Hot and Free. A blend of dance band, rock, and avant-garde: ULRICH GUMPERTS B3 QUARTET

• Ulrich Gumpert – B3 organ
• Silke Eberhard – sax
• Jan Roder – bass
• Kay Lübke – drums

The fourth evening of the concert series “Hot and Free? Jazz in Divided Berlin, 1950–1970” is dedicated to one of the most influential musicians of GDR jazz: Ulrich Gumpert.

Since the 1960s, Gumpert has been one of Germany’s most important pianists, composers, and improvisers. He played a decisive role in shaping modern jazz in the GDR—first in Klaus Lenz’s bands, and later with legendary groups such as SOK, Synopsis, and the Zentralquartett. His musical journey spanned the early days of modern jazz, through jazz-rock, to a distinctive form of European improvisational music. At the same time, he is a living witness to an era in which the jazz scene continued to evolve despite political restrictions.

For this concert, Ulrich Gumpert will be on stage at the Hammond B-3 organ. Together with Silke Eberhard, Jan Roder, and Kay Lübke, he will present a program of creative, contemporary jazz. The quartet spans the spectrum from the roots of jazz through rock influences to the avant-garde, impressively demonstrating just how diverse and innovative jazz has become to this day.

• SPONSORED BY THE LOTTO FOUNDATION BERLIN