The Squid's Ear Magazine


Frank Gratkowski's In Cahoots (Gratkowski / Zoubek / Landfermann / Mahnig / Laubrock): Feat. Ingrid (Klanggalerie)

Expanding his In Cahoots quartet into a quintet with Ingrid Laubrock on tenor & soprano sax, composer Frank Gratkowski joins Philip Zoubek on piano & synthesizer, Robert Landfermann on bass, and Dominik Mahnig on drums to perform his fluid compositions that blur the line between writing and improvisation, weaving microtonal nuance, extended techniques with interactive interplay in an important contemporary jazz statement.
 

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Product Information:

Personnel:



Robert Landfermann-bass

Dominik Mahnig-drums

Philip Zoubek-piano, synthesizer

Ingrid Laubrock-tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone

Frank Gratkowski-woodwind, composer

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UPC: 5052571222423

Label: Klanggalerie
Catalog ID: GG524
Squidco Product Code: 37067

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2025
Country: Germany
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold
Recorded at Loft Koln, in Cologne, Germany, in april, 2024, by Stefan Deistler.
Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

Artist Biographies

"Robert Landfermann Doublebass born 1982 in Bonn.

Studies:

1998 - 2002 Doublebass lessons in Bonn with Gunnar Plümer

2002 - 2007 Jazz-Doublebass in Cologne "Musikhochschule für Musik und Tanz"

2007 - 2009 special degree "Konzertexamen" with Prof Dieter Manderscheid

since 2011 teaching Jazz Doublebass at the Folkwang university of arts in Essenworked with:

Joachim Kühn, John Scofield, Lee Konitz, Yo-Yo Ma, Django Bates, Tomasz Stanko, Barre Philips, John Taylor, Lenine, Dave Liebman, Simon Nabatov, Chris Potter, John Hollenbecks 'Claudia Quintet', Hilmar Jensen, Urs Leimgruber, Jim Black, Peter Evans, Manfred Schoof, Tobias Delius, Achim Kaufmann, Julian Argueilles, Frank Gratkowski, Thomas Lehn, Mederic Collignon, Gerd Dudek, Stephane Guillaume, Charlie Mariano, Kinan Azmeh, Markus Stockhausen, Cino Palagliesu, Rudi Mahall, Tetsu Saitoh, Claudio Puntin, Steffen Schorn, Axel Dörner, Wolfgang Haffner, Ian Thomas, Ben Perowski, Danny Gottlieb, NDR BigBand, Rhani Krija...Concerts:

In about 50 Countries on 5 Continents:

China, Indonesia, Russia, USA, Canada, Australia, South Corea, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Dominicanian Republic, Salvador, Brasil, Bolivia, Equador, Columbia, Tunesia, Maroc, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, Benin, Cape Verde, Belgium, Holland, Poland, Danmark, Luxemburg, France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Zyprus, Kasachstan, Kirgistan, Bulgaria, Albania, Rumania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Lithuania, Estonia, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway...

In famous Concerthalls:

Sydney Opera, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Mozartsaal Wien, Cité de la musique Paris, Megaron Musikis Athen, L'auditori Barcelona, Symphony Hall Birmingham, Theatre Marni Brussels, "stone" NYC, Beethovenhaus Bonn, Bozar Brussels, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Brucknerhaus Linz, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Laeiszhalle Hamburg, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Philharmony Essen, Philharmony Cologne, Philharmony Luxemburg, Filharmonia Krakowska, Krzysztof Penderecki Centre for Music, NOSPR Concert Hall Katowice, Konserthuset Stockholm...

On national and international Festivals:

Vancouver Jazzfestival, North-Sea-festival, JazzNow Sydney, Kopenhagen Jazzfestival, Jazzfest Berlin, Casa del Jazz Rom, London Jazzfestival, Glasgow Jazzfestival, JazzNoJazz Zürich, 12points! 2010 Stavanger Norway, 12points! 2008 Dublin, Moers Jazzfestival, Jazz.pt Lissabon, Duketown Festival s'Hertogenbosch, Coimbra Jazzfestival, The Hague Den Haag, Portalegre Jazzfestival, Salzau Jazz-Baltica, Jazzfestival Burghausen, INNtöne, Leverkusener Jazztage, Elbjazz, Hamburger Jazztage, Münster Jazzfestival, Jazzrallye Düsseldorf, Traumzeit Festival, Gnaua festival Essauira...Awards:

SWR-Jazzpreis 2014

NRW-Förderpreis 2013

WDR-Jazzpreis 2009

New German Jazzaward 2009 with Frederik Köster Quartett

Horst und Gretl-Will Stipendium - Culture-Price of the City of Cologne 2009

German Member of the European Jazz Orchestra connected to the EBU in 2008"

-Robert Landfermann Website (http://robertlandfermann.com/biography.html)
2/11/2026

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Mahnig received his first drumming lessons at eleven years. In June 2012 he graduated from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences with Gerry Hemingway, Norbert Pfammatter and Marc Halbheer . In the fall of 2012 he took his master's degree at the Cologne University of Music and Dance with Jonas Burgwinkel and Frank Gratkowski ; He has masterclasses and workshops with John Hollenbeck, Heiri Känzig, Henning Berg, Steve Coleman and Christy Doran . He is a member of The Great Harry Hillman, the bands of Frank Haunschild, Jens Böckamp, Tamara Lukasheva and Liza Pflaum, the Move Dove quartet around Luis Reinhard, the trio Botter and Massive Schrage . He presented himself at concerts in Hungary, Germany and Switzerland, among others at the Langnau Jazz-Nights and the Jazz Festival Willisau (with Kenny Wollesen ).

Mahnig is a multiple winner and winner of the Swiss drummer and percussionist competition. At the Convento Jazzpreis NRW 2011, he was honored as the best soloist: "Drummer Dominik Mahnig impressed with his subtle and biting bespoke, which supported the melodies in a tone -colored manner and at the same time rhythmically brushed against the line." Wilhelm-Fabry- He received a special prize for a strong creative statement in 2013. The Great Harry Hillman won the ZKB Jazz Prize in 2015."

-Wikipedia (translated by Google) (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominik_Mahnig)
2/11/2026

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Philip Zoubek (* 1978 in Tulln an der Donau ) is an Austrian pianist of the New Improvisation Music. A striking feature is his highly energetic play, the limits of the pianos, which also include preparation techniques and actions inside the instrument.

Zoubek studied piano at the Conservatory of the City of Vienna from 1996 onwards. He founded the Ubik quartet and took lessons with Uli Scherer before he enrolled at the Musikhochschule Vienna. In 2002 he moved to Cologne, where he studied with Hans Lüdemann, Frank Gratkowski and Marc Ducret. He founded the multimedia project Cauldron, with whom he won the composition competition of the bunker Ulmenwall Bielefeld and the cultural promotion award of the city of Herford; a DVD Q-Spektrum was created in 2003. With the group Snaut with Richard Koch (tp), Eric Schaefer (dr) and Christian Rainer (voice), he toured through Germany and Switzerland and became a prizewinner of the avant-garde competition for Young culture at the Düsseldorfer Altstadtherbst. Since 2004 he belongs to Achim Tang's Trio Torn, which performed successfully in 2011 in a quartet version at the Moers Festival. He was a member of the James Choice Orchestra ( Live at Moers, 2005), Ensemble Creativ, Org, Camera Obscura and the trio Muche / Zoubek / Tang. As a composer Philip Zoubek appeared with his own formation Philz. He also worked with Paul Lytton, Carl Ludwig Hübsch, Ernst Glerum, Herb Robertson, Wilbert de Joode and Christian Thomé.

In 2008 he received the Horst and Gretl Will scholarship for Jazz / Improvised Music of the City of Cologne. Also in 2008 he founded the Trio Z3 with Benjamin Weidekamp and Christian Weber. The formation Z3 was born out of the idea of ​​the music of the Jimmy Giuffre -Trios of the 1960s."

-Wikipedia translated by Google (https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Zoubek&prev=search)
2/11/2026

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Originally from Germany, Ingrid Laubrock resides in Brooklyn, NY. Between 1989 and 2009 she was active as a saxophonist and composer in London/UK. She performed and/or recorded with: Anthony Braxton, Dave Douglas, Kenny Wheeler, Jason Moran, Tim Berne, William Parker, Tom Rainey, Mary Halvorson, Kris Davis, Tyshawn Sorey, Craig Taborn, Luc Ex, Django Bates' Human Chain, The Continuum Ensemble and many others.

Ingrid's current projects as a leader are Anti-House, Sleepthief, Ingrid Laubrock Orchestra, Ingrid Laubrock Sextet and Ubatuba. Collaborations include LARK,Haste,Paradoxical Frog and Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey Duo.She is a member of Anthony Braxton's Falling River Music Quartet, Nonet and 12+1tet, Tom Rainey Trio and Obbligato, Andrew Drury's Content Provider, Mary Halvorson Septet, Kris' Davis Quintet, Nate Wooley's Battle Pieces and Luc Ex' Assemblée. Ingrid was one of the featured soloists in Anthony Braxton's opera Trillium J.

Awards include the BBC Jazz Award for Innovation in 2004, a Fellowship in Jazz Composition by the Arts Foundation in 2006, the 2009 SWR German Radio Jazz Prize and the 2014 German Record Critics Quarterly Award. Commissions include Jammy Dodgers for jazz quintet and dancers (2006), Nonet music for Cheltenham Jazz Festival 2007, SWR New Jazz Meeting 2011 and "Vogelfrei", a piece for chamber orchestra (ACO/Tricentric Foundation). She won Rising Star/soprano saxophone in the 2015 in the 'Downbeat Annual Critics Poll and won the 'El Intruso Critics Poll for tenor saxophone in 2013. Ingrid was Improviser in Residence 2012 in the German city Moers. The post is created to introduce creative music into the city throughout the year. As part of this she led a regular improvisation ensemble and taught sound workshops in elementary schools. Other teaching experiences include improvisation workshops at Towson University, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Baruch College, University of Michigan, University of Newcastle and many others."

-Ingrid Laubrock Website (http://ingridlaubrock.com/about.html)
2/11/2026

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Frank Gratkowski, saxophone. Born in Hamburg, 1963.

Started playing the saxophone at 16 and, following a period at the Hamburg Conservatory (Hamburger Musikhochschule), moved in 1985 to study at the Cologne Conservatory of Music with Heiner Wiberny, graduating in 1990.

Further studies with Charlie Mariano, Sal Nistico and Steve Lacy.

Frank Gratkowski has been working as a soloist in various international formations (Grubenklang Orchester, Klaus Koenig Orchester, Musikfabrik NRW, Tony Oxley Celebration Orchestra, Bentje Braam, BikBentBraam, All Ears, Zeitkratzer, WDR Big band, etc.). Since 1990 he has been giving solo performances throughout Europe, Canada and USA. With his first solo program, he was a 1991 prizewinner in the Musik Kreativ contest. The release of the solo CD "Artikulationen" followed the same year and a new one "Artikulationen II" in 2002.

Since 1992 he has been working in a duo with the pianist Georg Graewe (CD "VicissEtudes"). The duo is often extended through the participation of different additional musicians, such as drummer Paul Lovens (CD "Quicksand") and bassist John Lindberg (CD "Arrears").

In 1995 he founded the "Frank Gratkowski Trio" with Dieter Manderscheid (Germany), bass, and Gerry Hemingway (USA), drums, (CDs "Gestalten" and "The Flume Factor" ). In 2000 the trio has been extended to a quartet by Dutch trombonist Wolter Wierbos (CDs "Kollaps", "Spectral Reflections", "Facio" and "Le Vent et la Gorge"). Since 2003 also appearing as a Double Quartet plus Tobias Delius, Herb Robertson, Wilbert DeJoode and Michael Vatcher. In 2005 he got the SWR Jazzprize.

In 1999 the duo with the Italian trombonist Sebastiano Tramontana has been formed and since 2001 Frank Gratkowski has been performing with a trio including Wilbert De Jode (NL) on bass and Achim Kaufmann (D) on piano (CDs "Kwast" and "Unearth"). Since 2006 he's working with the Trio Gratkowski / Brown / Winant (CDs "Wake" and "Vermilion Traces/Donaueschingen 2009"). He is also a co-leader / composer of the Multiple Joy[ce] Orchestra and got a commission to compose for the ensemble Apartment House by "November Music " (Den Bosch NL) and the "Huddersfield Comtemporary Music Fesitival" (England) in 2009. Further actual projects are Fo[u]r Alto, a saxophone ensemble dedicated to microtonal music and "Artikulationen E" a solo program for saxophone with 8 channel live electronic.

Frank Gratkowski played on nearly every German and on numerous international Jazz and contemporary music Festivals including Vancouver, Toronto, Chicago, New York, Seattle, Quebec, Les Mans, Muelhuus, Groeningen, Nickelsdorf, Barcelona, Lithuania, Warsaw, Zagreb, Prague, Bratislava, Sofia, Bucharest, Odessa and Roma, Huddersfield, London.

He has been teaching saxophone and ensembles at the Cologne, Berlin and Arnhem Conservatory of Music and is giving workshops all around the world.

Furthermore he has performed with Robert Dick, Phil Wachsmann, Radu Malfatti, Herb Robertson, Marcio Mattos, Eugenio Colombo, Peter Kowald, Ray Anderson, Michael Moore, Ken Vandermark, Greg Osby, Kenny Wheeler, Louis Sclavis, John Betsch, Jane Ira Bloom, Connie and Hannes Bauer, Xu Fengxia, James Newton, Muhal Richard Abrams, John Lindberg, Michael Formaneck, Ernst Reijseger, Fred van Hove, Theo Jörgensmann, Phil Minton, Peter Brötzmann, Mark Dresser, Mark Feldman, Hamid Drake, Michiel Braam, Han Bennink, Mal Waldron, Misha Mengelberg a.m.o."

-Frank Gratkowski Website (http://gratkowski.com/biography/)
2/11/2026

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:
Related Categories of Interest:

February 2026
Improvised Music
Jazz
Jazz & Improvisation Based on Compositions
European Improvisation, Composition and Experimental Forms
Quintet Recordings
New in Improvised Music
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