Doors open from 6:00 pm
Film “Wild Combination” at 7:00 pm
Concert at 9:00 pm

At Week-End Fest 2024 in Cologne, eight musicians under the direction of Jorik Bergman brought Arthur Russell’s 1978 track “Kiss Me Again” (released under his Dinosaur alias with Nicky Siano) to life in an outstanding 40-minute live disco jam session.

For Gut Bennigsen and the Kultursommer series, Jorik Bergman will expand on this by arranging additional pieces that showcase the breadth and diversity of Russell’s unique talent. She will perform them for the first time with a newly assembled band, put together especially for this occasion — without ever losing sight of the spirit of celebration.

Before the concert, the documentary film “Wild Combination” will be shown, followed by a conversation with Jorik Bergman. The live concert will then conclude the evening.

Performing artists:

Jorik Bergman (1996, NL) is a jazz flautist, arranger and composer. She leads several ensembles of her own and has worked with artists including Becca Stevens and Marshall Allen. An award winner of international competitions, she performs at major festivals across Europe and has been a NICA artist since 2024.

Lucy Liebe is a multi-instrumentalist and producer based in Berlin. Her music — a blend of jazz, beats and alternative R&B — explores themes of queerness, trans identity, trauma and belonging.

Carla Köllner (1993) is a jazz trombonist and big band composer from Essen. She has written for the WDR Big Band and performed with AnnenMayKantereit and Nina Chuba. Her compositions combine traditional jazz forms with a contemporary sound.

Emily Wittbrodt (1994, Bonn) is a cellist focused on improvisation and interdisciplinary collaboration. She creates music for dance and theatre productions across Europe and is active at festivals including ImPulsTanz in Vienna.

Irina Alekseeva is a jazz guitarist based in Cologne with roots in Moscow. She fuses styles from rock to gospel and leads her own quartet, with an emphasis on improvisation and stylistic range.

Jan Philipp (1994) is a drummer and producer living between Copenhagen and Cologne. He works across genres in indie and improvisational projects, including his duo Infant Finches and the trio Treen.

Alex Winter grew up in a Polish village and developed an early rebellious musical voice, drawing inspiration from punk, Amy Winehouse and Riot Grrrl. Her music is raw, honest and deeply personal.

Band photo: Niclas Weber

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