It´s me, the Monday A-Trane pianist Andreas Schmidt. Since 1995 I played here about 700 wonderful & surprising jazzy improvised happenings with lots of friends like Walter Norris, Mark Murphy, Till Brönner, Sebastian Merk, Connie Crothers, Andy Fite etc.. Beside regular during-the-week concerts with Lee Konitz, Judy Niemack, Céline Rudolph, David Friedman, Christian Kögel, Barbara Buchholz, Katja Riemann, Lisa Bassenge, John Schröder, Jeanfrançois Prins, & many more. I did about 30 CD´s (with Thomas Heberer, Peter Weniger, Ute Lemper + many of the people i already mentioned). I would love 2 c many of yours here @ that great club, supporting the owner Sedal Sardan, the Berlin scene, the ever-tuned Steinway B & me with my vision of getting 2gether with musicians - in communication on stage. Tell friends, post it & come whenever possible! I write some extra words this month on: Masabumi Kikuchi & Paul Motian. Kikichu ("Poo" is his nickname) is a pianist from Japan, living about 30 years in NYC. He was close 2 Miles Davis in the end 1970´s, did about 50 CD´s on his own and had a great Trio with Motian & Gary Peacock on bass (check WINTER&WINTER CD´s). «Poo» is always a good friend & my greatest inspiration on individual & unique piano playing. We met many times since 1995 in NYC and even once in Berlin, when he played here the JAZZ FEST BERLIN. Paul I also knew since 1995 & he is my hero on drums. The songs he writes r most special out-of-any-trend pearls of beauty. His playing: un-f******-believable. Check CD´s on (again) WINTER & WINTER and ECM records. I remember schlepping his «7 drum cases» 2 the limo after a gig, and my last FON conversation before Paul passed away about the great unique friend of ours, the pianist Masabumi Kikuchi. my hommage 2 Paul Motian: 2 him in mind, 2010 I wrote tunes he would have loved. I was in progress 2 make an album with him. On the 6th & 20th of February I play with my Trio (Jan Roder/bass & Max Andrzejewski/drums) these special tunes.
Pic © by Barbara Braun/MuTphoto