From 2003 until 2019 I was leading the JBBG – JAZZ BIGBAND GRAZ together with my esteemed colleague trumpeter, vocalist and composer Horst-Michael Schaffer. Together we were able to realize five productions. 2008’s “Electric Poetry & Lo-Fi Cookies” was the first of three, which manifested our vision of today’s large ensemble sound. It combined elements of Bigband-, Pop-, Minimal- and African music in a unique and appealing way. 12 years later we were able to press this still timeless music on vinyl!

Heinrich von Kalnein, Natango Music

“… far and away the most interesting thing in there… spectacularly done!  Fantastic music, incredible production, evocative, beautiful and so creative.  The package was beautiful too!  Thank you for creating such a wonderful thing.  Somehow it really felt like I could personally relate to it… fresh, but nostalgic in some kind of bizarre way I can’t even explain. Something to do with my dad’s ham radio, and our radio towers by our house, and – well, something in there grabbed my mind’s history.  I’ll listen more with pleasure.” (Maria Schneider, GRAMMY Award-winning composer)

„Groovige Zukunftsmusik der Extraklasse bietet jbbg, wie sich die Jazz Bigband Graz kurz und hip nennt, auf ihrer neuen CD ELECTRIC POETRY & lo-fi cookies. Bläserlastig und mit recht einfacher Melodik beginnt der erste Track, doch nach wenigen Minuten lässt sich erahnen, was hier auf den Hörer einbrechen wird: Elektrobeats meet Bigband. Geht nicht? – Weit gefehlt. … Insgesamt ein neuartiges Klangerlebnis, dessen Gesamtkonzept aufgeht.“ (Jazzzeitung 3.08, Charlotte Schlick