European, Middle Eastern, and Asian musical traditions. An example of this phase is his participation in the album "Pasar Klewer" by Dwiki Dharmawan (2023), which combines jazz with an Indonesian Gamelan-inspired aesthetic and modern improvisation. In such projects, it becomes particularly evident that Stavi functions not merely as an accompanist, but as an active shaper of sound within complex ensemble structures.
John Turville: UK (piano)
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He has toured and recorded throughout Europe and the middle East with many renowned jazz and tango groups, including the Dave Binney/Julian Arguelles quintet, Tim Garland, the Tony Kofi/Alan Barnes Quintet, Karios 4tet, Asaf Sirkis Trio, Gilad Atzmon, Transtango, the London Tango Orchestra, Matt Ridley Quartet, Sabina Racheyeva, Andre Canniere, Maciek Pysz and Natacha Atlas. John also co-runs the E17 jazz collective and curates their programme and festival, as well as conducting the E17 large ensemble and his sextet "Solstice", featuring Brigitte Beraha and Tori Freestone. He is also an experienced composer and arranger for strings, voices, jazz and tango ensembles, and an experienced educator. He is the principal jazz piano tutor at Birmingham Conservatoire and has coached and adjudicated ensembles at the Guildhall and Trinity College.
From 2017 onwards, he continued to collaborate regularly with a large number of renowned musicians, including Tim Garland, Asaf Sirkis, Gilad Atzmon, Tony Kofi, Alan Barnes, Brigitte Beraha, and many others. This work is particularly formative, as it highlights his stylistic versatility: he moves effortlessly between classic modern jazz, free improvisation contexts, tango and world music projects, and orchestral crossover formats.
The album "Head First" was released in 2019. "London Jazz News" writes: "For this vibrant and self-assured release, John Turville has assembled a multi-generational quintet in which saxophonist Julian Argüelles—a fixture in British jazz for over 30 years—joins forces with younger musicians such as drummer James Maddren and trumpeter Robbie Robson. Dave Whitford features on bass. […] Turville takes center stage on this album. The music is varied and reflects Turville’s diverse influences. The eleven tracks include three Latin numbers, several meditative piano pieces, and energetic ensemble playing—all imbued with Turville’s sensitive piano work. […] At times, the band manages to sound bigger than a quintet".
Thilo Wagner: Germany (piano)
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Today, this exceptional pianist—whose playing, brimming with creativity, stands firmly in the tradition of Erroll Garner and Oscar Peterson—has been a fixture of the European swing scene for many years; indeed, his reputation as an institution within the swing genre extends far beyond Germany’s borders. In 1998, he won the Soloist Prize at the Jazz Festival in Vienne (France), and he is also an honorary citizen of the city of New Orleans.
Tours have taken him throughout Europe, Canada, the USA, and South America; he can now be heard on more than 70 CDs and two direct-to-disc recordings, recorded alongside renowned colleagues such as Billy Mitchell, Butch Miles, Slide Hampton, Art Farmer, Emil Mangelsdorff, Martin Drew, and Danny Moss. As a regular touring accompanist, he performs with—among others—Jim Hall, Scott Hamilton, Clark Terry, Charly Antolini, Benny Waters, Peanuts Hucko, Ack Van Rooyen, Buddy DeFranco, Charlie Mariano, and Ken Peplowski.
In 2020, Wagner remained active, touring with his trio and various swing ensembles. Despite pandemic-related restrictions, he continued to perform in smaller live formats during the summer of 2020—including a documented concert at the Capitol Mannheim in October 2020 as part of a cultural solidarity event. This period was characterized largely by reduced ensemble sizes and regional performances, as international touring was temporarily curtailed. Concurrently, he continued to work regularly with the Allotria Jazz Band and the Bassface Swing Trio, both of which maintained their activities in an adapted form during this time.
In 2022, an important album by his trio titled "Bossa, Ballads and Blues" was released on the Stockfisch Records label. This album presents him in a setting highly characteristic of his late style: swinging mainstream jazz with a focus on melodic clarity, rhythmic lightness, and classic trio interplay. The instrumentation—featuring guitar and bass—deliberately draws upon the tradition of the Nat King Cole Trio and the early Oscar Peterson Trio, underscoring his position as both a preserver and an innovator of this aesthetic.
Enzo Zirilli: Italy (drums)
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At the same time, he played in many important festivals, theatres and jazz clubs in Italy and Europa with great musicians like Steve Grossman, James Moody, Robert Bonisolo, Luigi Bonafede, George Garzone, Randy Brecker, Dado Moroni, Enrico Pieranunzi, Ares Tavolazzi, Stefano Di Battista, Ira Coleman, Larry Schneider.
Enzo moved to London in 2004 and quickly became one of the most in demand drummers in UK, as well as in Europe. He recorded and toured all over the world with artists from Jazz, world music, Latin, funk and pop, such as Tom Harrell, Bob Mintzer, Dado Moroni, Enrico Pieranunzi, James Moody, Gloria Gaynor, Gary Bartz, Hamish Stuart, Liane Carroll, Omar MBE, Pietro Tonolo, Peter Bernstein, George Garzone, Flavio Boltro, Dominique Di Piazza, Jim Mullen, Stan Sulzmann, John EtheridgePeter Washington, Marco Pereira, John Parricelli and Jason Rebello. In 2014 he formed his own band "ZiroBop": "I love this music! Enzo and his great band approach a wide range of material with such creativity, taste and soulfullness. A beautiful album" (LARRY GOLDINGS) He's a regular member of the Gilad Atzmon's Orient House Ensamble and he teaches at the Conservatory "G.Verdi" in Turin.
In 2021 and 2022, Zirilli was also involved in several European live and studio projects that stylistically span the spectrum between jazz, singer-songwriter music, and Latin influences. One example of this is his participation in projects led by the Italian singer Eleonora Strino, in which he works within a chamber jazz context. These recordings showcase him in a highly sensitive, texture-oriented role, where the drums are employed not primarily as a rhythmic dominant, but rather as an instrument that adds color and nuance.
In 2022—and particularly in 2023—his role as a bandleader and conceptual musician comes even more strongly to the fore. His project "ZiroBop" continues with the album "Ten Past Never", released in 2023. This work documents a mature phase of his artistic development, in which he strikes a balance between a humorous band aesthetic, complex rhythmic structures, and melodic accessibility. Critics specifically highlight the organic interplay within the band, as well as Zirilli’s ability to purposefully steer the ensemble’s musical energy without dominating it.
Zirilli is increasingly integrating his concert career with his academic role. As Head of Jazz Drums and Percussion at the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi in Turin, he is active not only as a performer but also as an influential educator. This institutional role shapes his artistic work by leading him to engage more frequently in projects that possess a didactic or mentorship-oriented character. Consequently, his live performances often become part of a broader network encompassing education, talent development, and professional jazz practice.
