hr-Bigband

American Robben Ford started out playing jazz saxophone because he admired Paul Desmond. But he soon swapped this instrument for an electric guitar. A few years later, Musician magazine named him one of the 100 best guitarists of the 20th century. Big names in jazz, rock and pop, including Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Witherspoon, Miles Davis, Bill Evans and Bob Dylan, asked him to join their bands.

Multi-instrumentalist Warren Wolf and the Frankfurt Radio Big Band, conducted by Dary James Argue, present Grand Vibes. A number of tracks are taken from Warren Wolf's album History of the Vibraphone (2024), a fine demonstration of the eclecticism and virtuosity of this internationally acclaimed musician.

Richard Bona was born in Cameroon. He was 10 years old when he built his first bass guitar out of a cardboard box and bicycle brake cables. Now based in New York, this collaborator of Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Sting has won over audiences with his Afro-influenced music and his multilingual vocals. The Frankfurt Radio Big Band is conducted by Michael Philip Mossman.

Brad Mehldau is one of the most important jazz pianists of our time. The Frankfurt Radio Big Band and its composer in residence Darcy James Argue present some of Mehldau's pieces for the ensemble at Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie.