HfK Jazzclub: Julian Costello German Quartet
“And All the Birds Were Set Free” is the title of the latest album by London-based saxophonist Julian Costello. Accompanied by Maximilian Suhr on drums, Oliver Poppe on piano and bassist Martin Gruet, Costello has been touring mainland Europe since 2023. The quartet performs pieces from the new album as well as other original compositions and arrangements.
Jazz critic Sammy Stein of Jazz in Europe once wrote: “Julian Costello is a sax lyricist, telling his stories of life’s ups and downs with perfect alteration of tone to impart strength, humour and even frailty…”
Costello lives and works in London as a musician, composer and lecturer. He writes music for various ensembles, always approaching life with the necessary sense of humour, which is also reflected in his music. This is certainly the case on his new album, ‘And All The Birds Were Set Free’. He observes, questions and fantasises – naturally and in harmony with nature. ‘Why’ poses the question: Why do we love? If you were the earth, I would be the sky. In ‘And All The Birds Were Set Free’, the musicians are the birds. Free!
Costello and the Bremen-based drummer Maximilian Suhr met whilst working on a joint project in northern Germany in 2022. After many hours in the car, countless phone calls and video calls, the pair toured Germany together for the first time in the autumn of 2023 and 2024. They were supported on the piano by Oliver Poppe from Lüneburg and on the bass by Martin Gruet from Paris. Today, the four musicians – each of whom also contributes to the songwriting – perform as the ‘Julian Costello German Quartet’, or JCGQ for short!
- - -
The "hfk jazzclub" is the venue for contemporary jazz in Bremen. Concerts and sessions with musicians from the university and local and national musicians take place every Tuesday of the semester at 8 pm in the basement vault of the University of Music. Passionate jamming takes place here, or student tryout programmes are presented. Semester projects by the Rehearsal Band and themed concert programmes are also on offer. In short: a think tank for jazz and a meeting place for Bremen's jazz scene.
Admission
Normal: 5 Euro
HfK students: 2 euros
Tickets are available at the box office from 7 pm
Important information
The HfK is barrier-free to a limited extent at the Dechanatstraße location.
The entire building is fully accessible via two lifts, in the west wing and in the middle wing, from the basement to the 2nd floor. Due to a height offset on the ground floor, the toilet for people with limited mobility can only be reached barrier-free from the entrance via the basement and the 1st floor.
Public disabled parking spaces are designated on the street immediately adjacent to the courtyard entrance. In addition, a disabled parking space can be allocated on the premises by the caretakers and the security service. The colleagues can be reached by telephone at +49 421 9595-1400.