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Elisabeth S. Meyer-Lassahn, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The German jazz pianist and composer Julia Hülsmann in 2014

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The poet and Frankfurt, Germany resident Francis Fernandes reports that the jazz scene in the country is a lively one at the moment, which is opening up his ears to some very interesting music. 

In this post, he writes about his three favorite jazz recordings released in 2025 by German artists.

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Julia Hülsmann – Under The Surface [ECM]

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She’s a pianist I’ve been following for quite some time, mostly in trio format. Her last couple of albums have added a saxophonist – and this one also features a Norwegian trumpet and goat horn player! Introspective, unified, and lovely are the words that come to mind when I listen to this. I recently had the chance to hear her quintet live in a church and was blown away.

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Watch a film of the ensemble in the studio performing the title track, “Under the Surface,” with  Julia Hülsmann (piano);  Uli Kempendorff (tenor saxophone);  Marc Muellbauer (double bass); Heinrich Köbberling (drums); and  Hildegunn Øiseth (trumpet, goat horn).  [ECM]

 

 

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Max Treutner – Zen Garden  [nWog Records]

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By contrast, Max Treutner is a young musician, and this is his first release. Muscular, brilliant, melodic. His sax together with Sylvan Joray’s dazzling guitar and a great driving rhythm make this my pick for discovery of the year.

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Here’s a film from the recording studio of the title track, “Zen Garden,” with Treutner (saxophone); Joray (guitar); Matt Penman (bass); and Jochen Ruecker (drums). 

 

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Sebastian Sternal (pianist) & HR Big Band (Frankfurt) – Turning Point [Intuition Records]

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I’ve seen Sternal play live in various formats – trio, duet, big band. His trio album Home, with American bassist Larry Grenadier, is superb. Turning Point is so full of wonderful energy and so beautifully arranged and performed that it’s definitely my go-to (especially after hearing them live at the Frankfurt botanical gardens’ summer jazz fest) for some brightness amidst our world’s dark news.

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Here’s a filmed performance of the Frankfurt Radio Big Band playing Sternal’s tune “Play”

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Francis Fernandes grew up and studied in Montréal, Canada. Since spring 2020, his writing has appeared in over twenty literary journals, including Modern Poetry Quarterly Review, Saint Katherine Review, The Orchards Poetry Journal, Third Wednesday. He lives in Frankfurt, Germany, where he writes and teaches.

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Click here for On the Turntable – The “Best of the ‘Best Of’ in 2024 jazz recordings.  (The 2025 edition will be published in January)

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