In 2013, 18 jazz musicians from Cologne founded the Subway Jazz Orchestra (SJO). This big band, organized as a collective, is based at the former Cologne jazz club Subway on Aachener Straße, where the SJO has been performing regular concerts ever since. The big band’s goal is to consistently bring a new program to the club’s intimate stage. Additionally, the orchestra frequently collaborates with renowned composers—such as Maria Schneider, Anna Webber, and Nils Wogram. The SJO also commissions compositions from emerging composers, builds networks, and fosters collaborations with event organizers and educational institutions. Sam Amidon has been invited to perform at the SJO concert during Cologne Jazzweek 2026. Although this singer and multi-instrumentalist’s work is rooted in traditional American roots music, he consistently opens it up to other genres and styles of contemporary music to reveal their transcultural elements.
Sam Amidon – gtr/voc
Julian Bossert – sax
Johannes Ludwig – sax
Joachim Lenhardt – sax
Jens Böckamp – sax
Heiko Bidmon – sax
Matthias Schwengler – trp
Chris Mehler – trp
Maik Krahl – trp
Lennart Schnitzler – trp
Janning Trumann – trb
Philipp Schittek – trb
Philipp Hayduk – trb
Tobi Herzog – btrb
Philipp Brämswig – gtr
Felix Hauptmann – p
Matthias Nowak – b
Thomas Sauerborn – dr
