Berlin Metropol Orchestra

Alfred Mehnert is absolutely right to call his project the Berlin Metropol Orchestra, because this group of musicians from all over the world embodies what this city aspires to be—and in truth, already is: a metropolis.What makes the Metropol Orchestra special is that it doesn’t produce some undefined “multi-culti” sound that merely exoticizes the musicians’ origins. Instead, their individual tonal colors come together to create a truly unique new kind of music.


Their roots are still recognizable, of course—why would anyone want to deny or hide them? But those roots are becoming distant echoes, resonating through the new sound of a new home, a sound that could probably only emerge here, in the metropolis of Berlin.

• Alfred Mehnert- Perkussion & Moderation
  
• Tino Derado - Piano
  
• Thiago Duarte - Bass
  
• Hogir Göregen - Perkussion
  
• Katrina Martinez Marrupe - Drums
  
• Guest: Serkan Duran - Baglama & Bouzouki
  

The performers are:

Alfred Mehnert
Founder and initiator of the Berlin Metropol Orchestra. Alfred is a man of boundless creativity and ideas. As a percussionist, he has played with some of the greats. From jazz to Latin to electronic music, he showcases stunning versatility. As a performer, master of ceremonies, and poet, his range spans from late-night poetry slams in Kreuzberg bars to the grand stage of the Deutsches Theater. Since winter 2023, he has been hosting his “Mayor” evenings in a small Kreuzberg bar, where musicians and performers of all genres come together.

Tino Derado
One of Europe’s top pianists, and also the composer and musical director of the BMO. Born in Munich, he studied at the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston and graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the New York-based “New School for Music” in 1995. During his 13 years in the U.S., Tino became a sought-after member of the jazz and Latin scene, performing with artists such as Gary Burton, Peter Erskine, Bob Moses, Randy Brecker, Bill Evans, Paul Winter, Dave Liebman, Jimmy Cliff, Frank Gambale, Jamey Haddad, Chiara Civello, Richard Bona, Matthew Garrison, Joe Chambers, Nils Landgren, Jojo Mayer, Papo Vasquez, Orlando Marin y Su Orchestra, Andy Gonzales, Adam Nussbaum, and Fred Hersch.

Thiago Duarte is a bassist from southern Brazil. Active in the local scene, he has played with names such as Joao Donato, Egberto Gismonti, Joao Bosco, Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. He has collaborated with Flora and Airto as electric and acoustic bassist on their latest albums, including "If You Will" by Flora Purim, which was nominated for the 2022 Grammy in the Best Latin Jazz Album category.

Katrina Martínez Marrupe
Showed musical talent and drive from early childhood. At just 11 years old, she was accepted into the National Conservatory of Music in Havana, where she trained in classical music as well as popular Afro-Cuban percussion. She co-founded Cuba’s first and most famous all-female salsa bands, Anacaona and Son Damas, with whom she began touring the world at the young age of 16.
Since 1996, she has lived in Germany and performs in a wide range of genres (Cuban music, Latin jazz, rock, pop, funk, etc.) throughout Germany, Europe, and internationally. Katrina Martínez is a drummer and percussionist of international caliber and represents the new generation of major Cuban musicians.

Hogir Göregen is a Berlin based percussion player. He was born in 1986 in Bitlis/Tatvan to a family of 7 children. In 1990, he has moved to Istanbul where he started his musical interest with age of 9 by actively attending to the Children Choir organized by Mesopotamien Culture Center. Soon after, he excelled with his interest and success in percussion instruments and started learning traditional drums like davul, darbuka and erbane (daf).

After years of training with multiple virtuosos, Istanbul, being one of the melting pots of diverse cultures, influenced him to mingle with other percussion instruments from distinct cultures. Under this influence, he realized his first internatioal visit in India in 2006 where he took Tabla lessons from Pandit Charanjit Chatur Lal. After his spectacular experiences, he decided to make two more visits to India in years 2011 and 2013. With his increasing interest in universal music, he executed many concert trips to Europe and in 2013 he has moved to Berlin.