Andy Sheppard Trio

His most recent appearance at the Stadtgarten in 2019 was with the Carla Bley Trio: saxophonist Andy Sheppard. With a career spanning more than four decades, the Briton is one of the leading figures in contemporary jazz in Europe. He is also one of the few players in the world who can juggle lyrical sensitivity with tough American post-bop jazz qualities. His new trio consists of Rita Marcotulli on piano and Michel Benita on double bass. Benita's unique approach to his instrument has earned the Frenchman a reputation as one of the most original and versatile bassists on the scene, while acclaimed pianist Rita Marcotulli has long been recognized internationally as an icon of Italian jazz.

The music for this trio was written and developed in the early months of 2021, a time when Sheppard was able to devote himself almost exclusively to composition. The music was commissioned by Costa Oeste Productions as part of the Hothouse-Creative Incubator project, co-funded by the Garantir Cultura program, Compete 2020, Portugal 2020 and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.

The musical paths of the three artists have been crossing for many years. More recently, Benita has been Sheppard's bassist of choice and can be heard on the saxophonist's last three albums for ECM, while Rita Marcotulli has long formed a duo with Sheppard and has performed extensively throughout Europe since the release of the album On the Edge of a Perfect Moment.