Ben Kraef - tenor (DE/MNE)
Malte Schiller - tenor (DE)
Kati Brien - alto (DE)
Toms Rudzinskis - alto (LV)
Dima Bondarev - trumpet (UKR)
Andrej Ugoljew - trombone (DE/RU)
Uli Kempendorf - Baritone (DE)
Leonie Freudenberger - Baritone (DE)
Uri Gincel - piano (IL)
Yonatan Levi - bass (IL)
Tobias Backhaus - drums (DE)

The Zig Goes Big! Uri Gincel's Tiny bigband is not your classic bigband as it is an improvised one, without sheet notes or written arrangements the band will improvise the classic swing and jazz tunes on the spot, and while keeping the vibe and style of the classic sound, this lets them have a more free, exciting and fun approach to this music, sharp ears, communication and vast knowledge of the music will play a big role in this night, with many great international musicians exploring something new!

- Ben Kraef is a German-Montenegrin saxophonist and composer based in Berlin.
Ben graduated from the University of Music “Hanns Eisler”, Berlin. In 2007 he relocated to New York City on a grant from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and obtained a Master of Arts from The City College of New York in 2009.
In the past years Ben has won international acclaim in form of several prizes and awards, among these most notably the Biberacher Jazzpreis (2006), the “Concours International de Jazz de Fribourg” (2007), the Yamaha Saxophone Contest (2007), and the Billie Stoller Scholarship to an outstanding scholar and musician from The City College of New York (2008).

-Malte Schiller is a composer, arranger, multi-reed player and conductor, based in Berlin.
During his career he was fortunate to work with the Metropole Orchestra, NL, the HR-Bigband, Kurt Elling, Vince Mendoza, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and many more.

- Multi-instrumentalist Kati Brien, based in Berlin, studied Jazz-Saxophone at the Jazz-Institute Berlin. She played at several national and international jazz-festivals, like Jazz Baltica, Kaunas Jazz, Leverkusener Jazztage and many more. 2016 she started the music-comedy-trio halloJulia! in which she performs as a guitarist and singer. She works also with her own singer/songwriter-project, for which she built herself an arduino-based midi-controller to play not only guitar but also 10 footpedals. The combination of saxophone and guitar makes her also a much valued band-member of LIZZY, the human drum machine.

- Toms Rudzinskis is one of the leading innovative Latvian saxophone players and composers. Chosen as Best Soloist at the international big band competition “Meer Jazz” and Jazz ambassador of the internationally recognised venue Bimhuis in 2012. Won Grand Prix at “Keep an Eye” Jazz award with North by Northwest, “Burghausen Jazz competition” with Matiss Cudars quartet and “Dutch Jazz Competition” with Loran Witteveen quintet. Released "ABRA" (2015) and "Locomotion" (2017) with Gerhard Ornig. Numerous Latvian Grammy "Best Jazz Album" nominee. Performs internationally as a soloist, bandleader and much valued sideman. 

- Dima’s devotion to jazz has been transforming into a lifelong passion since his early childhood. Born in 1984 in Ukraine, Dima starts playing trumpet at the age of 9. Studying classical music as a child, Dima turns later on his way to jazz, a passion that still leads in his musical universe.
In 2011 and 2016, Dima wins the scholarship “Gaude Polonia” of the Minister of Culture of Poland. He studies in Warsaw and Wroclaw under the guidance of eminent Polish trumpet players Piotr Wojtasik and Robert Majewski.
Between 2008 and 2013, Dima is very active on the Ukranian, Russian and Polish jazz scene, taking part in major jazz events and making concert tours.
From his early 20’s until today, Dima is a member of the famous Ukrainian jazz band Acoustic Quartet and Magnifika group. Since 2007, he participates in various international music contests and festivals in Russia and Ukraine, where he wins the Grand Prix at MuzEnergo Festival 2010, Grand Prix at Usadba Jazz Festival 2010 and the First Award at International Contest of Young Jazz Performers named after Kim Nazaretov (Rostov-on-Don) 2011.
In 2013, Dima decides to move to Germany to dive into Berlin’s vibrant jazz scene. He attends the prestigious Jazz Institute Berlin where he studies with Gerard Presencer, Tom Arthurs, Martin Auer and Sebastian Studnitzky, as well as John Hollenbeck, Greg Cohen, Geoffroy De Masure, Julia Hulsmann, Tino Derado, Guilherme Castro and Javier Reyes.

- Andrej Ugoljew, raised in Berlin and Moscow just finished his European Jazzmaster Studies in Berlin, Paris and Copenhagen. Currently he is working on his first releases with his band Andrej Ugoljew's Dunkelgold. 

- Uli Kempendorff, Born in Berlin in 1981, studied saxophone and improvisation at the HfM »Hanns Eisler« in Berlin and in New York at the City College. Kempendorff's work is documented on one and a half dozen CDs and records, including four of his own productions with the "Uli Kempendorffs Field" with Christopher Dell, Jonas Westergaard and Peter Bruun and two with "Yellow Bird". In addition to these own projects, Uli Kempendorff has been active in groups with Ulrich Gumpert, Benjamin Weidekamp, Markus Pesonen, Julia Hülsmann, Mike Pride, Christian Weber, Rolf Kühn, 'Little' Jimmy Scott and Pablo Held. From 2010-2018 he curated and directed two concert series in Berlin and a festival in Poland. Concerts have taken him through many European countries, Africa, Mexico, Canada and the USA.

- Leonie Freudenberger studied jazz saxophone in Mannheim and The Hague (NL) and graduated as Master of Music with an artistic research project on the compositions of Billy Strayhorn. She plays the alto and baritone saxophone as well as clarinets and flutes. Currently she lives in Berlin, working with various bands.

- Uri Gincel is one of the most in demand and respected Jazz pianists in Berlin. Uri´s style can be described as heavily rooted in tradition but with sensibility and understanding of bringing jazz into the modern age. His playing is dynamic, lyrical and above full of energy and power! Born in Tel-Aviv, Gincel came to Berlin in 2009 and quickly became an influential part of the Jazz scene, Uri toured the world with many projects, including "Uri Gincel Trio” and “Bonaparte” and studied under some major musicians as Arnie Lawrence and Walter Blending Jr.

- Yonatan Levi is a 29-year-old musician born in Tel-Aviv, Israel. Displaying musical tendencies since infancy, he was sent to an esteemed school of arts between ages 6-16, growing within the music, He was later honored a full scholarship to the prestigious Berkley College of Music. In 2006 he moved to New York City and immersed himself in the New York Jazz world, Levi is currently based in Berlin, Germany, but is constantly on the road between Europe, the US and Israel.

- Tobias Backhaus was born in Darmstadt, Germany, on January 8 1984. He took up the drums at the age of 5 and has subsequently been studying under the guideance of jazz masters such as Keith Copeland, Ari Hoenig, Jim Black, John Hollenbeck and Jeff Ballard. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in jazz performance from the Jazz-Institute Berlin.
His individual approach and stylistic diversity – from traditional jazz to free improvisation, modern classical music and beyond –  as well as his ability to effortlessly move between those different worlds have made him one of the most in-demand young drummers on the German jazz scene.

Beginn 21:15 Uhr( Einlass 20:00 Uhr) 
Eintritt frei – Beitrag erwünscht

Sitzplatzreservierung

ENTRANCE FEES
One of the reasons that makes the zig zag jazz club so unique is that it is the first and only jazz club in the world that manages to finance world class events through a crowd funding concept. How do we do it? Its quite simple… during the break of the concert we make an announcement regarding the collection for the evening. For most concerts (excluding the jam session) we inform our customers that a fee of around 15€ per person will allow us to fairly compensate the musicians. Some people give more and some give less… and that´s ok… we ´ve already successfully promoted hundreds of concerts like this!!!