Peter Protschka was born in Cologne in 1977 and is one of the most versatile German trumpet solo musicians of his generation. Since completing his jazz studies in Mannheim in 2003, he has been active as a jazz solo musician and sought-after sideman on the German and European scene. The quintet's music is primarily oriented toward hard bop and is characterized by the openness of contemporary jazz – energy, communication, interplay, and tonal beauty are the hallmarks of this extraordinary ensemble.

The Peter Protschka Quintet, featuring legendary tenor saxophonist Rick Margitza, has been touring regularly throughout Europe since 2013 and has become a well-known institution in the German-speaking world. The lineup with Martin Sasse (piano), Martin Gjakonovski (bass), and Tobias Backhaus (drums) presents a program full of poetry and energy, stylistically rooted in post-bop and consisting exclusively of original compositions. Following the live album "Twilight Jamboree" (2015), the band released their first studio album "Hearts and Minds" on Challenge International in 2022.