The Big Band of the Deutsche Oper Berlin is celebrating its 20th anniversary and dedicating itself to French jazz. During the German occupation, it stood for freedom and resistance, and in the post-war period it became the soundtrack of existentialism and an expression of the attitude to life of an entire generation: In the nightclubs of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, musicians such as Miles Davis and Sidney Bechet met Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and Boris Vian. Juliette Gréco was the undisputed muse of the bohemian scene—and for many jazz musicians from the USA, Paris became a place of longing beyond racial segregation and the McCarthy era. The Deutsche Oper Berlin Big Band celebrates the spirit of those years with music by Michel Legrand, Jacques Brel, Boris Vian, and Django Reinhardt.
After two previous releases (Epitaph 2024, A Night For The Duke 2025), the Deutsche Oper Big Band presents itself this time without orchestral accompaniment, but with an excellent soloist line-up. French guitarist Biréli Lagrène impressively demonstrates his skills on the acoustic guitar, while Mathilde Vendramin convinces both vocally and on the cello. The soloist trio is rounded off by singer Thomas Pigor, who has been a regular on stage with the Deutsche Oper Berlin Big Band for many years.