Mike Gerhold celebrated his 25th stage anniversary in 2017.
His history alone shows that he is no stranger, having already performed as a support act for greats such as SWEET, SLADE, DORO PESCH, SAXON, BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST, INEXTREMO, Spider Murphy Gang, The Hooters, and many other renowned artists. With the German rock icons BONFIRE, he provided backing vocals in 2017 for the album “Byte the Bullet” as well as for their album “Temple of Lies,” which was released in April 2018, featuring musicians such as ex-Rainbow keyboardist Phil Morris and musician Alessandro Del Vecchio. The album reached number 29 in the German LP charts at the time of its release. In addition to his band ROCKHEAD (www.rockhead-kassel.eu), he also tours solo and unplugged – armed only with guitar and vocals or with his friends Timmy Paltinat on bass, Dominik Lang on drums, and Andre Zappo Wollner on keyboard, enchanting his audience with handmade cover songs of the good old rock, which he presents in his own style. In addition to his live performances, he dedicated himself until 2021 to the international music project “T.A.C.E.

Mike Gerhold, vocals, guitar, flute

André Wollner, keyboard, vocals 

Timmy Paltinat, bass 

Dominik Lang, drums

MIKE GERHOLD SOLO & UNPLUGGED as SUPPORT FOR DORO PESCH

YASI HOFER, born in 1992 in Ulm, began her musical career with the violin but switched to the electric guitar at the age of 12. Her talent and skills on the guitar were discovered by none other than "guitar god" STEVE VAI, who brought Yasi on stage with him for the first time when she was just 14. Even today, the two often jam together during his European tours.
YASI began studying music at the Stuttgart University of Music at just 16 years old after passing a gifted students' examination. Just three semesters later, she received a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
With all the knowledge and skills she acquired, she has already produced 4 albums, all original compositions: YASI (2014), FAITH (2016), FREEDOM (2018), and BETWEEN THE LINES (2023). The renowned sound engineer MIKE PLOTNIKOFF contributed to the latter in Los Angeles.

On the internet, YASI HOFER impresses with over 6 million clicks on YouTube—on Instagram, she has over 13,000 followers and the number is rising. YASI is now an internationally sought-after and respected musician and is currently working on another band project in Los Angeles under the direction of HOLLY KNIGHT (SIMPLY THE BEST, LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD), one of the world's most successful songwriters.

Yasmin Hofer,
Steffen Knauss,
Christoph Scherer,
Werner Hofer,

Either...or?! Right or left?! You can't have it all?! Yes. You can.
At least in the world of hinterhofjazzonette. In this world, there is more than enough space for wide intermediate life spaces, high up on the tightrope and far away from fiercely contested, unpoetic extremes. There, the gutter princess and Lotti Huber tell their stories, share the stage with Milva, Stereo Total, and Tocotronic, and contrast the songs of the wonderful everyday poet Hildegard Knef with relaxed, sometimes winking, original compositions. The stage is set for a slightly different chanson evening with a guarantee of many open questions.

Dennis Wenzel (voc)
Bene Schuba (dr)
Gabriel Stein (b)
Hannes Hirth (p/synth)
Vincent Wolf (g)

In our new program LIVING IN THE PAST, well-known musicians from Kassel present their favorite rock & blues songs from the 60s to the 80s – From Cream to Jethro Tull to Judas Priest; From Elvis Presley to the Stones to Queen. Enjoy our journey into your musical past!
Let’s »Living In The Past!«

Line-up:
Max Bochenek – Vocals and Percussion
Micha Margraf – Vocals, Guitar and Drums
Joachim Schulz – Vocals and Guitar
Peter Staab – Vocals and Keyboards
Thomas Stolkmann – Vocals, Bass and Guitar

„Bertolt Brecht's housepostil cannot be understood merely as a contemporary witness to the class and party struggles of the years between the end of World War I in 1918 and 1927, nor as a religious book of use comparable to the Bible. Up until his death, Brecht was not satisfied with his collection of poems, he altered, removed individual poems or added others. This could suggest that the housepostil should be continuously adapted to the respective historical and personal situation. To formulate his social concerns, Brecht needed a moral system. He is affected by the misery and contradictions of the post-World War I era. He seeks a form, a style, a diction. He wants to provoke and strikes unheard new tones. In this way, the provocateur and great innovator inevitably arrived at one of the oldest sources of Western culture, the Bible.“ (Julia Trefzer)
Great literature presented and linguistically skillfully read by the Kasseler reciter Bernd P. R. Winter and the Kassel actress Katharina Brehl. Well-known pieces by Brecht charmingly and full of spirit sung by Katharina Brehl and accompanied on the saxophone by the musician Peter Zingrebe.

“With their unique blending, they put the rare instrumentation of piano and guitar on the map of music.” (Martin Miller)
Clemens Christian Poetzsch and Reentko Dirks give a modern interpretation to the rare instrumentation of piano and guitar and present it in a unique way that bridges between classical and jazz and goes beyond.
Clemens Christian Poetzsch works equally with artists from classical as well as contemporary popular music. The multiple award winner has released five solo albums, followed by sold-out solo concerts in Japan, Great Britain, and the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.
Reentko Dirks has been active for 20 years both as a soloist and in various international ensembles (European Guitar Quartet; Masaa), composed music for the Semperoper Dresden and Cirque du Soleil, and performed in venues such as the Tschaikovsky Hall in Moscow and Carnegie Hall in New York.
They have been working together for many years and have written music for films and theater. Now they are releasing their first joint album (Collateral Flow, Neue Meister), which showcases their background in film music. In their concerts, they lead into a still untouched sound world that resembles a soundtrack.

After 17 years of creative pause, the band around the charismatic singer Georg Sirrenberg has reunited to once again delight the audience.
Their unique program combines German hits from the 30s to the 60s with jazzy arrangements that give these classics a completely new shine. The repertoire is complemented by jazz classics from the Great American Songbook, which shine anew in their own interpretations with empathetic German lyrics.
Look forward to a musical journey that combines nostalgia and jazz in a distinctive symbiosis. The Georg Sirrenberg Sextett offers music full of charm, swing, and emotion – perfect for all who love timeless classics, rediscovered in fresh and original arrangements!

The Georg Sirrenberg Sextett consists of:
Georg Sirrenberg-Proetel – vocals
Peter Zingrebe – saxophone
Klaus Wenderoth – piano
Thomas Kepper – guitar
Michael Rosenthal – bass
Jürgen Grauer – drums

Sabine Wackernagel reads from the famous novel »Mephisto«, which Klaus Mann published in 1936 in Amsterdam. It tells the story of the actor Hendrik Höfgen, who colluded with the powers that be in Nazi Germany and thereby became a traitor to his own ideals. It is a story about adaptation and resistance, careerism and morality. It takes place in the thirties in Nazi Germany and is disturbingly timeless, making it relevant to us today.
Hartmut Schmidt, accordion, and Frank Pecher, guitar, will play melodies from the 20s and 30s.

BLUFF is the project of four young jazz musicians based in Hamburg. The quartet aligns its compass with the young New York scene and incorporates these inspirations into its own music. Influences such as Ambrose Akinmusire and Immanuel Wilkins can be clearly found in BLUFF's compositions. The four musicians understand each other implicitly, allowing the music to shape itself: from the melody, they break into impressive dynamic arcs while still always returning to the refined simplicity of their own musical style. The band exudes a joy of playing on stage that is contagious to the audience.
In five years as a fixed formation, BLUFF has toured extensively across Germany and has, among other appearances, showcased performances at the Elbjazz and JazzBaltica festivals, as well as the ensemble award of the Young German Jazz Prize 2022. In early 2023, they released their debut album “Sleight of Hand.” Now it is time for a brand new program that will once again demonstrate the musical agility and creativity of the musicians. Many new impressions await. Promise!
“The new album is full of surprises, with clever compositions and arrangements, great dynamics, and above all, beautifully interpreted by all. The musicians present a musical kaleidoscope on this album that you will gladly listen to often. BLUFF is part of our future, even now.” – Nils Landgren

Line-up:
Christian Höhn tp
Tim Scherer p
Lucas Kolbe b
Malte Wiest dr

Even when they are famous, jazz musicians in Paris love to play as street musicians again and again.
So, the trumpet player and singer Urban Beyer heard a wonderful jazz duo when he came out of the Musée D’Orsay: The soprano saxophonist Olivier Franc and his son Jean-Baptiste filled the summer evening with swinging sounds reminiscent of Sidney Bechet. The father had just played in New York (including with Wynton Marsalis), while Jean-Baptiste was crowned the Stride Piano World Champion in Oxford (USA).
He combines melodic improvisation and Stride Piano in his performance to create a unique style, and he has been a guest at New York's Lincoln Center and at the Parisian "Nuits du Boogie", performing with Al Casey and Arvell Shaw, the longtime bassist for Louis Armstrong.
The love for swinging jazz has long crossed national borders, and now Urban Beyer is finally fulfilling his long-held wish to create a fine chamber music jazz program together in a duo with Jean-Baptiste Franc.

Jean-Baptiste Franc – Piano
Urban Beyer – Trumpet/Vocal

The blazing stories of sin and redemption come from radio and the Bible: they spark in commanding preaching and alluring pop. A lost son, Jerry Lee Lewis, storms out of the deepest province into the national spotlight, secretly marries his 13-year-old cousin, who will be just one of his total seven wives, and is damned. Years later, a night watchman at Graceland – the estate of Elvis Presley – observes how a '76 Lincoln Continental burrows through the gravel of the driveway and, after one last acceleration, rams the gate. The driver calls out with a voice as resonant as chrome: “I want to see Elvis! Just tell him, the killer’s here.”

Musical one-man show by and with Justin Hibbeler
An event by Staatstheater Kassel

Direction: Justin Hibbeler
Assistant Direction: Olivia Müller-Elmau
Stage and Costumes: Sibylle Pfeiffer
Dramaturgy: Carlotta Huys

The blazing stories of sin and redemption come from radio and the Bible: they spark in commanding preaching and alluring pop. A lost son, Jerry Lee Lewis, storms out of the deepest province into the national spotlight, secretly marries his 13-year-old cousin, who will be just one of his total seven wives, and is damned. Years later, a night watchman at Graceland – the estate of Elvis Presley – observes how a '76 Lincoln Continental burrows through the gravel of the driveway and, after one last acceleration, rams the gate. The driver calls out with a voice as resonant as chrome: “I want to see Elvis! Just tell him, the killer’s here.”

Musical one-man show by and with Justin Hibbeler
An event by Staatstheater Kassel

Direction: Justin Hibbeler
Assistant Direction: Olivia Müller-Elmau
Stage and Costumes: Sibylle Pfeiffer
Dramaturgy: Carlotta Huys

The blazing stories of sin and redemption come from radio and the Bible: they spark in commanding preaching and alluring pop. A lost son, Jerry Lee Lewis, storms out of the deepest province into the national spotlight, secretly marries his 13-year-old cousin, who will be just one of his total seven wives, and is damned. Years later, a night watchman at Graceland – the estate of Elvis Presley – observes how a '76 Lincoln Continental burrows through the gravel of the driveway and, after one last acceleration, rams the gate. The driver calls out with a voice as resonant as chrome: “I want to see Elvis! Just tell him, the killer’s here.”

Musical one-man show by and with Justin Hibbeler
An event by Staatstheater Kassel

Direction: Justin Hibbeler
Assistant Direction: Olivia Müller-Elmau
Stage and Costumes: Sibylle Pfeiffer
Dramaturgy: Carlotta Huys

The blazing stories of sin and redemption come from radio and the Bible: they spark in commanding preaching and alluring pop. A lost son, Jerry Lee Lewis, storms out of the deepest province into the national spotlight, secretly marries his 13-year-old cousin, who will be just one of his total seven wives, and is damned. Years later, a night watchman at Graceland – the estate of Elvis Presley – observes how a '76 Lincoln Continental burrows through the gravel of the driveway and, after one last acceleration, rams the gate. The driver calls out with a voice as resonant as chrome: “I want to see Elvis! Just tell him, the killer’s here.”

Musical one-man show by and with Justin Hibbeler
An event by Staatstheater Kassel

Direction: Justin Hibbeler
Assistant Direction: Olivia Müller-Elmau
Stage and Costumes: Sibylle Pfeiffer
Dramaturgy: Carlotta Huys

One of the most beautiful voices in jazz and rock returns with a new album: With Good Grief, Hugh Coltman released a fine rock/blues album in August 2024, accompanied by a band of great musicians.
On his sixth album, Hugh Coltman confronts his shadows. Grief, fatherhood, midlife crisis, and the dizzying modern world: The rock crooner with the British accent does not pretend, and his songs hit right in the heart. And maybe there is something good in a crisis?
“I have been doing what I do for a long time,” says Hugh, once a co-founder of the band The Hoax, “but this was the first time I felt that emptiness: adding a record to a stack of records because that is my job… I didn’t like the idea much. I admit it scared me.”
Thus begins the story of Good Grief: with a fainting spell. He then decided to withdraw and dedicate some time entirely to writing. “When you are alone with your notebook, it is much easier to pour out everything that is on your mind. Writing these things set me free.” An album of crisis? Yes, but far from being just dark. These songs contain resilience and love as well as the desire to embrace one’s own weaknesses.
The first thing you hear on Good Grief is Coltman’s unmistakable voice, deep in rhythm, his exquisite vibrato, his sense of drama, and of course, that irresistible accent. He takes a thoughtful look at this world, his and ours, sometimes compassionate, sometimes biting, sometimes disillusioned, but in any case far from the daredevil he once was. In the meantime, he has found the answer to the question he asked himself: Why make another record? Well, for all these reasons and one more, perhaps the most important: “Because I have to.”
And one thing is for sure: Even with the new program, it will once again be an unparalleled experience to see and hear Hugh Coltman with his band live on stage.

Hugh Coltman – Vocals & guitar
Matthis Pascaud – Guitar
Laurent Vernerey – Double bass
Raphaël Chassin – Drums

Blues, Blues’n’Boogie & Rock

As an electrifying live band, Boogie Dog brings compelling songs in the style of Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Guy, the Allman Brothers, SRV, the Black Crowes, and T-Bone Walker to the stage. After the first count-in, it becomes clear: here, playing joy and proximity to the audience are of utmost importance. In addition to their own songs characterized by distinctive hooks, the trio plays selected covers from Hendrix, Big George Jackson, ZZ Top, Ray Charles, and others. The depth of musical quality and the entertaining performance by frontman Jürgen Müller (bass, voc) make the concerts truly enjoyable. Yes man, it’s okay to laugh! Bernd “die Bombe” Riehl on drums is THE musical cornerstone of the band. The rolling grooves of his drumming are truly fascinating and extraordinarily lively. Guitarist Celli Hübenthal is the band's nerd when it comes to sound quality, skilled improvisation, and a solid sound. Therefore, it's no coincidence that there are always guitarists in the audience looking for inspiration.

With a lot of rhythm and love for homemade music, the three musicians Andreas Goßmann (Vellmar), Michael Dittmar (Ehlen), and Karsten Mueller (Wolfhagen) present themselves with their trio „3to1“.
The North Hesse trio plays rhythmic blues on unusual instruments.
With self-built Cigar Box Guitars, with the small cutlery of a drum set, as well as the blues harp, the trio is certainly unique in this formation.
The repertoire includes many original songs that tell of the musicians' lives, as well as songs from well-known blues and rock 'n' roll greats.
Guitarist Andreas Goßmann demonstrates his virtuosity while playing the Cigar Box Guitars and tin can guitars. He skillfully slides with the bottleneck over the neck of the guitar, which is strung with three, four, or six strings.
On drums, Karsten Mueller keeps the threads in hand, forming the foundation of the songs and supporting with his beat at the right moment.
Michael Dittmar sings, plays the blues harp, and also contributes to the sound with his guitars built from cigar boxes.

Andreas Goßmann : Cigar Box Lead Guitars and Vocals
Michael Dittmar : Vocals, Cigar Box Guitars, Bluesharp
Karsten Mueller : Drums

Photo: Susanne Becker

The ensemble processes its own musical vision of chamber music influences paired with jazz hints, which are based on the compositions of the Kassel bassist Sven Krug. The pieces and compositions thrive on quirky themes full of ironic folklore, can exude a bittersweet sentimentality, and occasionally transform into bright experiments. Through the various sound possibilities of the individual instruments, the trio repeatedly forms unusual and interesting constellations between composition and improvisation. The project was created with the support of a scholarship from the German Music Council in 2022.
 
Yana Krasutskaya – Violin
Gang Wang – Cello
Sven Krug – Double Bass/Composition

One Foot In The Blues

Hugo Scholz and Jazz4Four, the band led by trombonist Albrecht Schmücker, present in their music mainly the Soul, Funk, and Blues in Jazz. In their program, the musicians play titles by gifted vocalists such as Ray Charles, Johnny Adams, Charles Brown, and this time also from the great songwriter Gregg Allman. Hugo Scholz demonstrates himself as an extraordinary singer and a dynamic saxophonist. The joy of the musicians for groove jazz leaps to the audience when the brass power takes precedence. And it has always been good like that. As it says in "Midnight Rider," the wonderful song by Gregg Allman: The road goes on forever.
Listeners can look forward to a program under the motto "One Foot In The Blues." The musicians move with one foot on a bluesy ground, but with the other, they stand firmly on the solid ground of Jazz.

Line-up:
Hugo Scholz: Vocals, Saxophone, Flute, Bluesharp
Albrecht Schmücker: Trombone
Frank Sommerfeld: Guitar
Stefan Hering: Double Bass
Jörg Müller-Fest: Drums

The name is program. »Soul Searching«, the new and already seventh album by Torsten Goods, is more than a source of fresh »Feelgood Music«, influenced by jazz, soul, blues, and the relaxed West Coast/AOR sounds of the late 70s in California, featuring guests like Randy Brecker, Nils Landgren, and Bireli Lagrene. »Soul Searching« also tells the very personal story of the visual transformation of the »equally blessed at guitar and as a singer«, according to SZ, »whom they have already called the >German George Benson<. The quest for identity, which also brought the adaptation to his new, bald appearance due to an autoimmune disorder, is a central theme in »Soul Searching«, obviously in songs like »Naked Funk« or the ballad »I Had To Learn Not To Care«. His »Soul Searching Tour« takes Torsten Goods with Jan Miserre on keyboards and piano, Felix Lehrmann on drums, and Thomas Stieger on bass, in other words: the band behind the new album, perfectly tuned in for fourteen years, finally through all of Germany again in the fall. But also to Switzerland, the UK, and of course Ireland, the homeland of his mother and family. The focus of the concerts is the new album, but fan favorites from Torsten's back catalog should not be missed. Thus, every concert of the »Soul Searching«-Tour becomes a unique experience, full of deeply felt, virtuoso-played, acoustic happiness-makers. The recipe: »smooth vocals, fast guitars, and feelgood grooves«. 

Sabine Wackernagel reads from the famous novel »Mephisto«, which Klaus Mann published in 1936 in Amsterdam. It tells the story of the actor Hendrik Höfgen, who colluded with the powers that be in Nazi Germany and thereby became a traitor to his own ideals. It is a story about adaptation and resistance, careerism and morality. It takes place in the thirties in Nazi Germany and is disturbingly timeless, making it relevant to us today.
Hartmut Schmidt, accordion, and Frank Pecher, guitar, will play melodies from the 20s and 30s.

with Johannes Geworkian Hellman & LarsEmil Öjeberget
Symbio is considered one of the most prominent new bands from the Nordic folk & world music scene. With a magical interplay of hurdy-gurdy and accordion, an electrifying stage presence, and captivating original compositions, the duo has developed into a phenomenon on tours in more than 20 countries. Additionally, the duo captivated many listeners in 2023 as an official showcase at WOMEX.
When you listen to this symphonic duo, you doubt the fact that only two musicians are on stage. For the musical world of Symbio is hypnotizing and emotional – here, virtuosic folk and electronic dance music meet and turn into a cinematic experience for the listener.
They have played at numerous international festivals such as the BU Radio Folk in Rudolstadt (GER), the International Folk Alliance Conference in the USA, the Nordic Folk Alliance in Denmark, the Munidial Montréal conference in Canada, the Tallin Music Week in Estonia, as well as the Folk Expo in Spain.
Lars Emil Öjeberget and Johannes Geworkian Hellman met in 2011 at a jam session. When they played together for the first time, they felt that there was a special energy and musical connection between them. Right there, after their first meeting – they decided to form Symbio. Since then, their journey as a duo continues to new places, both musically and geographically.

Line-up
Johannes Geworkian Hellman – hurdy-gurdy, electronics
Lars Emil Öjeberget – accordion, stompboxes, electronics

Get ready for a groundbreaking musical journey, as the incomparable bassist Adam Ben Ezra welcomes the spectacular drummer Michael Olivera (Alfredo Rodriguez, Richard Bona) for an exciting new project!

With his boundless creativity, Adam will release an innovative album at the end of 2024 that puts Michael's incredible drumming front and center, completely redefining the relationship between bass and drums. Grooves will be elevated to a whole new level, creating a sound that is both fresh and timeless, inspired by a variety of music genres and traditions.

To celebrate the release of Adam's highly anticipated album, Michael will also join Adam on his upcoming tour, showcasing their incredible chemistry and musical mastery as they perform tracks from the new album alongside fresh arrangements of popular songs from Adam's earlier albums. This promises to be a unique live experience that will leave you in awe and craving more.

With Adam's virtuoso double bass skills and Michael's extraordinary drumming abilities, this duo is venturing into new territory in exploring melody, rhythm, and improvisation, creating a sound that is truly mesmerizing. Let yourself be carried away by the groove of Adam Ben Ezra and Michael Olivera!

Jazz is an allegory for life, for the pursuit of independence, for a personal language and one's own path. Stephanie Lottermoser has always remained true to this intention with her groovy synthesis of jazz, soul, and pop, clear compositional lines, catchy melodies, emotional appeal, and subtle virtuosity. Her music stands for itself and reveals, in full intensity, everything from fine lines to rich grooves, up to extended improvisations. 

On her albums and at her concerts, the award-winning saxophonist and vocalist emphasizes breaking free from jazz stereotypes and the search for a personal, authentic language and its constant development. The press celebrates her as a "power woman as described in the book, a self-proclaimed feminist and bearer of sympathy" who creates an intimate and gripping atmosphere with her music. For six years now, Hamburg has been her chosen home, from where she recently toured in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, England, and Kenya.

"Stephanie Lottermoser captivates her audience and takes them on an enjoyable musical journey with energy and good humor. She has her very own signature, with which she has composed, played, and sung herself into the top league of the German jazz scene. Lottermoser's music is, in the best sense, feel-good jazz, emotional and catchy, yet polished, epic, and dynamic." (Dieter ungelenk, Neue Presse Coburg)

Line-up:
Stephanie Lottermoser (ts, voc)
Maik Schott (keys)
Robert Schulenburg (b)
Felix Lehrmann (dr) 

For couples, singles, or both…

No matter if you have already found your sweetheart or are looking for the right one at 80 – let yourself be enchanted by the charm of the curlers lady! Enjoy Lilli's rich experience between rendezvous and love wars, sometimes sung, danced, or conjured. Crisp fresh comedy, focusing on the woman of today and the man of yesterday.

And if you think you already know everything about the recipe for a happy life – not so fast! Because Lilli is simply the professional when it comes to charmingly smiling in the face of the embarrassments of love!

The show is as wonderfully heartfelt and simultaneously as exciting as Lilli's world.
Come, marvel, and fall in love again!

The nature of their interaction can hardly be described as anything other than telepathic. Here, inventiveness combines with technical perfection. Aki Takase and Daniel Erdmann have rehearsed a lot together, and you can tell. But above all, they have much to share with each other and us. The precision with which they master unison and rapid tempo changes does not hinder their flight into the open but rather opens the doors for it. What began during the pandemic with video calls between the saxophonist based in Reims and the pianist's apartment in Berlin was continued live. Soon, both felt that with their duo album "Isn’t It Romantic?" they had barely begun, rather than having said everything. The desire for free, personal expression and the admiration for jazz tradition instinctively led Aki Takase and Daniel Erdmann towards Ellington.
The music of Duke Ellington is especially suitable for the duo's excursions because it is so universal and occupies a central place in jazz history. Ellington bridged the gap from tradition to modernity, from tradition to avant-garde. Just as Ellington himself related to the continuum of Afro-American music, Aki Takase and Daniel Erdmann can now project his work onto his predecessors, contemporaries, and successors, placing it in a context that ranges from ragtime and stride piano to Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell, to Cecil Taylor, from Schoenberg and Stravinsky to Conlon Nancarrow, from Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins to John Coltrane up to the present day.

The group "ImproKS" from Kassel offers top-notch improvisational theater.

What is improvisational theater? We play without costumes or props and create scenes and entire theater pieces from the calls and inspirations of the audience. Each performance is completely different, each evening a premiere and a closing performance. Drama, comedy, the full range, whether sung as a musical, as a tragedy of Greek proportions, jumping from one location to another at lightning speed, including outrageous twists and turns, ImproKS offers all this and more. Let yourself be taken on a tour de force, to a destination unknown – not even the actors themselves know where it will lead!

Kasseler City Lights at the Theaterstübchen! 
It is that time again! The monthly Kasseler City Lights series is coming to the Theaterstübchen. The house band led by Voice of Germany candidate Richard Vaupel will guide you through the evening together with the band.
Look forward to surprise guests who will provide an unforgettable night with their wonderful voices and a mix of soul, R&B, jazz, and pop. Let yourself be enchanted by the groovy rhythms and musical diversity!
Be there and experience a night full of magic! 
We look forward to seeing you!

And one day, a ray of sunshine fell into the sea and plunged a small land with emerald green meadows into a gloomy and misty light. And since it always rained there anyway, the inhabitants decided that their music could be bright and cheerful, but at most a little sad and melancholic. However, it should never be gloomy and misty.
At that time, a decree seized the people from near and far that only music dictated from above should be played. In New York, Rio, Tokyo, and also in Frankfurt and Buxtehude. And in Darmstadt. All of Darmstadt? No, a VW bus occupied by stubborn musicians continues to resist the mainstream and supplies lubricant to the engine. For 35 years now, PADDY GOES TO HOLYHEAD has been entertaining stages in Germany, yes, in all of Europe. The Paddies, as they are lovingly called by their fans, have learned from scratch what it means to paste concert posters under the cover of night and tirelessly drum up publicity for the countless gigs they have played by now.
Many songs have been composed, penned, and set to music by them. Some have become classics themselves and are also covered by other musicians: Far Away, Here’s To The People, The Titanic, Doolin, A Last Song – the list of songs is as long as the list of well-known bands with which PADDY GOES TO HOLYHEAD has shared the stage: The Hooters, BAP, Jethro Tull, Deep Purple, PUR, and even the legendary Beach Boys have performed with this formation.
When the album “Ready For Paddy” entered the German music charts, the music industry took notice. The earworm “Bound Around” held its place in the single charts, followed by “Johnny Went To War”, the title that remained in the top ten of a southern German radio station's charts for 54 weeks. Other albums by the Paddies followed suit.
Nevertheless, the judgment of the music oligarchs was clear: format-incompatible niche music. And the band is proud of it! With violin, guitar, harmonica, and bass, the trio enchants the concert guests every evening and sends them on a journey with their songs and sounds to the green hills and moors of Ireland, to the gray working-class suburbs of Belfast, and to the lively and overflowing pubs of Dublin. Or back to Darmstadt. It doesn't matter: music is the common language of humanity.
For the 35th anniversary of their stage career, PADDY GOES TO HOLYHEAD establishes a mix of original compositions and beloved Celtic folk songs. And finally, there is also a brand-new record featuring the most popular songs on a CD: “best of 35 years” is the title of the new disc, and it includes some never-before-produced tracks.

Line up:
Paddy Schmidt: Vocals, guitar, harmonicas
Almut Ritter: Fiddle, concertina
Uhu Bender: Bass, vocals

You loved me, you hated me
Cheered or booed anyway
What’s the big deal
I feel free
And I continue to take risks

This is sung by Sebastian Krumbiegel in the opener of his album "Aufstehen – Weitermachen!" which will be released on 20.09.24. You can hear that this motto is his program in the 12 songs he wrote exclusively himself. In the title song, he sings about how his mother always advised him to question authorities. In “Superheld” he sings about the possibility that everyone has these superpowers to make the world a better place, and in “Freddie Mercury” about someone who actually made the world a better place with his superpowers. At least the music world. Furthermore, there are political songs, love songs, and even a hate song.
“Aufstehen – Weitermachen!” – since he can remember, he gets up (sometimes earlier, sometimes later) and keeps going… music! Sebastian Krumbiegel started with music as a child in the Thomanerchor, where he learned to sing. At 15, he had his first band and then THE PRINZEN. “No joke, I write songs every day and sing. That often has therapeutic effects; it gives me the strength to get up and continue after setbacks.”
Sebastian Krumbiegel can do a lot once he has gotten up: record pop and political piano albums, write books (his autobiography “Meine Stimme” was recently published by Ventil Verlag), portray singing lizards (on The Masked Singer) and Helmut Kohl (on Jan Böhmermann), and now also fresh, cheeky, fabulous (Indie) pop records straight from the heart.

I’ve been at the top and I’ve lain in the dirt
And sometimes what I did had no level
What’s the big deal
I feel free
And I continue to take risks

No need to worry about the level of Sebastian Krumbiegel’s new work; it’s top-notch. Taking risks has paid off in this case. Keep going!

For their concert 'Saturation Dive', the multi-instrumentalists and DJs Freddy (aka Funkenpilot) and Alex (aka Çakmak) create a unique mix of the versatile musical preferences of the quartet together with the singer/songwriters Silas and Tara.
The result could be called alternative rock with a sound somewhere between campfire folk unplugged and distorted-psychedelic stoner, but also influences from jazz and drum'n'bass will be heard.
Whether purely instrumental or accompanied by poetic lyrics, each of the self-composed pieces is filled with attention to detail and invites in its own way to immerse and dream along.

Let yourself be carried away by the hottest six-piece country cover band from Northern Hesse! With a repertoire of classic, alternative, poppy, and punky country songs as well as selected folk and bluegrass gems, »CountryMo and the Catfish« will get your feet tapping and your legs dancing. In search of similar country fanatics, Louis Siebert (Drums), Mario Reitze (Bass), Thorsten Prinz (Lead Guitar), Thomas Schmidt (Banjo, acoustic guitar, background vocals), Thomas Kaufmann (acoustic guitar, vocals), and Monika Rack (Harps, acoustic guitar, vocals) came together in early 2022 to spoil their listeners with multi-part vocal harmonies, catchy rhythms, and typical country sound. Since then, the band has had numerous performances in Northern and Eastern Hesse, East Westphalia, and even Wiesbaden. Now it's high time for the Kassel band to finally perform in the heart of their homeland. So grab your cowboy boots, put on your cowboy hat, and join us on a musical road trip through endless highways, wide fields, bittersweet memories, and a lot of fun! Yeehaw!

Treasure diggers at work – ballads, songs, slam poetry & more – the third version
Ballad evening „... refreshingly rejuvenated and with strong calves over the verses“ (HNA)
The latest, the third, version of the successful program is starting. Due to the high demand and because it also brings them considerable pleasure, the diggers are opening the next literary treasure chest and once again bringing to light a whole box of new treasures.

Theatre in miniature, stories on the go, pulsating life in pocket format.
A unique evening: uniquely dramatic, uniquely entertaining and … uniquely – because the ensemble is traveling from all over the country (and from Kassel itself) for this one evening to the little theater. In their luggage: texts, songs, and pieces from the opera, cabaret, and slam stages of various epochs. They tell of the dramatic story of the invention of Beef Stroganoff, of the consequences of football mania but also of magical nature beings, fragmented poems, decapitated kings, and tattooed ladies.
The self-playing team of reciters and musicians (Florian Brauer, Julia Huss, Sven Kamin, Uwe Reiners, Markus Strube, and Hellmuth Vivell) presents alongside the ballads as the original egg of poetry also poetry slam, art songs, and songs, thus unearthing some almost forgotten treasure – intense, touching, unique.
In the little theater, we will be showing the new version of the evening for the first time with partly new pearls from the repertoire.

from 21:00 | Admission 10,- Euro DJ René M Bieler – .. a journey into sound! 50Jahre Musikgeschichte!

RENÈ M BIELER I Open Format DJ & Videoartist

The ultimate party series for music lovers and dance enthusiasts

Experience the best club & disco hits from the 70s to today!

The biggest hits of the dance scene
Immerse yourself in the music that shaped generations – from the funky disco sounds of the 70s to the captivating beats of the 80s and 90s, all the way to today’s modern dance hits. Only the best tracks that make Kassel's dance floors shake!

Always danceable – always unforgettable!
Whether you meet old friends or make new ones – this is the perfect place to have a great time in a relaxed atmosphere. Dance to classics and modern anthems, enjoy the best drinks, and celebrate with like-minded people.

When? Every 1st Saturday of the month

Dance. Celebrate. Laugh. – Experience unforgettable nights full of music and fun!

from 21:00 | Admission 10,- Euro DJ René M Bieler – .. a journey into sound! 50Jahre Musikgeschichte!

RENÈ M BIELER I Open Format DJ & Videoartist

The ultimate party series for music lovers and dance enthusiasts

Experience the best club & disco hits from the 70s to today!

The biggest hits of the dance scene
Immerse yourself in the music that shaped generations – from the funky disco sounds of the 70s to the captivating beats of the 80s and 90s, all the way to today’s modern dance hits. Only the best tracks that make Kassel's dance floors shake!

Always danceable – always unforgettable!
Whether you meet old friends or make new ones – this is the perfect place to have a great time in a relaxed atmosphere. Dance to classics and modern anthems, enjoy the best drinks, and celebrate with like-minded people.

When? Every 1st Saturday of the month

Dance. Celebrate. Laugh. – Experience unforgettable nights full of music and fun!

On February 20, 2024, the magazine ‘De Gitarist’ Poll Awards voted the Dutch guitarist Leif de Leeuw as the Best BluesRock Guitarist of the Benelux countries for the 9th consecutive time.
Leif and his congenial partner, singer & guitarist Sem Jansen, are about to release their 7th album titled “Mighty Fine,” which will be released on March 22, 2024.
The multi-award-winning guitarist Leif de Leeuw and his amazing musicians are the latest Southern Blues Rock and Jam Band sensation from Europe. With the distinctive, expressive voice of the singer Sem Jansen, a second drummer, and the new piano and keyboard player, the band creates their very own, immensely dense sound and captivates with breathtaking twin-lead guitar solos, 2 grooving drummers, and funky jazzy organ playing. Brilliantly improvised jams make each show a unique, exhilarating experience.
With their modern style, the immense skill of each musician, and incredible feeling, they have become a staple in the European music scene. They play their songs virtuously and inventively in the tradition of their idols The Allman Brothers, Derek Trucks Band, Little Feat, Warren Haynes, Derek and the Dominos.

Line-up:
Leif de Leeuw – Guitar
Sem Jansen – Vocals/Guitar
Boris Oud – Bass/backing vocals
Tim Koning – Drums
Joram Bemelmans – Drums
Jeroen Ermens – Wurlitzer & Hammond

Many cabaret artists and joke writers are now in government responsibility, and that worldwide. For some, a catastrophe; for the Wundertyten, an incentive to become even better. The world must become funnier. We need to laugh more, no matter what about and who. There is no terrible or evil in the world at all. You just have to not look. Laughter yoga was yesterday. Today, the shallow and soft make life easier. With the new program, the audience enters a relaxed feeling-good state without any effort.
With Thomas Krug on piano, Uwe Jakubczyk and Jens Haupt

This can be interpreted in both directions.
After “Songs for My Dead,” the new song evening by Enrique Keil. Accompanied by Ralf Günther on piano and Janek Vogler on drums. This time with specially written songs.
German chansons that accept misfortune and celebrate the little happiness. Set poems to music. Condensed tones. Stories between real and surreal. Passionately sung and beautifully played. We give it our all. Except for pop music.

Ralf Günther (p)
Janek Vogler (dr)
Enrique Keil (voc)

8:00 PM | Admission 18,- Euros | Box office 23,- Euros

Soul2Soul - The trio combination around Micha Margraf, aRis Parwiz, and Thomas "Stolle" Stolkmann!

Margraf, who has made a name for himself in Kassel and gained great popularity through his participation in a well-known TV show, is a versatile musician: singing, guitar, bass, and Cajon - there is hardly anything he cannot master.
Parwiz brings his cultural influences to life in his music. The native Afghan, who has spent a long time in Holland, shines with his unmistakable voice, his guitar playing, and percussion on the Cajon.
Stolle, whose name should be familiar to everyone in the Kassel area, rounds off the performance with his soulful voice and his acoustic and electric guitars.
Expect a distinctive mix of Robbie Williams, Philipp Poisel, and Rod Stewart.

Photo: Micha Margraf

8:00 PM | Admission 18,- Euros | Box office 23,- Euros

Soul2Soul - The trio combination around Micha Margraf, aRis Parwiz, and Thomas "Stolle" Stolkmann!

Margraf, who has made a name for himself in Kassel and gained great popularity through his participation in a well-known TV show, is a versatile musician: singing, guitar, bass, and Cajon - there is hardly anything he cannot master.
Parwiz brings his cultural influences to life in his music. The native Afghan, who has spent a long time in Holland, shines with his unmistakable voice, his guitar playing, and percussion on the Cajon.
Stolle, whose name should be familiar to everyone in the Kassel area, rounds off the performance with his soulful voice and his acoustic and electric guitars.
Expect a distinctive mix of Robbie Williams, Philipp Poisel, and Rod Stewart.

Photo: Micha Margraf

Keeping Company

»Advancing a joint project is also a confirmation of ourselves. We are very close friends, and with this album, we celebrate that.« – Bill Laurance

The collaborative duo of Bill Laurance and Michael League and their album „Keeping Company“ serve as a counterpoint to the grand scale of Snarky Puppy. Instead of focusing on energy and extroversion, this is about shared introspection. You can tell by the choice of instruments. Bill Laurance leaves the keyboards in the case and focuses entirely on the piano, acoustic in sound and ideally a little mechanically prepared. Michael League opts for a fretless bass guitar and the Oud, a stark contrast to the pure groove full of legato and rubato options with a transparently sparse yet atmospherically rich sound effect. And they forgo the band. This creates a special freedom for both parties. „The Oud already has a very specific space of associations,“ Bill Laurance explains from the orchestral perspective of the piano. „When I compose, I always want to take the audience to other spaces. With the sound of the Oud, that works. It is not a guitar, it has something exotic. A canvas on which you can paint many things.
Even during the first album, we discussed a lot whether Michael should play a fretless nylon-string guitar. He tried it, but the same melodies did not come out as with the Oud. The sound and playing without frets enable different musical information, anyway. That fascinated us.“

„Keeping Company“ is a snapshot of an unusual team, a program like a collection of clinical Polaroids. Because Bill Laurance and Michael League are still in the wonderfully inspiring phase of joint explorations. Everything is open. The music sounds spontaneous and intuitive. It has the power of the personal and is built on a friendship that also tolerates humor in thematic entanglement. Perhaps one day other players will join in. So far, however, the dialogue in the musically intimate setting is the ideal form of artistic conversation for Bill Laurance and Michael League.

Bill Laurance piano
Michael League oud, fretless bass, vocals

Pianist Omer Klein and trumpeter Sebastian Studnitzky do not need an introduction. Both are internationally recognized composers and bandleaders who have been creating their own unique sound worlds for years. Although they had known and appreciated each other's work for a long time, the two only played their first notes together in the summer of 2021, which was to become a decisive moment.

"By chance, we were booked for a duo concert in Usingen, not far from my hometown Frankfurt, and I had the feeling that this would be something special," says Klein. Studnitzky confirms: "From the very first note, it was clear that there were no boundaries between us and the music. We were fearless together," and Klein adds: "The music flowed so effortlessly that we sometimes almost had to laugh, and we seemed to invite the audience to participate in every little nuance."

The two decided to further develop their newly founded duo, and thus their current program was born. The material includes some of Klein's compositions, some from Studnitzky, and cover versions of songs by their favorite artists: Monk, Stevie Wonder, Jobim. "In such situations, the how is more important than the what," says Studnitzky, "the songs are there for us to have a starting point. We dive straight into the unknown with them, and it’s so much fun." Klein summarizes: "It's this tightrope act, this risk-taking, this spirit of exploration that makes it worthwhile for an artist to go on stage, and for people to listen. It’s exciting to be part of something like this."

from 9:00 pm | Admission 10,- Euro Last Penny Party | featuring MR. BROWN
MR. BROWN (DJ since 1967) has been celebrating his acclaimed monthly "LAST PENNY PARTY" for over 10 years now, in memory of the legendary Last Penny Club, which from 1974-1987 was home to Kassel's soul and funk fans, as well as to the many US soldiers who were stationed in Kassel and the surrounding area at that time...
Our audience was either a regular guest back then, or - and this is evident every 2nd Saturday of the month - just loves the soul music of the late 70s, the 80s, and the early 90s.
With this and similar mixes, MR. BROWN is a permanent part of the German soul scene, performing at soul and jazz festivals, in small clubs and large discos, always under the motto: "Let's have a funky Good Time!"
This is a party you shouldn't miss.

from 9:00 pm | Admission 10,- Euro Last Penny Party | featuring MR. BROWN
MR. BROWN (DJ since 1967) has been celebrating his acclaimed monthly "LAST PENNY PARTY" for over 10 years now, in memory of the legendary Last Penny Club, which from 1974-1987 was home to Kassel's soul and funk fans, as well as to the many US soldiers who were stationed in Kassel and the surrounding area at that time...
Our audience was either a regular guest back then, or - and this is evident every 2nd Saturday of the month - just loves the soul music of the late 70s, the 80s, and the early 90s.
With this and similar mixes, MR. BROWN is a permanent part of the German soul scene, performing at soul and jazz festivals, in small clubs and large discos, always under the motto: "Let's have a funky Good Time!"
This is a party you shouldn't miss.

Get ready for the Benny Greb Brass Band!

Benny Greb, a highly respected drummer worldwide, was recognized by the renowned magazine "Drum" as one of the "Top 30 Best Drummers of the 21st Century." Together with his band, Moving Parts, he received the prestigious Echo Jazz Award. Earlier this year, he was personally selected as the Special Guest Drummer for the Buddy Rich Big Band by Cathy Rich.

With his Brass Band, he has made a splash at festivals both domestically and internationally, presenting a unique fusion of jazz and funk. Known for their captivating groove and distinctive sound, this is an extraordinary band you shouldn't miss!

Drums: Benny Greb
Trumpet: Jakob Bänsch
Trombone: Felix Eilers
Sousaphone: Tobi Zillner

Swing and New Orleans Jazz with the »Soulfood Strutters«

The band from Kassel and Bad Hersfeld presents their new program »The music of Louis Armstrong«.
It serves a journey through jazz history, dedicated to the uncrowned »King Of Jazz«.
Finest swing and authentic New Orleans jazz with many classics and masterpieces from the swing era and the very early days of jazz.

Louis »Satchmo« Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans and left this world on July 6, 1971, in New York. He significantly shaped the development of jazz and is regarded as one of the most important musicians of the 20th century.

The Soulfood Strutters play in their new program classics from the repertoire of Armstrong's musically most important projects, the Hot5 and Hot7 from the period of 1925-28. These are considered the first jazz recordings where soloists were given more room for improvisation, paving the artistic way for later jazz styles. And titles from the »Armstrong All Stars« from the 40s to the late 60s are also skillfully interpreted by the Soulfood Strutters.

This means: Good-mood jazz with a healthy pinch of blues feeling and with thrilling solos from the musicians. Look forward to pieces like »Struttin’ with Some Barbecue«, »Basin Street Blues«, »Ain’t Misbehavin’«, »St. Louis Blues«, and many more!

The five musicians of the Soulfood Strutters are known from a whole range of bands that have been heard across Germany for years. Among them are formations like »Sidewinder Lounge«, »Hot Four«, the »Hannes Hirth Trio«, »Level Eleven«, and the »Blue Moon Orchester«.

Thomas Tkacz – saxophone and clarinet
Jürgen Sprenger – trumpet
Hannes Hirth – piano
Frieder Hirth – double bass
Bene Schuba – drums

ADHD cannot be categorized. Their soundscape blends elements of jazz, rock, ambient, and folk, creating a comprehensive and exciting experience for their audience. Critics and fans have equally praised their originality, creativity, and virtuosity.
The band consists of four professional musicians who have been playing together for almost two decades:
– Óskar Guðjónsson on saxophone
– Ómar Guðjónsson on guitar, pedal steel, and bass
– Tómas Jónsson on piano and keyboard
– Magnús Trygvason Eliassen on drums
ADHD 9: Their latest album, ADHD 9, was recorded in an intimate setting at Castle Studio in Dresden. It captures the raw energy and spontaneity of their live performances as well as the deep connection they share with each other.

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.

Living Ghosts 2025
Flash! Trip! Kick! To give a live performance of Botticelli Baby means sweaty hair, muscle soreness the next day, and a permanent grin on your face! How do you prepare for it? Not at all! You come as you are and let loose!
To provide the wild sound that must be described as a mixture of jazz, punk, blues, folk, and pop, exactly seven different ingredients are needed. Namely, in the form of musicians and their instruments!
It’s a frenzy, a single celebration when the band performs. The seven guys seem like tightly linked material, indestructible yet extremely chaotic. Each instrument brings its unique strength and pushes the entire cart on a mission of ecstasy to some alien planet! Where exactly that is, no one knows after the concert...
And then it suddenly goes Bang! – and a fruity sound chaos begins, which then suddenly forms an alliance and is hurled with overflowing power into the already dropped jaws of the equally sweaty audience. Precisely, like a targeted golf shot into the hole. Sounds exaggerated? Maybe, but anyone who has experienced it knows what this is about!
The band manages to bring back a kind of healthy and long-missed dirt into jazz music. And the audience loves to rub themselves with it – from the Czech Republic through Germany to Spain! Internally and naming their second album, the seven call their sound “JUNK.” And whether you rub it on, devour it whole, or dive right in is up to you – it’s definitely a booster for the sleepy dancing feet!

Marlon Bösherz (Vocals)
Alexander Niermann (Trumpet)
Jörg Buttler (Guitar)
Lucius Nawothnig (Piano)
Tom Hellenthal (Drums)
Max Wehner (Trombone)
Christian Scheer (Saxophone)

Music was my first love
I play groovy and funky Soul and Funk Classics from the 80s/90s to New Wave and current charts. Music that makes you want to dance across various genres.

Music was my first love
I play groovy and funky Soul and Funk Classics from the 80s/90s to New Wave and current charts. Music that makes you want to dance across various genres.

Music was my first love
I play groovy and funky Soul and Funk Classics from the 80s/90s to New Wave and current charts. Music that makes you want to dance across various genres.

»Fables of Jazz« is a quartet from Kassel composed of long-experienced and well-known jazz musicians, dedicating its programs to the work of great musicians. The names read like a "Who is Who" of American jazz and related music:
Charles Mingus (modern jazz), Thelonious Monk (bebop), George Gershwin (symphony and opera), Cole Porter (Broadway musical), Duke Ellington (big band), Antonio Carlos Jobim (bossa nova), and Harold Arlen (film). With a minimal lineup featuring tenor saxophone, piano, double bass, and drums, it strives to bring the stylistically varied pieces to life.
The quartet Fables of Jazz invites you to an extraordinary jazz concert. The musicians are (from left to right): Hannes Volkhardt (double bass), Jörg Damm (drums), Klaus Wenderoth (piano), and Helmut Schäfer (tenor saxophone).

60 YEARS OF HORST HANSEN TRIO – THE STAGE ANNIVERSARY Brand new songs from the oldest jazz band in Germany!
In colorful socks and fashionable shirts, the five young musicians bring their intense jazz to the stage and celebrate 60 years of band history.
INTENSE JAZZ. Always a full expression of the joy of playing:
Driving grooves, unexpected twists, love for detail in arrangement, and a hint of megalomania – always in the tension field between jazz and dance music.
Enriched with sensual vocal arrangements in the style of the 60s, honoring the founding father of the trio, the audience can expect an impressive presentation of new songs. Colorful as the socks, the band expresses their mischievous joy in drawing from various styles such as fusion, hip-hop, or drum & bass and mixing the brew of INTENSE JAZZ. In 1962, Horst Hansen founded his band in the Rhineland metropolis of Krefeld, even before the 68 generation, and provided all the "places" in the Federal Republic with his dance music at that time. Since then, the trio has basked in the glow of Horst Hansen and has made a name for itself on the stages of Europe with lively songs in modern times.
Shows at the XJazz Festival Berlin, the Düsseldorf Jazz Rally, Povalec Festival (CZ), the Leverkusen Jazz Days (Future Sounds), Jazzfestival Moers, Jazzfestival Freiburg, Kammgarn Int. Jazzfestival, and many more not only thrilled die-hard jazz fans but also an audience far beyond jazz boundaries.
Following the current studio album "LIVE IN JAPAN" (2020), the new stage show for the 60th anniversary is now premiering.
And once again it’s said:
“Horst Hansen Dance Music – hot as a church choir – sweet like a cherry liqueur!”

Album ‘You Matter’ – Release Tour

The musical language of the experimental jazz harpist, singer, composer, producer, and bandleader Julie Campiche is the result of constant curiosity and innovation in music and her great interest in the state of the world. Jazz, classical music, electronic music, and not least avant-garde elements permeate her music – unveiling an immediate fragility that is sometimes delicate, sometimes powerful, skirting the limits without ever crossing them. In this way, Campiche, who must be called a pioneer of harp jazz, has created her very own music that is unparalleled.

The Swiss artist founded the Julie Campiche Quartet in 2016, bringing together some of the most promising Swiss musical talents of her generation in an outstanding ensemble. The quartet combines electronic effects from the instruments of its protagonists with the acoustic space, organic sound, field recordings, and complex forms, crafting its own musical identity through experimentation with progressive jazz.
In autumn 2022, the Julie Campiche Quartet returns with its second album ‘You Matter’/ENJA Music. Emotional avant-garde jazz enveloped by the magical, unexpected, and moving sound of the harp, which stands at the center of the music. In these dark and disturbing times, the album sends out a compelling and hopeful message about themes such as climate change, migration, patriarchy, and human identity to the world.

LINE-UP
Leo Fumagalli – Saxophone
Julie Campiche – Harp
Manu Hagmann – Double Bass
Clemens Kuratle – Drums

»Music is a powerful way to express oneself and change the world.«
With this vision and her extraordinary talent, Myra Maud and her band have created a new tribute project that captures the music and personality of Nina Simone in all its facets and offers the audience a truly special experience.
In this homage, Myra Maud and her band honor the unforgettable artist and breathe new life into her timeless music in an impressive way. Inspired by Nina Simone's powerful message, her works are celebrated with passion and expressed in a wonderful fusion of tradition and modernity.
In doing so, Myra Maud and her band transform the stage into a shining ode to this great singer and pianist – to music, peace, and love.

Line-up
Myra Maud – vocals
Lutz Krajenski – piano
Hervé Jeanne – bass
Leon Saleh – drums

Level Eleven – now with a new recipe even crispier, even spicier. Freshly composed pieces from all four musicians are served hot and offered for tasting. In their new creative phase, the holders of the Kassel Art Prize explore the extremes even more. Fast is even faster, quirky is even quirkier. Angular must be handled with extreme caution. And some softness is truly appreciated only after ten years of band history.
With »Mariana Groove«, the deepest depths of the deep sea are explored, while »Yoga LLC« balances the space between tension and relaxation. The new composition complex „Nuages“ jumps between melancholy and lightness, and with »Kassel Love Affairs«, there is also a piece with local reference in seven-four time on the setlist.

Lars Gehrmann (Piano, Accordion)
Bene Schuba (Drums)
Gabriel Stein (Electric Bass)
Vincent Wolf (Electric Guitar)

from 9:00 pm | Entry 10 euro Forever Young with DJ Peter Goldmann
Time travel of the Ultimate
You're a real lucky one. Why? The Theaterstübchen is taking you on a journey.
Where are we going? You can guess three times … The correct answer is: Back to the future! What you will experience is not science fiction, but a higher level of reality. You can safely leave your phone at home, on this night it's all about dancing to your favorite 80s songs and the futuristic sounds of Synthwave. A bit of apocalyptic atmosphere, "Forever Young" and 99 Luftballons. You'll just get carried away! Are you ready for the ultimate 80s party?

Jump into your DeLorean: Timeline I starts at 9:00.

from 9:00 pm | Entry 10 euro Forever Young with DJ Peter Goldmann
Time travel of the Ultimate
You're a real lucky one. Why? The Theaterstübchen is taking you on a journey.
Where are we going? You can guess three times … The correct answer is: Back to the future! What you will experience is not science fiction, but a higher level of reality. You can safely leave your phone at home, on this night it's all about dancing to your favorite 80s songs and the futuristic sounds of Synthwave. A bit of apocalyptic atmosphere, "Forever Young" and 99 Luftballons. You'll just get carried away! Are you ready for the ultimate 80s party?

Jump into your DeLorean: Timeline I starts at 9:00.

from 9:00 pm | Entry 10 euro Forever Young with DJ Peter Goldmann
Time travel of the Ultimate
You're a real lucky one. Why? The Theaterstübchen is taking you on a journey.
Where are we going? You can guess three times … The correct answer is: Back to the future! What you will experience is not science fiction, but a higher level of reality. You can safely leave your phone at home, on this night it's all about dancing to your favorite 80s songs and the futuristic sounds of Synthwave. A bit of apocalyptic atmosphere, "Forever Young" and 99 Luftballons. You'll just get carried away! Are you ready for the ultimate 80s party?

Jump into your DeLorean: Timeline I starts at 9:00.

Immortally confused –
two chansonettes are drinking out

WARNING: This evening will truly be a sweet treat!
Pfeffer & Likör refuse to do everything right in life yet they consistently bring wonderfully perfect evenings to the stage – or the perfect madness?
With well-known melodies from the last century and charmingly quirky original compositions, the immortally confused chansonettes put fresh ideas into the audience's heads
and shower them with soulful toasts. Because as the saying goes: happiness rarely comes alone and all good things come in pairs: Pfeffer & Likör, singing and piano, tonic and gin.

Pfeffer & Likör:
As sensual and absurd as the name "Pfeffer & Likör" appears, so does the chanson cabaret of the two ladies. Great feelings are followed by dry wit, peppery texts meet sweet sounds. The audience is allowed to indulge and laugh, sing and marvel, and enjoy the evening with all their senses.
The cheeky and refined duo switches places at the piano at will, singing and drinking harmoniously through the evening while unexpectedly looking at the world with sober eyes.
An evening with "Pfeffer & Likör" recalls the bygone days of revues, bars, and Berlin cabarets. Glasses clink and critical tones resonate, their own fabulous chansons and unforgettable hits fill the air.

The Finnish soul sensation Ina Forsman is going on an extensive 'xxxxx xxxx xxxx Tour 2025' in spring 2025 to present her new, yet unreleased album. The album will be released in early 2025. The album title remains a well-kept secret for now, but those who know Ina Forsman understand that the new songs will excite fans and critics alike.

Get ready, world – a storm of soul is coming from the north. Ina Forsman, Finland's own retro-soul powerhouse, is embarking on an album release tour that will be nothing short of magical. As the 'Soul-Witch of the North', Ina is not just a singer-songwriter – she is a performer who can transport you to another era with the power of her voice and music. But for now, she still keeps a few secrets up her sleeve.

The album title? Still a mystery. The songs? Let’s just say you’ll want to stay tuned when they are revealed, because this is not just an album release tour – it’s a journey.

Ina Forsman has always been an artist who can't easily be put in a box. Her music is a fusion of vintage sound with contemporary storytelling. In every note she sings, you feel the influence of classic soul legends, while something fresh resonates simultaneously – something that can only be Ina Forsman. Her voice possesses a raw authenticity – a warmth and grit that can simultaneously melt hearts and move souls.

The new album is set to propel her music even further, delving deep into the essence of soul music while adding her signature modern twist. In the coming months, closer to the tour, more details about the new album and the songs will be announced. Follow Ina Forsman on her social media channels to stay updated and get exclusive insights.
Get ready for a journey that will linger with you long after the last note has played.

Ina Forsman (Vocal)                               
Kelly O’Donohue (Trumpet)
Aaron Castrillo (Drums)
Eden Ottignon (Bass)
Fico Jensen (Guitar)
Kade Brown (E-Piano)

This is the project of Jimi, one of the best rock-blues-slide guitarists in Europe. The JIMI BARBIANI BAND is an alchemy of influences from artists like Hendrix, Joe Bonamassa, Jeff Beck, Free, Gov't Mule. The explosive sound of the JBB POWER TRIO is best expressed during live performances, where the heterogeneity of the show and its increasing impact emphasize the personality of each band member and allow them to range from long jam tours to the most passionate blues-rock while creating a unique sound. He collaborated with: Johnny Neel, keyboardist of the Allman Brothers Band and Gov't Mule. Jimi has jammed on several stages with: Eric Sardinas, John Mooney, Johnny Neel, Tishamingo, North Mississippi All Stars, Devon Allman, Mac Ford, Andy J Forest, Buddy Wittingtone. The shows were opened by: B.B. King, John Mayall, Robert Plant, Blues Brothers, John Mooney, Greg Allman, Joe Bonamassa, Eric Sardinas, Brian Auger, Ten Years After, Blasters, Tishamingo,
Devon Allman, Marc Ford, Rebel Storm, Ike Turner, Steppenwolf, Canned Heat, Robert Cray, Dr Feelgood, Tolo Marton, Mick Taylor, Bill Wyman, Johnny Winter, North Mississippi All Stars.

Jimi Barbiani Vocals Guitar
Andrea Tavian Bass
Gianluca Zavan Drums 

»Maybe being soft is what makes us worthy of trust.«
With this motto, the artist Joy Bogat heralds a new musical phase - bolder, more headstrong, yet still so warm and inviting that everyone finds their own place within it.

Carried by Bogat's clear and extraordinary voice, her music continues to traverse between soul, alternative RnB, and indie. Layers of synthesizers and voices, spoken word, and grooving beats weave together with a playful lightness that is unmatched - and that is absolutely contagious for the listeners.
„‘Fabric of Dreams‘ has developed over the past three years and has become exactly what I hoped for. Like a canvas where I could include all my influences. Each individual song dreams of something different,“ says Bogat, who lives and works in Hannover, about her debut album, which will be released on March 8, 2024, by the Berlin indie label Listenrecords.
The empowering, almost healing effect of Joy Bogat's music can also be experienced live in 2024 when she is on tour in Germany with the new album and her band.

Joy Bogat (vocals)
Albrecht Bibas (drums)
Lasse Altmark (bass)

A long time ago, he once said in an interview that he did not intend to become an aging pop joker. He has succeeded brilliantly! Over more than 50 years on stage, which PURPLE SCHULZ can look back on today, he became one of the most exciting musical storytellers in the country, the songwriter who took his many great pop hits along on the journey, who expanded his skills as an entertainer with remarkable depth, and thereby today can portray the wholeness of life in his concerts like hardly anyone else. With laughter and tears, love and anger, with wonderfully silly lows and philosophical highs, with gentle comfort and razor-sharp criticism: this is how he sings about life and survival in times of change.
Of course, he will play the big hits at the concerts, as they have been crucial for surviving as a celebrated concert artist. However, many will be surprised because PURPLE SCHULZ in 2025 arranges even the earworms musically in such a way that they fit him perfectly today. A significant part of this has to do not only with the piano but also with the use of his 24-string Harpejji, which allows us to rediscover familiar songs with its fantastic sound worlds.
But it is especially the current songs that counter the hysterical clamor of our over-stimulated times with thoughtful wisdom, sometimes lovingly embrace us, or sometimes kick us boldly in the backside. They turn every concert into an extraordinarily intense experience.
PURPLE SCHULZ is virtuously accompanied by the enchanting Jördis Tielsch (vocals, violin, guitar, piano & accordion), whose gifted voice in synergy with the Cologne songwriter makes one forget that nearly forty years separate them. It is this dedication to every sung word and every played note that gives the listeners goosebumps one after another and ensures that an evening with PURPLE SCHULZ resonates long after. In the mind and in the heart.
And this indeed helps to survive in these stormy times.

from 9:00 pm | Admission 10,- Euro Casselfornin Sleaze with DJ Dirk and DJ D.Evil
98RECORDS and MASTERS OF CASSEL PRESENT:
The Return of ... Casselfornin Sleaze!!!
In 2024, the popular Glam/Sleaze Rock, Hard Rock, Rock and Metal Party returns on August 31st and November 30th in a brand new location. From now on, DJ Dirk & DJ D. Evil will be taking over the Theaterstübchen, Kassel's renowned and award-winning live club.
We celebrate: The Return of ... CASSELFORNIAN SLEAZE!!!
For ten years (!!), Casselfornian Sleaze has been the party for all Glam & Sleaze Rockers, Hair Metallers, and Hard Rock enthusiasts, your hot iron in the purgatory of Rock 'n Roll. It all started in January 2014 at Joe's Garage before moving to Fiasko in 2016. After the end of the cult club and the multi-year Corona pandemic, the Sleaze Party had to take a break, until the party organizers celebrated the rebirth of the event in 2022 at the Kassel Schlachthof, and rocked in the vaults of Goldgrube at the end of 2023.
Let yourself be infected by the good mood of the 80s when life was still about the really important things: Girls, Girls, Girls, smoking, drinking, and of course the Slick Black Cadillac! The party embodies the rebirth of stadium rock & the legendary Sleaze Metal anthems of the 80s & 90s like no other event. We celebrate this era with lots of music from the golden age, spun by DJ Dirk (Joe's Garage) and DJ D.Evil (Masters Of Rock, Drowning Sun). So, put on your ripped jeans, straighten your vest, throw on your leather jacket. Join us as the Theaterstübchen transforms into the Sunset Strip...
We are very excited about another new location and about lots of new and familiar audience members celebrating Kassel's most important party for Sleaze & Glam, Hard Rock, Rock, and Metal with us. Admission at the door will be 10 Euro - and as a special treat, the first beer (or non-alcoholic drink) of the evening is on the house. One more reason to rock out afterwards. See you there...

Martin Lüker is celebrating his 40th stage anniversary

In 1985, Martin Lüker played one of the most famous piano concertos of all time in the village church of Bockhorst. It was the Piano Concerto in A major by, here it comes, Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf. At that time, it was clear: the career would be a long one, and it culminates after forty years back in his living room, in the Theaterstübchen Kassel.
He has received numerous awards for his piano playing, won the chanson competition of Deutschlandfunk, had a famous piano professor in Detmold, has given approximately 6782 piano lessons, and has completed 2748 concerts and performances. Furthermore, he was a scholarship holder of the Käthe-Dannenmann Foundation and had the opportunity to perform before the Federal President and in various German embassies. Various CDs and radio recordings adorn his résumé.
Since 2017, he has been dedicating himself intensively to his own musical pieces. Some have become audible and tangible. Also, the list of artist colleagues with whom he has performed is by no means inconspicuous: Otto Becker, Sabine Wackernagel and Katharina Wackernagel, Lilli, Hagen Rether, Ralf Schmitz, Johann König, Lucian Ensemble, Bernd P.R.Winter, Staatsorchester Kassel, Bernhard Lang, Wolfgang Manz, just to name a few.
As the son of a knowledgeable and musically educated farmer and an equally qualified mother, Lüker has been living permanently in Kassel since 1998. The advocacy of a "Mitostwestfalen" for the location Kassel has proven effective: "What lies in the middle cannot be completely off the mark."
In his program "Sitzt, wackelt und hat Luft", the best comes to the theater table. From 5 programs: Erhardt, Kreisler, W. Busch, Schurz Piepe, and Nana Mouscouri, as well as his own film music and compositions. Additionally, Lüker garnishes his program with new drinking songs and corresponding texts.
Cheers to forty years of cabaret at the piano!
One can only say: “Martin Lüker – those who listen have more to say.”

It has been jazzing, souling, and funking for 30 years in various ensembles at the Jacob-Grimm School. In the field of popular music, a range of different formats and styles now exists, in which the students can express themselves musically. In addition to the jazz combo and the big band, self-organized formations such as the Grimm Tentet or various former rock bands from the Heinrich-Schütz School also regularly make music at the "Talent Forge" (Hessenschau, 18.08.2018), which continue to rehearse independently at the JGS once they come together. As part of "Grimm's Jazz Workshop," students experimented with composition and improvisation, and JGS students continually bring forth their own bands and groups, the most prominent of which are: Milky Chance and the singer Lea.
In close cooperation with the JGS, the big band of the Heinrich-Schütz School, which opens the concert evening, rehearses. Students from grades 6 to 10 perform pop, jazz, and rock arrangements under the direction of Christian Hanf and Bernd Trusheim. Also participating is the jazz combo of the JGS. The musicians, led by Gunther Fuhr, explore different styles and approaches to jazz and world music each school year. There is room for all possible instruments - even beyond the "classic" jazz combo lineup - and for process-oriented learning of ensemble playing and improvisation.
After that, the JGS big band brings out a bigger set. This year, the band features soul, funk, and fusion classics, among other things, music from the band "Lawrence." There is space for more complex instrumental arrangements with longer solo passages as well as for party vibes with the talented vocal soloists. The big band originated from a project and has developed into a full-score lineup since 1993, including vocals from the very beginning. For many years, the band was led by its founder Rainer Tigges, and in 2013, Lisa Sommerfeld, Bernd Trusheim, and Florian Brauer took over the leadership of the formation. Over the years, the big band has participated in numerous competitions and projects (including "Battle of the Bands," CD production "And so it goes," Comenius projects), and concert tours have taken the ensemble abroad in Europe. The band has maintained a friendship with the big band of Vaskivouri Lukio in Vantaa (Finland) almost from the beginning, and for several years, there has been a close contact with the big band of Katedralskole in Aarhus (Denmark). The three big bands regularly celebrate joint music-making at big band festivals, most recently in 2023 in Aarhus, and the next event will take place in 2025 in Vantaa/Helsinki.

Drums, Stories & Rock‘n’Roll – A journey through 5 decades of music history
Curt Cress is a drum legend. And here he tells his story – from Ike & Tina Turner to Udo Lindenberg. Together with his school friend and drum tuner Werner Fromm, Curt discusses his career, shows songs and videos, plays live on his drum kit the most influential grooves, and shares the craziest stories. The “Drumtalk” is a live behind-the-scenes and real music history of the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s.
As early as his early 20s, Curt Cress becomes one of the most sought-after studio drummers in the world. Curt was the drummer for and with Freddie Mercury, Meat Loaf, Peter Maffay, Rio Reiser, Rick Springfield, Scorpions, Spliff, Falco, BAP, Alphaville, Udo Jürgens, Peter Schilling, Münchener Freiheit, Milli Vanilli, Nena, Udo Lindenberg and countless other artists. As a musician, he has been awarded “Drummer of the Year” 15 times, received numerous gold records, and has played an unbelievable 12,000 recordings on over 400 million sold sound carriers.
In addition to his work as a drummer, Curt Cress is also a successful producer and composer. He composes music for films, TV series (Tatort, etc.), shows (Wetten dass…?, etc.) and commercials (Bacardi, Southern Comfort, etc.). His talent and versatility have earned him numerous awards, including the “Echo” and the “German Jazz Award.”
Later, Cress begins a no less successful career behind the scenes of the show business. Curt Cress founds the Pilot Tonstudios, and as a producer, he is successful not only with Uwe Ochsenknecht but also with Falco, Nina Hagen, Nena, Udo Lindenberg, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London.

LINE UP
Curt Cress
Werner Fromm – Speaker/Interviewer
Wolfgang Schmid – bass
Criss Wellner – keyboard

Kasseler City Lights at the Theaterstübchen! 
It is that time again! The monthly Kasseler City Lights series is coming to the Theaterstübchen. The house band led by Voice of Germany candidate Richard Vaupel will guide you through the evening together with the band.
Look forward to surprise guests who will provide an unforgettable night with their wonderful voices and a mix of soul, R&B, jazz, and pop. Let yourself be enchanted by the groovy rhythms and musical diversity!
Be there and experience a night full of magic! 
We look forward to seeing you!

LUKE is the new blues band of the German singer-songwriter and guitarist Lukas Schüßler.

Since the age of thirteen, the singer, guitarist, and songwriter Lukas Schüßler aka LUKE has been on stage for more than 15 years. He has already played in the trendiest blues clubs and festivals in Germany, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, toured as the opening act for Patti Smith, Keb’ Mo’ or Taj Mahal, and was awarded the German Rock and Pop Prize 2019.

Inspired by blues legends like Eric Clapton and John Mayer as well as songwriters like Sting or Bruce Springsteen, LUKE combines tradition and modernity in his songs, catchy melodies with the organic sound, energy, and authenticity of the blues.
With “...extremely expressive intensity...” (Joachim Joe Brookes, RockTimes, 14.09.21), the Saarbrücken-based artist sings and plays his songs with a rough and distinctive voice, reflecting the musical versatility of the songwriter.

With already 22 published songs on 3 CDs, including 4 music videos since the band's foundation in 2019, LUKE shows that alongside his distinctive voice and dynamically singing blues guitar, it is primarily the songs that take center stage. About his first EP “Out Of The Blue,” MusikNah wrote: “You can tell that there is already some years of experience in songwriting here” – “A very successful mixture of blues, rock, soul, and a touch of indie.” With his second EP “Break The Silence,” LUKE already made it onto the radio with the two singles “So Far Away From You” and “Break The Silence” and was multiple times invited for interviews in newspapers and on SR television. In 2023, LUKE presents his debut album “Strange Boy In Town” with 10 songs, mixed by international talents like Dominik Rivinius (Eminem, Alicia Keys, Taylor Swift) and mastered by multiple Grammy Award winner Brian Lucey (Elvis Costello, Buddy Guy, Black Keys).

Lukas Schüßler – Vocals, Guitars
Florian Stein – Organ
Sebastian Sommer – Bass
Bernd Wegener – Drums

“THE LOVE BEATLES, WHO HAVE PERFORMED FOUR TIMES AT THE FAMOUS CAVERN CLUB IN LIVERPOOL, ARE PROBABLY THE BEST BEATLES TRIBUTE BAND.”

The Love Beatles are a German-French-British band that has been celebrated by thousands of enthusiastic fans in Germany's largest concert halls since 2007.
With their determination to carry on the great musical legacy of the four mop tops from Liverpool, the Love Beatles present a Beatles show in all its colorful facets. From the detail-oriented costumes, the authentic instruments, the unique stage performance to the legendary sound of the Beatles.
The result is an impressive concert experience that captivates the audience until the very end. During the almost two-hour show, the audience is taken on a time travel back to the Swinging Sixties. A time characterized by love, upheaval, and a touch of revolution.

Cyril Montreau 
Joe Kane 
Christophe Roussel 
Nils Stockmann

Stephanie Willeke (vocals) and Hannes Hirth (piano) are BeJazzed,
a duo that is perfectly harmonized: sometimes piano, sometimes fortissimo, and always swinging!

The current duo program includes self-arranged jazz standards, jazz-pop,
and occasional excursions into film music from various eras.

Due to the simplicity of just piano and vocals, a very special charm develops, especially live.
Stephanie Willeke and Hannes Hirth present an enthusiastic and
varied musical journey from the 20s through the 70s/80s to today.

Blues Juice brings the diverse facets of blues and its related styles to the stage of the Theaterstübchen. The band has assembled a varied program that combines musical gems from over 100 years of blues history with original compositions.
A particular focus is on pieces by female blues musicians who confidently oppose their perspectives to the male protagonists of the genre. The characteristic sound of Blues Juice thrives on three-part vocal arrangements, virtuosic guitar solos, and the powerful, expressive voice of lead singer Katharina Grote Lambers.
Alongside her are Andreas Bräuer (electric guitar, vocals), Peter Will (acoustic guitar, vocals), Olaf Neitzel (bass), and Benni Hermann (drums) – a lineup that has been perfectly rehearsed together for years. With swinging, rocky, and soulful pieces, the band creates an intense concert experience full of joy and passion that captivates both the audience and the musicians alike.

For 16 years, singer Katja Friedenberg and pianist Thomas Höhl have been an inseparable musical duo. The two met at the beginning of their music studies in Kassel and started making music together on the very first day. Since then, they have been captivating their audience with their impressively emotional interplay. They interpret well-known pop, soul, and jazz songs and give them their own twist - sometimes dreamy, sometimes funny, and sometimes delightfully quirky. The audience can expect an entertaining program of German and English songs.
Since their anniversary concert celebrating 10 years as a duo in 2018, it has become a tradition to play their duo concert in a trio every autumn: Christian Svenson, a talented and versatile drummer from Kassel, will once again support the duo with his sophisticated grooves. He adds the finishing touch for a varied concert evening. And from "Sentimental Two," it becomes "Sentimental Three" once again.
Katja Friedenberg, also known from the first season of The Voice, has been accompanying stars of the German-speaking music scene every year since 2014 on the VOX TV show Sing meinen Song with her gentle and versatile voice, confidently navigating through all genres. She also captivates her audience as a soloist on German concert and variety stages, not only with her singing but also with her engaging and charismatic stage presence, immediately captivating the audience.
After completing his studies at the University of Kassel, Thomas earned his Master of Music in Film Music Composition at the Musikhochschule Freiburg. Whether providing humorous or emotional accompaniment - you can immediately sense the composer and arranger in the electrifying pianist who becomes one with his instrument as soon as he touches it. His compositions for films and video games have been featured at numerous international festivals. Most recently, in winter 2023, he accompanied Gregor Meyle on his winter tour.

Lineup:
Katja Friedenberg (Vocals)
Thomas Höhl (Piano/Vocals)
Christian Svenson (Drums)

The band Next Chapter was formed in 2011 in Kassel by five experienced musicians with the mission to reform the somewhat dusty and entrenched cover rock scene! Under the slogan “finest Art of Coverrock,” success didn’t take long to come, and Next Chapter was soon booked for top events across Germany. From classics to current songs, the band plays just about everything the rock scene has to offer. However, what is most important to the band is to continually excite the audience. The overall package of musical talent from the instrumentalists, an exceptional voice from the singer, who even had a great performance on The Voice of Germany 2019, a varied program, and a fresh stage show makes every concert by Next Chapter an experience and an absolute must!

Sandra – Vocals
Matzi – Keyboards
Ian – Drums
Franky – Bass
Heiko – Guitar

in Concert – Musical & Pop unplugged
With musical star and singer Judith Lefeber and pianist and jazz singer Christian Nolte, you will experience a very special concert at the Theaterstübchen. Judith Lefeber became famous through her participation in the very first season of DSDS. Since then, she has played leading roles in various musicals across Europe, including Dionne in “HAIR” and Aida in the titular musical by Elton John. She also performs on stages across Germany with both smaller and larger solo concerts or with large symphony orchestras. Judith Lefeber captivates with her unique, powerful, and touching voice that you will not forget.
Christian Nolte was a lecturer at the Leipzig University of Music, worked as a director of musical productions, and travels nationwide with his jazz trio. As a duo, the two will enchant you with musical hits, pop songs, and very entertaining moderation.
Be very close to the great emotion at “Judith Lefeber in Concert – Musical & Pop unplugged.”

The group "ImproKS" from Kassel offers top-notch improvisational theater.

What is improvisational theater? We play without costumes or props and create scenes and entire theater pieces from the calls and inspirations of the audience. Each performance is completely different, each evening a premiere and a closing performance. Drama, comedy, the full range, whether sung as a musical, as a tragedy of Greek proportions, jumping from one location to another at lightning speed, including outrageous twists and turns, ImproKS offers all this and more. Let yourself be taken on a tour de force, to a destination unknown – not even the actors themselves know where it will lead!

The group "ImproKS" from Kassel offers top-notch improvisational theater.

What is improvisational theater? We play without costumes or props and create scenes and entire theater pieces from the calls and inspirations of the audience. Each performance is completely different, each evening a premiere and a closing performance. Drama, comedy, the full range, whether sung as a musical, as a tragedy of Greek proportions, jumping from one location to another at lightning speed, including outrageous twists and turns, ImproKS offers all this and more. Let yourself be taken on a tour de force, to a destination unknown – not even the actors themselves know where it will lead!

The group "ImproKS" from Kassel offers top-notch improvisational theater.

What is improvisational theater? We play without costumes or props and create scenes and entire theater pieces from the calls and inspirations of the audience. Each performance is completely different, each evening a premiere and a closing performance. Drama, comedy, the full range, whether sung as a musical, as a tragedy of Greek proportions, jumping from one location to another at lightning speed, including outrageous twists and turns, ImproKS offers all this and more. Let yourself be taken on a tour de force, to a destination unknown – not even the actors themselves know where it will lead!

An evening with hits & chansons for
»SINGING ALONG» and »ENJOYING«

We invite our guests to join us on a musical journey into the great era of hits and chansons. We present a varied, „colorful“ program with selected legendary oldies, sung by legends such as Hildegard Knef, Lys Assia, Alexandra, Caterina Valente, Rudi Schuricke, Freddy Quinn, Udo Jürgens, Peggy March, and others, which have often become cult hits or „classic earworms“ that „transport“ us to Berlin, Capri, Paris, or London. To this day, they are still very popular and are repeatedly enjoyed or sung along across generations. Like the music of the titles we have selected, their lyrics are also timeless and often express joy of life. All guests are therefore warmly „invited“ to sing along with the oldies or „evergreens“ – „songs for eternity“ – to hum along and clap along – or they can lean back enjoyably, immerse themselves in the atmosphere of that time, and listen happily.

„Fantastische Freunde“ are:
Alexandra Carter, Musa Be Yauno – vocals
Gerd Hallaschka – piano, vocals
Hubert Dapp – piano
Alexandra Siebert – saxophone
Rajmund Panicz – guitar

The abrupt transition between unadorned, powerful Texas blues, roots rock, and expressive singer-songwriter folk characterizes the music of Calvin Russell.
The outlaw, who spent some time in prison and achieved musical success only late in life, cited the fight for dignity, respect, and acceptance as the most important intention of his musical work: »I have been through hell on earth, and this pain (…) can never be overcome by any amount of success.«
Music journalist Heinz-Jürgen Rippert wrote in an obituary:
»Calvin Russell's face, drawn by life, quickly made an impression. His voice was harsh, rough, and his songs felt authentic. The songs tell of life outside the established classes in the USA, beyond the glossy pages that are so often showcased in the media. They narrate life on the streets, in prisons, and the longing for dignity and a bit of happiness. It is no coincidence that the singer-songwriter was referred to as the Charles Bukowski of music.«

Band lineup (in alphabetical order):

Micha Margraf – Drums, vocals
Jochen Mäder – Blues harp
Miko Mikulic – Violin
Joachim Schulz – Guitar, vocals
Thomas (Stolle) Stolkmann – Guitar, vocals
Volker Zeller – Bass

Worldmusic Women Voices

As the voice of the Ukrainian resistance, GANNA's artistic work is as beautiful as it is heart-wrenching.
A powerful blend of newly interpreted Ukrainian folk songs and modern jazz.
This is what Home sounds like – the new album of the band GANNA led by singer and bandleader Ganna Gryniva. The native Ukrainian came to Germany in 2002 at the age of 13 with her parents. With her distinctive, expressive voice, she takes us on a very personal and politically tinged journey. "I traveled to Ukraine to visit ethnographic archives and to collect old, traditional songs," Gryniva explains, adding: "The journey took me through beautiful mountain landscapes in the Carpathians, to old churches, to small, atmospheric music festivals, and to special people."

As the voice of the Ukrainian resistance, her artistic work is equally beautiful and heart-wrenching. Or – as Matthias Wegner formulated on Deutschlandfunk Kultur: "strong voice, strong song" – which will certainly leave its mark on the European jazz scene.

Ganna Gryniva – vocals, loops, composition
Wanja Slavin – alto saxophone
Povel Widestrand – piano
Tom Berkmann – double bass
Mathias Ruppnig – drums

Still in their search phase, Laura and Elodie are trying themselves in the most diverse genres. From German to English lyrics, from German pop to folk, these artists in their 20s sing about their feelings and experiences with life.
Coming from a musical childhood, they are now finding their way into a musical life. With the help of the BEAT project, they have now also found their entry into the Kassel music scene.
As solo artists, but also with united forces, the two bring you cover songs and original music to the theater Stübchen.
Elodie's debut single ‘Burn Me’ has been available on Spotify since the beginning of the year.

Estonia, the northernmost and smallest of the three Baltic countries, is famous for its singing tradition: From the Song Festival in Tallinn, the largest event for amateur choirs in the world, to the inclusion of Estonian choral music as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, to vocalists like Maarja Nuut. Born out of a defiant affirmation of its own identity, Estonia was for centuries a playground of other nations, and song became a reflection of a country that now looks forward to the future, liberated and confident. One inevitably thinks of this self-understanding as a “singing nation,” rooted in tradition but simultaneously forward-looking, when hearing one of the brightest singing stars of the country: the charismatic singer, songwriter, and pianist Kadri Voorand.

In her ACT debut “In Duo with Mihkel Mälgand,” Voorand passionately crafts a large-scale sound painting. Her enormous range spans from acoustic folk-pop to R&B and electronic to vocal jazz and onomatopoeic improvisation.

The true Kadri Voorand, however, is found in the duo with Mihkel Mälgand, a sought-after bassist who has played with Nils Landgren, Dave Liebman, and Kurt Elling, and won the Danish Jazz Award last year. Through their long, already presented and deepened collaboration at many international festivals—Mälgand composed and arranged several songs for the new album—the two are perfectly harmonized. A duo on the way to the vocal sound of the 21st century.
Kadri Voorand – vocals, piano Mihkel Mälgand – bass

„LELÉKA“ (Stork) is a young multicultural Berlin quartet featuring Ukrainian singer Viktoria, whose voice defines the character and atmosphere of the band's music. The band's sound world ranges from dynamically grooving passages to delicate folk ballad tones, finding the right context in a quite contemporary jazz language that the quartet has developed into a varied concept. „LELÉKA“ is a successful example of a young formation that occupies a well-considered place within this boundary genre, which also made the band winners at the World Music Competition creole Berlin as well as at the European Newcomer Jazz Prize Burghausen 2018.

Carrousel is back on stage with Éclaircies, a new, radiant, and captivating album. The duo continues to explore pop-folk à la française with poetry, through melodic lyrics and rhythmic refrains. Each concert is like a break, where strong emotions are celebrated and shared in a warm atmosphere. Carrousel takes us on a journey with their infectious energy, between hope and longing, like a ray of light after the rain.

Léonard Gogniat
Sophie Gogniat
Félix Fivaz
Nicolas Gerber

Live and on recordings a force! At concerts of such diverse top acts as Deep Purple or Jamie Cullum, the Ellis Mano Band thrilled as a special guest! The TV recording of their performance by the “Rockpalast” team also provided extensive publicity! And always among the top ten of the (Swiss) charts are their albums! This currently applies to Live: Access All Areas (2024). “The recordings reveal not only the extremely compact and wonderfully secure interplay as well as the high improvisational skills of the five performers. The strengths of the original compositions also stand out impressively here. “Blues rock at its finest, able to stand up to the great models from England and America at any time,” was read in ineclipsed. AUDIO + stereoplay summarized: “Mind-blowing playing pleasure that sweeps you along.”
The enthusiasm for the multi-national professional formation is shared by print and online media for various target groups. Given their unanimity, it is not surprising what the renowned music magazine Rocks prophesied for singer Chris Ellis, guitarist Edis Mano, keyboardist Lukas Bosshardt, bassist Severin Graf, and drummer Nico Looser: “They have what it takes to conquer the stages of the world!

Line-up:
Chris Ellis: Vocals
Edis Mano: Guitar
Lukas Bosshardt: Keyboard
Severin Graf: Bass
Nico Looser: Drums

The Emil Brandqvist Trio has now become a fixed presence in the European jazz circuit and is enjoying greater popularity with each album, for instance, it reached position 3 in the German jazz charts. The success of the three Nordics becomes truly impressive when looking at the digital music world, as their compositions have been streamed nearly 50 million times, making them important representatives of Nordic jazz music in North America, where strong melodies and sophisticated arrangements come together in concise and always atmospheric pieces. The Gothenburg drummer and composer Emil Brandqvist and his long-time trio partners Max Thornberg on double bass and Tuomas A. Turunen on piano glide through sound worlds that are both poetic and vivid; it can rightly be stated that this trio is one of the few in Europe that has found a unique sound celebrated enthusiastically by the audience.
The new album "Layers Of Life" undoubtedly marks the highlight of their previous work. Thirteen new songs penned by Emil Brandqvist impress with delicate, highly complex, and yet so catchy arrangements, with one of the album's central pieces, "Solitude," co-authored by Finnish pianist Tuomas A. Turunen. It has already become a good tradition for Brandqvist to invite the Sjöströmska String Quartet into the studio for some songs, expanding the trio format into a widescreen sound. Additionally, Maija Kauhanen (Kantele, Voice, and Harmonium) and his brother Martin Brandqvist, who occasionally complements with flute, clarinet, and bass clarinet, have also been invited to refine the soundscapes. Emil Brandqvist himself does not shy away from setting special accents through the use of a Moog synthesizer.

Emil Brandqvist
Max Thornberg
Tuomas A. Turunen