An intimate evening of contemporary jazz featuring bassist and composer Nils Kugelmann celebrating five years of his acclaimed trio. Born in Munich and now based in Berlin, Kugelmann has quickly established himself as a distinctive voice on the modern jazz scene, earning praise from Süddeutsche Zeitung as a "bass berserker" and high-energy artist. His second album Life Score solidified this artistic vision, prompting international concert tours from Italy to England, Romania, and Ecuador, with recent performances at London's legendary Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club.

For this special residency evening, Kugelmann brings new compositions to the A-Trane stage—material born from five years of tight collaboration with pianist Luca Zambito and drummer Sebastian Wolfgruber. The trio has learned to embrace risk as part of its sonic identity; groove isn't just an option but a fundamental state. With the double bass as a narrative center rather than a supporting voice, these pieces evolve unexpectedly, creating moments that won't happen in quite the same way again.

Tonight's performance is expanded by two special guests: pianist and composer Shuteen Erdenebaatar (German Jazz Prize winner) and saxophonist Jakob Manz, one of Germany's most striking young improvisers. Together they bring new colors, textures, and spontaneous reactions to the trio's sound—balancing the familiar with the genuinely unpredictable. A night for those who understand that one concert is a snapshot, but multiple nights become an arc of musical evolution.

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