A band of superlatives: the European and American jazz legends Alex von Schlippenbach and Barry Altschul come together in a new quartet and form a musical summit meeting together with the bass clarinettist Rudi Mahall and the bassist Joe Fonda. The programme consists of free improvisation, their own compositions and special arrangements of jazz classics.

Just after a successful performance of the trio Alex von Schlippenbach, Barry Altschul and Joe Fonda at the Free Jazz Festival in Saarbrücken 2022, the idea of a further collaboration arose.

Alex von Schlippenbach is considered one of the founders of the European free jazz scene, the initiator and leader of the Globe Unity Orchestra with members such as Peter Brötzmann, Manfred Schoof, Jaki Liebezeit, Mani Neumeier, Toshinori Kondo, Paul Lovens and others, as well as the Schlippenbach Trio. As a student of the avant-garde composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann, who never completely broke with the music tradition, Schlippenbach's works also repeatedly refer to the jazz tradition or twelve-tone music.

Barry Altschul is a New York drummer who was part of the Paul Bley Trio for years, founded the band Circle with Chick Corea, Dave Holland and Anthony Braxton and toured worldwide in countless projects with Sam Rivers and Billy Bang, among others. It would be difficult to give a complete list of his concerts, tours and recordings.

Rudi Mahall is one of the bass clarinettists who fearlessly break new ground on the instrument and gained fame throughout Europe, among other projects, by recording the complete works of Thelonius Monk called Monk's Casino. His wit and humour with simultaneous seriousness towards the composition is a real joy.

Last but not least: Joe Fonda on bass. He is regarded as a busy jack-of-all-trades on the bass, who has not only played in jazz formations with Anthony Braxton, Barry Altschul, Archie Shepp or in his own formations, but is also involved in dance and music in an interdisciplinary way and works together with dance ensembles. 

Creative jazz at the very highest level!