Grand Piano Solo: Roberto Negro & Eve Risser

"At the opening of the Stadtgarten season, it has become a tradition to begin with a concert around the grand piano. In recent years, many renowned pianists have been involved, representing the local, national and international music scene.
For the new season 2019 - 2020 two pianists from France introduce themselves: A premiere is the appearance of Roberto Negro with his new solo program "Kings & Bastards". A particularly welcome guest in the past is Eve Risser, who, having presented her fantastic world of prepared piano sounds inside the instrument in the past, will now follow her fine sense of sound on the keys.

Eve Risser is now one of the permanent stars of the creative jazz scene in France, after several years as a pianist in the "Orchestre National du Jazz". She also pursues her musical spirit of discovery with her own projects such as the "White Desert Orchestra", but the poetry and colourfulness of her piano playing are particularly evident in solo playing. "I like to borrow vertical and horizontal lines from the great artists who are close to my heart: Monk, Bley, Haden. Otherwise it consists mainly of compositions. One hand for the heart, one hand for the soul, feets for "la fete"?" (Eve Risser)
Roberto Negro is a representative of the younger generation in France and has appeared especially through his collaboration with Emile Parisien and the violinist Theo Ceccaldi. With "Kings & Bastards" he presents a very personal solo program in which he combines conventional playing styles, prepared sounds and their electronic processing. Sound engineer Mathieu Pion is his secret duo partner in this solo program, which Negro calls "a totally honest recording - probably my most personal production yet".

Both pianists, Eve Risser and Roberto Negro, share their curiosity and search for unusual piano sounds. The concert immerses us in these worlds and gives us an insight into the current French jazz scene."
Hans Lüdemann (curator of the concert)