Manz and Summer are two of the most outstanding talents to emerge from the young German jazz scene in recent years. As a duo, their dialogue is intimate, open and scintillating. The saxophonist has shown, through his band the Jakob Manz Project, that he is a passionate exponent of contemporary jazz-rock, playing “amazingly sophisticated, powerful, soulful-funky music with groove” (Jazzthing). In partnership with Johanna Summer, he also shows his mastery of the quiet and the lyrical. German jazz icon Joachim Kühn admires his young pianist colleague, and is full of praise for her music: “so full of fantasy and beyond category.” With Summer, nothing is ever done for the sake of surface effect; it is all about the storytelling and her fully formed instincts for dramaturgy, dynamics, and harmony. From the very first note, it is evident how perfectly matched Manz and Summer are. A magic and freedom emerge in the way they play together. Inspired by the spirit of discovery, they have the courage to surrender to the moment and be totally spontaneous, fresh and carefree in their musicmaking. Any flaws just become part of the charm. Manz and Summer's ‘Gallery Concert’ is a musical prologue: one can still only guess where and how this artistic relationship, still in its early stages, might develop.
