Vespo | Kellers | Gratkowski

three masters of improvisation

Frank Gratkowski, born in Hamburg in 1963 and studied at the Cologne
University of Music and Dance. As a bandleader and composer, he traverses the
broad context of contemporary improvised music. While still a student, Gratkowski
worked with trombonist and composer Klaus König, as part of Georg Graewe’s
GrubenKlangOrchester and in the WDR Big Band. In 1995 he formed the Frank
Gratkowski Trio with Dieter Manderscheid on bass and Gerry Hemingway on
drums. They were joined in 2000 by Dutch trombonist Wolter Wierbos. Since 2001
he has been part of a trio with Achim Kaufmann on piano and Wilbert de Joode on
bass. With his first solo program, he was an award-winner at the “Musik kreativ”
competition. As a soloist, he has released the thus far three-part CD series
“Artikulationen” (1991, 2000, 2023). In 2008 the experimental saxophone quartet
“Fo[u]r Alto” was formed. He is a co-founder of the Multiple Joy[ce] Orchestra.
Gratkowski has played as a soloist, bandleader or sideman at the most important
German and numerous international festivals. In 2005 he received the prestigious
SWR Jazz Prize. Among other things, he has performed with a trio at the
Donaueschinger Festival, After his work “Mature Hybird Talking” for and with
Ensemble Modern in 2022, he worked with Ensemble Musikfabrik in 2023. Under
his own name, Frank Gratkowski has released around 50 CDs. .
photocredits@Robert Candotti

Willi Kellers, born 1950 in Münster.
Studied music at the music academies in Münster and Detmold
Worked as a composer for theatrical productions in Bochum, Cologne, Basel,
Hamburg, and at the Burgtheater in Vienna.
His most important directors were George Tabori at the Berliner Ensemble, Mitko
Gotscheff in Vienna, Bochum, Cologne, and Hamburg, and Thorsten Lensing at the
Sophiensäle in Berlin.
Numerous concerts and tours with Peter Brötzmann, Tony Oxley, Frank Wright,
Willem Breuker, Albert Mangelsdorff, Peter Kowald, Keith Tippett, Lol Coxhill,
Marilyn Crispel, Manfred Schoof, Fred Frith, Charles Gayle, Cecil Taylor, Luten
Petrowsky, Sylvia Bruckner, Barre Phillips, and many others.
Willi Kellers has performed at all major European festivals and many festivals
worldwide.
photocredits ©Uli Templin

Tommaso Vespo, born 1977, pianist active in the Italian and European free music
scene; member of various groups and orchestras with which he has played in
festivals in NY, London, Amsterdam, Vienna, Italy; collaborations with artists as
Willi Kellers, Anna Kaluza, Horst Nonnenmacher, Hui-Chun Lin, Manuel Miethe,
Martial Frenzel, Paolo Sorge, Alessandro Vicard, Esad Halilovic, Edith Lettner,
Nicola Hein, Jan Roder, Miriam Siebenstadt, Ricardo Tejero, Matthias Müller,
Martial Frenzel, Wolfgang Georsdorf and, among many others, the late maestros
Tristan Hosinger and Theo Jongersmann; he has to his credit recordings as leader
and member (Stones of Contention- Citystream; Tiere Im Wald-Maybee Records;
Mira; Crinale); since 2013 he has been member of Berlin Improvisers Orchestra.
photocredits ©Manuel Miethe 2025