Jazz-Klassikkonzert | BUTTERFAHRT | Markus Becker, Olaf Casimir

In the organizer's words:

Markus Becker, classical and jazz pianist, professor at the Hanover University of Music, and Olaf Casimir, double bass virtuoso, one of Germany's most sought-after ensemble players, at home on the theater and jazz stages, are joining forces for the "Butterfahrt" project - jazz compositions and improvised dialogues on piano and bass. Both born in the 1960s, they have gathered decades of musical experience, one with Beethoven concerts and solo improvisations, the other with artists such as Till Brönner and Nils Landgren as well as his own ensemble projects. The large intersections between the two artists are now filled with Becker's titles such as "Abstiegskampf", "Letzte Runde" or "Butterfahrt" - which is also the name of this duo project. Classically influenced jazz compositions with melodic recognition value, vocal ballads and uptempo titles - perhaps even a visit from Mr. Beethoven. Markus Becker is unbeatable as a virtuoso. A musical painter of souls with understanding. Eleonore Büning, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Markus Becker's complete recording of Max Reger's piano works is regarded as "one of the rare truly great achievements of German pianism in the last fifty years" (Fonoforum); in 2002 it was awarded an annual prize by the German Record Critics. On the podium as well as in the studio, Becker sets standards with the great concertos of the classics, but also with rediscoveries of Pfitzner, Reger or Franz Schmidt. His recordings of selected Haydn sonatas have received an excellent international press response. The pianist has also caused a sensation with the "freestyle" of his jazz improvisations. In the force field of jazz, avant-garde and classical associations, he creates music like "grains of dust in a ray of light: simply brilliant" (Fidelity). Becker is a regular guest at the leading music festivals in Germany. He performs with orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the radio symphony orchestras of the German broadcasters and the BBC Welsh Orchestra. He performs intensively in chamber music alongside artists such as Albrecht Mayer, Igor Levit and Alban Gerhardt. Becker is a professor of piano and ensemble playing at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media.
Olaf Casimir began playing the double bass at the age of 11. He dropped out of school at 16 and has been working as a musician ever since. After living in New York City from 1989 to 1990, he returned to Germany and played with various jazz formations. In 1994 he won 1st prize in the jazz category at the double bass competition of the International Society of Bassists in Avignon. 1995 Debut album with his own band BASS INSTINCT. During his career, he has played bass on more than 100 albums in various genres. In addition to smaller film scores, Olaf has written stage music for the Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg and Schauspiel Frankfurt. In 2019, together with Christian v.d.Goltz and Bill Petry, he wrote stage music for the play "Zeiten des Aufruhrs" at the Deutsches Theater Berlin. He has been playing in actor Gustav Peter Wöhler's band since 1996. In the past he has played with artists such as Mark Murphy, Lionel Hampton, Idris Muhammad, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Till Brönner, Tal Farlow, Nils Landgren, Mundet Lowe, Karl Bartos, Rolf Zielke, Stephan Eicher, Annett Louisan, Angela Winkler, Stephan Abel, Bill Petry, Harvard Wiik, Emanuele Cisi, and many more.

Price information:

Recommendation 15-25€