The Killing Popes

Berlin-based drummer Oliver Steidle has long been one of the musicians in Germany who have made a name for themselves internationally by adding a political and socially critical edge to their improvised music when they mix contemporary jazz with hip-hop, grindcore or punk for example. Steidle describes the music of his quartet The Killing Popes as “future jazz” – and that’s exactly what this four-piece sounds like live on stage. The original pieces follow a “cut & paste” aesthetic that often creates sharp contrasts in the improvised music. Anticipating each other, the musicians constantly take up new positions at breakneck speed, like pieces in speed chess, making it a joy for everyone to follow the action on stage with their eyes and ears. But despite all the harmonic, rhythmic and melodic complexity, the four musicians show above all how humorous and witty today’s avant-garde jazz music can sound.