Ben Kraef - sax/flute (DE)
Malte Schiller - sax/bass clarinet (DE)
Jan Keiser - trumpet (DE)
Alistair Duncan - trombone (SCT)
Uri Gincel - piano/keys (IL)
Thomas Stieger - ebass (DE)
Tobias Backhaus - drums (DE)

This funky band dives into Herbie Hancock’s 70’s period, Funk, groove and beautiful arrangements played by some of Berlin’s best musicians. The Headhunters are an American jazz-funk fusion band, best known for their albums they recorded as a backing band of jazz keyboard player Herbie Hancock during the 1970s. Hancock's debut album with the group, Head Hunters, is one of the best-selling jazz/fusion records of all time.The Headhunters' music is a complex blend of many styles and genres, including jazz, funk, African and Afro-Caribbean music. The group is also notable for its pioneering use of electronic instruments and effects.

- Ben Kraef is a German-Montenegrin saxophonist and composer based in Berlin.

Ben graduated from the University of Music “Hanns Eisler”, Berlin. In 2007 he relocated to New York City on a grant from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and obtained a Master of Arts from The City College of New York in 2009.

In the past years Ben has won international acclaim in form of several prizes and awards, among these most notably the Biberacher Jazzpreis (2006), the “Concours International de Jazz de Fribourg” (2007), the Yamaha Saxophone Contest (2007), and the Billie Stoller Scholarship to an outstanding scholar and musician from The City College of New York (2008).

- Malte Schiller is a composer, arranger, multi-reed player and conductor, based in Berlin.

During his career he was fortunate to work with the Metropole Orchestra, NL, the HR-Bigband, Kurt Elling, Vince Mendoza, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and many more.

- Alistair was born on the beautiful west coast of Scotland. After schooling in the US, he has been based in Germany since 2013,

Alistair completed his Bachelor studies in trombone and jazz and contemporary music at the Eastman School of Music from 2009 – 2013 with Mark Kellogg. From 2014 – 2015, he studied composition with John Hollenbeck and trombone with Geoffroy de Masure at the Jazz Institut Berlin, earning a Masters degree.

- Jan Kaiser (born 1991 in Berlin) received first classical trumpet lessons with Gerhard Greif, solo trumpet player Deutsche Oper Berlin. At the age of 16, he became the youngest member of the Landesjugendjazzorchester Brandenburg under the direction of Jiggs Whigham.

From 2010 to 2015 he studied jazz trumpet with Prof. Till Brönner, Prof. Malte Burba and Sebastian Studnitzky at the Academy of Music "Carl Maria von Weber" Dresden. In 2012, Jan Kaiser was admitted to the Federal Youth Jazz Orchestra ("Bujazzo"), and tours with this orchestra took him as far as West Africa.

He currently lives in Berlin and is studying for a master's degree with Claus Stötter (NDR Big Band). Jan Kaiser is a scholarship holder of Dr. Ing. E.A. Langner Foundation

- Uri Gincel is one of the most in demand and respected Jazz pianists in Berlin. Uri´s style can be described as heavily rooted in tradition but with sensibility and understanding of bringing jazz into the modern age. His playing is dynamic, lyrical and above full of energy and power! Born in Tel-Aviv, Gincel came to Berlin in 2009 and quickly became an influential part of the Jazz scene, Uri toured the world with many projects, including "Uri Gincel Trio” and “Bonaparte” and studied under some major musicians as Arnie Lawrence and Walter Blending Jr.

- Born and raised in Breisach a. Rh., Germany, Thomas Stieger moved to Berlin at age 20, to study music at the Universität der Künste / Hochschule fur Musik Hanns-Eisler Berlin.

Since 2006, he has been living and working primarily as a bass player, sideman and session musician, with nationally and internationally renowned acts. Thomas continues to work with artists of Berlin's diverse local scene; mostly within the colourful worlds of Pop, Rock and Jazz.

- Tobias Backhaus was born in Darmstadt, Germany, on January 8 1984. He took up the drums at the age of 5 and has subsequently been studying under the guideance of jazz masters such as Keith Copeland, Ari Hoenig, Jim Black, John Hollenbeck and Jeff Ballard. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in jazz performance from the Jazz-Institute Berlin.

His individual approach and stylistic diversity – from traditional jazz to free improvisation, modern classical music and beyond – as well as his ability to effortlessly move between those different worlds have made him one of the most in-demand young drummers on the German jazz scene.

Beginn 21:15 Uhr( Einlass 20:00 Uhr) 
Eintritt frei – Beitrag erwünscht

Sitzplatzreservierung

ENTRANCE FEES
One of the reasons that makes the zig zag jazz club so unique is that it is the first and only jazz club in the world that manages to finance world class events through a crowd funding concept. How do we do it? Its quite simple… during the break of the concert we make an announcement regarding the collection for the evening. For most concerts (excluding the jam session) we inform our customers that a fee of around 15€ per person will allow us to fairly compensate the musicians. Some people give more and some give less… and that´s ok… we ´ve already successfully promoted hundreds of concerts like this!!!