Oktoposse

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oktoposse / press text
The collective oktoposse is testing the young German Jazz scene for some time now. The eight improvisers may be performing highly complex material, but they never forget the joy of their music making together. For them, contemporary Jazz may be anything from Free, Rhythmical, Swing or Post Rock, but it has to be fun. Since 2003 they have managed to collaborate with an illustrious circle of musicians, some of these were:
Nils Wogram, Frank Möbus, John Ruocco, Florian Ross, Claudio Puntin, Norbert Scholly, Juergen Friedrich, Hinrich Franck, Georg Ruby, Paolo Alvares, Claudius Valk, Andi Haderer, Werner Neumann and Nils Klein.
Two CDs and the two-year stint “oktoposse geht fremd” in Cologne’s Stadtgarten later, they have now recorded their third long player called “oktoposse – blues lee”. On this latest recording, one can hear nine manic, gorgeous, elegiac, and most colourful new compositions of these Cologne scatterbrains.
discography:
„Possenballett“, Double Moon Records, 2005
„Oktoposse geht fremd“, Jazzhaus Musik, 2006

oktoposse / press quotes
"Ãœber alle Grenzen hinweg" - Cologne Jazz Night 2008:
[...] Keine Unbekannten in der deutschen Jazzszene sind Oktoposse, acht eigensinnige Improvisatoren mit großer Spielfreude, die sich stilistisch über alle Grenzen hinweg setzen, ob frei, klassisch oder postrockig, alles, was Spaß macht, ist erlaubt, und dass sie ihren Spaß auf das Publikum übertragen können, haben sie an diesem Abend wieder einmal mehr gezeigt. [...]"
Anne Kotzan, Jazz Zeitung 2009/01
„[...] An astounding show of musical ideas from Cologne [...]“
Hans-Jürgen von Osterhausen in Jazzpodium (May 2007):
„[...] Oktoposse is a band, that stands out, because of their great deal of originality, their professionalism, and their huge musical capability [..]”
Reiner Michalke, Manager of STADTGARTEN Cologne and Artistic Director "Moers Festival"
„[…] Oktoposse impresses with their fresh and unconventional ways of dealing with the Jazz tradition. […]“
Badische Zeitung, 21. Mai 2007
“[…] Fresh, cheeky and intelligent. Brainy music, which is just really fun. […]”
Mittelbayerische Zeitung, 18. Juli 2005
oktoposse / prizes
- Best International Young Jazz Band, IV Concurso Internacional de Intérpretes de jazz, International Jazzfestival Granada/Spain (2005)
- Winner of the „New Generation“ Band Contest, Jazz an der Donau Festival, Straubing/Germany (2005)
- Jazzpodium, LAG Jazz Niedersachsen (2003)