A Novel of Anomaly | mosel musikfestival & JTI Trier Jazz Award

JTI Trier Jazz Award - The Winner's Concert: Andreas Schaerer

A Novel of Anomaly

A Finn, an Italian, and two Swiss bring good cheer, joy of playing, and the finest listening pleasure to the Brunnenhof in Trier. Each musician not only has their own unique style but is also stylistically rooted in their own area. Between
jazz and world music, eclecticism and avant-garde, the four of them effortlessly captivate their audience: sparkling, fresh, new, and yet somehow familiar.

Pure harmony and simple rhythm are not the forte of Andreas Schaerer, Luciano Biondini, Kalle Kalima, and Lucas Niggli. They prefer to rub against each other, causing sparks to fly and hearts to leap. Hymn-like and primal rhythms from Africa, brutal-urban sounds from rhythm-defining sonic centers like Bern or Berlin – and again and again the art of spontaneity, the spontaneous exchange and collective ad-hoc storytelling that defines free improvisation. All four contribute compositions, creating a shared reservoir. From this, the quartet, with its unusual lineup, explores soundscapes beyond what is already heard.

JTI Trier Jazz Award
The JTI Trier Jazz Award has been awarded by an independent expert jury since 2010 and is one of the most prestigious jazz awards in Germany, with a prize money of 7,500 euros. Since 2013, it has been anchored in the mosel music festival and recognizes musicians who, with innovative ideas and a distinctive artistic signature, provide special impulses for the international jazz scene. "The award stands for JTI's long-term commitment to promoting cultural diversity and strengthening the region as a vibrant, open cultural space," says Nadia Rümmelein, Community Investment & Operations Lead Manager at JTI, adding: "As a fixed part of the mosel music festival, it creates space for encounter, inspiration, and social responsibility. It not only honors outstanding personalities in jazz but also underscores the importance of music as a unifying form of art."

The special significance of the award is described by Dr. Peter Kleiß, chair of the jury for the JTI Trier Jazz Award, from the jury's perspective as follows: "The JTI Trier Jazz Award is far more than an award for musical excellence. It is a consciously set sign for artistic attitude, for courage in one’s own voice, and for jazz as a living, continuously evolving art form. We honor artists who not only shine technically but also open up new perspectives with their music and significantly shape the international jazz discourse. For the award winners, this prize means recognition, visibility, and often a crucial impetus for their further artistic path. Jazz is, like no other art form, dependent on discourse and communication, and is shaped by it. This concerns the breadth of the international as much as the immediate connection between musicians and their respective audiences.

Andreas Schaerer – Vocals
Luciano Biondini – Accordion
Kalle Kalima – Guitar
Lucas Niggli – Drums