The duo of pianist Johanna Summer and saxophonist Jakob Manz is a rare stroke of luck in German jazz: Two of its outstanding young characters, virtuosic, bold, with a wide horizon and unmistakable musical handwriting – Two with a shared understanding of jazz as a vocabulary for telling new, personal stories.
Both are deeply rooted in the jazz idiom but expand it with their individual influences: jazz, pop, classical, improvisation, composition – all these elements are distilled by Johanna Summer and Jakob Manz on their second joint album Cameo (ACT Music) into the smallest possible format of musical interaction: the duo.
Its special magic lies in the joint search and discovery of new music, in listening to each other and reacting to one another, and in the way the two protagonists, who are both so different yet close to each other, complement and continually surprise each other. Jakob Manz says: “Whenever Johanna improvises, something happens that you don’t expect. When she solos, it often feels composed, yet it's always different, arising from the moment. There are very few people who master this so well.” And Johanna Summer replies: “I find it impressive how infinitely musical Jakob is. Everything he plays is always incredibly understandable and strong. Jakob's playing possesses a clarity that is very human, musical, and comprehensible.”
Much in the music of Summer and Manz happens for some magical reason in harmony, even though it wasn't foreseeable until a fraction of a second before. This attests to the great alertness and sensitivity of the duo. Jakob Manz says: “When I play in a duo with Johanna, many habits I’ve developed while playing with other musicians simply no longer work. Something unexpected can always happen; you have to stay incredibly alert all the time. It’s very inspiring!” The special magic of this musical dialogue is transmitted while listening. One marvels at the simultaneity of freedom and clarity, at the way two very different characters complement each other while also interacting gently and confidently. A rare stroke of luck indeed.