Paul Heller invites Federation of the Groove feat. Kim Sanders

Who wants to have fun, does not like to be alone. And those who want to have and make fun musically, even less so. Perhaps it's no coincidence that groove formations like to perform as a collective and give themselves band names that evoke the commonality of their cause and at the same time indicate what the audience can expect: The Cologne Funkateers, Parliament/Funkadelic, Funk Unit, Soulcats, Groove Collective... And now the Federation of the Groove, which brings the eighth season of Paul Heller's series to a close for pure fun(k).

This federation of the fun-willing has been creating a good mood for several years now - also and again in the Stadtgarten. Martin Sasse, one of the leading and busiest straight-ahead pianists (Gerd Dudek, Peter Bernstein, Scott Hamilton, Rick Margitza) switches to organ and keyboards here. Guitarist Bruno Müller (Maceo Parker, Till Brönner, Mezzoforte, Stefan Raab) is one of the most internationally sought-after experts for the infectious amalgam of (jazz) funk, soul and fusion.

Bassist Claus Fischer was called to TVTotal (PRO7) by Stefan Raab as musical director, bassist and guitarist. After more than 650 TV shows he changed to the LateNightShow of Anke Engelke (SAT1) as musical director and bass player in 2004. This was followed by several years as a producer of various pop albums with his own band Phunkguerilla (with Cosmo Klein), Gregor Meyle and Angelo Kelly and concerts and tours as a sideman or bandleader with Chaka Khan, Christopher Cross, Lee Ritenour, Renee Olstead, Ivan Lins, Larry Carlton, Phunkguerilla, Hanno Busch Trio, Peter Weniger's POD, Dennis Hormes, Heavytones, Angelo Kelly and the terrific band "Sommerplatte".

Hendrik Smock (Roachford, Flo Mega, Randy Brecker, Xaver Fischer) has long been one of the few drummers equally adept at both jazz and groove music.
Of course, when Paul Heller invites a guest in addition to the Federation of the Groove, it's someone who fits seamlessly into the federation. The American singer Kim Sanders (Culture Beat, Schiller, Stefanie Heinzmann, Till Brönner, Wolfgang Haffner, Nicola Conte) has been living in Germany since 1989. Her album "A Closer Look" was awarded the German Record Critics' Prize in the category "Black Music" in 2010, and in 2012 she took 2nd place on The Voice of Germany. The motto of the evening is clear: Let's move & groove with funk for fun!