Jazz at the Old Fire Station – Jako Quartet

In 2025, they recorded a new album featuring a series of Symeonidis' own compositions that address his experiences as a Greek immigrant.

The Jako Quartet has often thrilled audiences with its combination of swing, Afro and funk grooves and looks forward to sharing the joy of improvisation, spontaneity and freedom of jazz with them again this evening.

Line-up:

• Iakovos “Jako” Symeonidis - guitar, composition
  
• Thomas Hähnlein - tenor saxophone
  
• Aaron Castrillo - drums
  
• Maik Kleer - bass
  

Before moving to Berlin in 2019, Jako studied classical guitar at the National Conservatory of Athens (graduating in 2013 with a soloist diploma) and jazz guitar at the Prins Claus Conservatoire (graduating in 2019 with a Bachelor's degree in Music/Jazz Guitar). He was a semi-finalist at the international Smietana Guitar Competition (2021) and completed his studies at the Carl Maria von Weber University of Music in Dresden in July 2024 with a Master's degree in jazz guitar (JPR – Performance).

Thomas Hahn is an award-winning saxophonist, composer and teacher from Berlin who is active in the contemporary jazz scene and covers a wide range of styles, from hip-hop to classical, with a focus on contemporary jazz and modern creative.

Maik Kleer is a bassist from Essen who lives in Berlin. Aarón Castrillo is a Spanish drummer, pianist and composer who lives in Berlin.

Aarón Castrillo is a Spanish drummer, pianist and composer who lives in Berlin. He studied jazz percussion at the renowned Musikene School in the Basque Country and completed a master's degree in the EUJAM programme at the JIB. He is best known as a modern jazz musician, but also works in various other musical genres such as neo-soul, lo-fi beats, R&B and pop. He is active as a sideman and co-leader in several international music projects.