Articles by Matty Bannond
Kalia Vandever at LOFT in Cologne
by Matty Bannond
Kalia Vandever, Simon Jermyn, Florian Herzog, Jonas Burgwinkel LOFT Cologne Jazzweek Cologne, Germany September 8, 2026 Loft is stashed away in an unassuming side-street courtyard. It offers seats for around 100 visitors, who must first prove their fortitude by tramping up five flights of narrow stairs. After attaining the summit on September 8, they met a sharp tang of cleaning products and a small performance space with a baby grand piano tucked behind ...
Continue ReadingClara Wedel Quartet at Jazzclub Hürth
by Matty Bannond
Clara Wedel, Simon Pesch, Gabriel Spindler, Jiaxiang Jack Wang Jazzclub Hürth Hürth, Germany August 14, 2026 Vegetation had yellowed in the farmland and meadows huddled around Hürth, with greenery blanched to a sandy color by successive summer heatwaves. Shady forests were off-limits after local politicians urged the public to cut the wildfire risk by staying out of the tinder-dry woods. A basement jazz club offered a cool place to shelter on another blistering day. It ...
Continue ReadingMelissa Aldana Quartet At The Philharmonie
by Matty Bannond
Melissa Aldana, Pablo Held, Pablo Menares, Kush Abadey The Philharmonie Cologne, Germany March 21, 2026 In northwest Germany, the natural order slides out of whack in early Spring. Lazer-blue skies blacken in the flicker of an eyelid. Afternoon strolling requires sunglasses and waterproof footwear. Mosquito bites burn as you scratch frost off the car windscreen. It is a fitful, jumbled-up and unpredictable time. And it is possibly the optimal moment for locals to experience the ...
Continue ReadingSarah Hanahan Meets Joan Fort Quartet at DAI, Heidelberg
by Matty Bannond
Sarah Hanahan, Joan Fort, Philip Lewin and Frederik Villmow Jazzclub at the DAI Heidelberg, Germany February 14, 2026 Two incongruent events busied media outlets in Germany on February 14. In the morning, Secretary of State Marco Rubio grabbed headlines with a speech outlining the US government's plans to upend the geopolitical order. It was also Valentine's Day. With love in the air and international relations kaputt, patrons packed every seat in the DAI for a ...
Continue ReadingMark Guiliana at Stadtgarten
by Matty Bannond
Mark Guiliana Stadtgarten Cologne, Germany January 22, 2026 Moderation is abundant in January. But on this frosty Thursday evening, dizzied by the sugary scent of fructose-heavy mocktails and alcohol-free pilsner, an above-capacity crowd treated themselves to an unguarded night at the Stadtgarten. Their host, Mark Guiliana, served up a potent brew of fizzy percussion and smooth-noted melodies. It was a one-man show, despite Guiliana's claims to the contrary. In a short speech toward ...
Continue ReadingMary Halvorson's Amaryllis Sextet At Domicil
by Matty Bannond
Mary Halvorson's Amaryllis Sextet Domicil Dortmund, Germany November 6, 2025 Sixty seconds before this concert's advertised start time, a member of the venue's tech team deposited a gym towel on each on-stage music stand. It was an ominous gesture for a chilly evening in autumnal north-west Germany. Mary Halvorson's Amaryllis Sextet clearly planned to push for the burn. The group has released three albums and features vibraphonist Patricia Brennan, trombonist Jacob Garchik, bassist ...
Continue ReadingThe German Jazz Prize: Efficiency, Attitude And 22 Triangles
by Matty Bannond
Silver triangles flashed beneath pastel-toned stage lights at the German Jazz Awards in north-west Germany on June 13. The three-sided trophies got pressed into the clammy hands of winning artists and projects in 22 categories. It was a snappy-paced evening, where a heap of equilateral gongs got handed out within just three hours--alongside three live performances and a meandering speech from the Mayor of Cologne. Now that is German efficiency. This year's event marked the fifth edition of ...
Continue ReadingEmma Rawicz Quartet At Alter Schlachthof
by Matty Bannond
Emma Rawicz Quartet Alter Schlachthof Eupen, Belgium May 14, 2025 Foaming streams of clotted blood surged over the concrete floor of the Alter Schlachthof Eupen for almost a hundred years. Now, amber beer gushes into wide-bottomed goblets and catches the last sparkles of daylight as the sun sinks below large windows that line one external wall. Four young Europeans are getting into full flow on the purple-lit stage at this spotless modern venue.
Continue ReadingBlind Io At LOFT, Cologne
by Matty Bannond
Blind Io LOFT Cologne, Germany March 17, 2025 It is early evening in Cologne and the fragile springtime sunlight has vanished. Cold, dry air clings to lungs and scratches windpipes as audience members climb four flights of stairs to LOFT. Inside this dusty post-industrial venue, the windows are shut and invisible particles between the 25 attendees are stuck in place, motionless. But not for long. Four members of Blind Io shuffle into the ...
Continue ReadingPatricia Brennan at The Jazz Gallery
by Matty Bannond
Patricia Brennan The Jazz Gallery New York, NYDecember 6, 2024 One string quartet, a grand piano, a double bass and a drum kit were squished onto the cozy stage at The Jazz Gallery, but vibraphonist Patricia Brennan still had enough room to boogie. Even in Midtown Manhattan, where every square inch carries a hefty premium, there was space for movement behind the bandleader's hardware. And there were movements about space, too. “Suite of ...
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