Jazz at JAKI: Tobias Meinhart - Berlin People

Berlin People is the current project of saxophonist and composer Tobias Meinhart. In 2022, Meinhart was named a Rising Star in the DOWNBEAT Magazine Critics Polls. He has lived in New York for 15 years and regularly commutes between the Big Apple and Berlin. In both cities, jazz is part of everyday life and inspires many young people. Meinhart brings this spirit to the stage with his new band. For "Berlin People", Tobias Meinhart has composed explicitly for his fellow musicians and their strengths.

With Berlin People, Meinhart brings together some of the most interesting young jazz musicians in Germany: Ludwig Hornung (piano), Tom Berkmann (bass) and Mathias Ruppnig (drums). The quartet's music captivates with powerful unison lines, humorous and atmospheric passages and a gripping energy that turns their performances into dynamic experiences. Meinhart and Berkmann have been working together for many years, which began in the Landesjugendjazzorchester. Together with Ruppnig, they form the rhythmic foundation of the band, while Hornung shines with his virtuoso and expressive improvisations.

The band's debut album was released by Sunnyside Records in 2019 and made it to the first round of the Grammy Awards. Since then, Berlin People has played at many international festivals, including the Jarasum Jazz Festival (South Korea), Mexico City Jazz Festival and the Kolkata Jazz Festival (India). A particular highlight was being selected to represent German jazz at the Jazzahead! Festival. Tours have taken the quartet to renowned clubs such as the Duc des Lombards (Paris), Jamboree (Barcelona) and the Unterfahrt (Munich).

With the new album Sonic River, which will be released in spring 2025, the band is embarking on an extensive release tour through Germany and Europe. Berlin People stands for Berlin's vibrant and creative jazz scene and sets new accents in the European jazz landscape.