Trombones & Birdcalls

According to legend, the exceptional trombonist Johannes Bauer, born in 1954, pursued a special hobby throughout his life - the precise identification of impressive bird calls. Their call & response fascinated and inspired him for free improvisation and interactions on stage.

On the occasion of his 10th anniversary of death (* July 22, 1954 in Halle (Saale); † May 6, 2016 in Berlin), we want to commemorate Johannes Bauer on April 11, 2026 in cooperation with Jazzkeller69 e.V. at PETER EDEL.

Instead of an expected retrospective, we approach the Bauer cosmos with a deliberately contemporary program that does justice to his musical legacy:

Johannes Bauer stood for artistic openness like hardly anyone else and was an unparalleled mediator between the scenes and genres of our time. Even after reunification, the improviser and composer, famous for his clear musical language and vibrant stage presence, worked as an interdisciplinary bridge-builder both on and behind the scenes.

Until his far too early death in 2016, he collaborated with internationally leading artists from a wide variety of disciplines. Through his cross-scene engagement and his accessible, communicative character, he was substantially responsible for the development and reputation of avant-garde jazz in Germany at the intersection with contemporary classical music.