Joel Holmes does it again! Anyone who hangs around the Berlin jazz and groove scene will surely have come across the fantastic playing of Grammy nominee Joel Holmes. With his “Expansion”, the genius, who is a welcome guest at ZigZag, regularly manages to drum up the hottest and best musicians in the city for incomparably grooving and pulsating music, and so we are looking forward to musical fireworks again this time, where no one will be able to sit still!
Joel Holmes is a Grammy Nominated internationally known Pianist, Producer, and Composer, performing in various formations from New York to Japan, convincing the listeners with his unique touch and sense of groove. He has played with Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Cobb, Nnenna Freelon, Javon Jackson etc. His repertoire ranges from traditional Jazz, to world music, Nu-Jazz, Neo-Soul, Hip Hop and Electronic music.
Ileana Mottola is a performer, author, composer, vocologist, vocal teacher, radio host. She is currently Professor of History of Jazz Music and English Language at the Conservatory of Music in Potenza. Born in Salerno, she graduated in foreign languages and literature, then obtained a diploma in jazz and extracultural music at the State Conservatory of Music “Giuseppe Martucci” in Salerno and a two-year special course in jazz singing at the Conservatory of Avellino. In recent years she has worked with nationally and internationally known musicians, including Amit Chatterjee, Fabrizio Bosso, Linley Marthe, Roger Biwandu, Rocco Zifarelli, Julian Oliver Mazzariello, Pippo Matino, Jerry Popolo, Sandro Deidda, Antonio Josè Molina, Antonio de Luise, Enzo Zirilli, Aldo Vigorito, the Scannapieco brothers, Francesco Nastro, Miguel Martins and many others.
Omri Abramov – Omri Abramov is an Israeli Saxophone & EWI player, composer and producer. He appeared on stage and on studio recordings with Idan Raichel, NOA, Dennis Chambers, Pete Lockett, Odean Pope, Roland Guerin, Shai Maestro, Per Mathisen, Project RnL, Ester Rada and more.
Carmelo Leotta is a musician based in now all Europe, who has embraced the diversity of musical currents such as jazz, blues, electronic and ethnic music. As an arranger, producer and composer, he has released four solo albums. In the course of his long career, he has had the privilege of traveling the world and playing with giants such as Jimmy Cobb, Archie Shepp and Benny Golson. Today he still plays with the hottest players on the scene, for example in his chamber jazz trio with Tal Arditi and Dustin Drews.
Hans Otto is a Leipzig/Berlin based, outspoken and versatile jazz, rock and pop drummer, teacher and songwriter. Born and raised in East Berlin in 1986, Hans took his first lessons at the age of 6. Hans studied music in Weimar, Leipzig and Jerusalem and graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree with honors in 2017. He has played with musicians such as Richie Beirach, Alexander von Schlippenbach, Christian Kögel, Detlef Beyer, Marc Muellbauer, Matze Eichhorn, Werner Neumann, Joahnnes Enders, Albert Beger, Michael Blake and others and has opened for Billy Hart, Birth Control, Frank Zappa’s ‘Banned from Utopia’, Siena Root and others.
