By Matt Micucci
Robert Landfermann is one of those musicians that leaves an imprint wherever he lands. Having made a name for himself in the international scene playing with some of the best jazz groups and collaborating with some of the most revered names on the planet, he now prepares to launch his debut record as leader of his own quintet.
The album is to be called Night Will Fall. It will be released on January 1, 2016 through Pirouet Records / Naxos. Joining the subtle-toned bassist and occasiona bass viol player, four masters in their own right – drummer Jim Black, saxophonists Christian Weidner and Sebastian Gille and pianist Elias Stemeseder.
Robert Landfermann, who was born on May 28, 1982 in Oberwinter, Germany, started getting lessons in classic guitar at the tender age of seven. Having made the switch to bass, he studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Cologne from 2002 to 2009, and during those years played for JugendJazzOrchester NRW and the Bundesjazzorchester, the German National Youth Jazz Orchestra which was directed by Peter Herbolzheimer.
In the last few years, he has played on numerous records and at countless festivals with such artists as Charlie Mariano, Jiggs Whigham, John Taylor, Paul Heller, Maththias Erlewein and many more.
He also collaborated with another fellow German and key figure in contemporary jazz Pablo Hand as a member of his internationally renowned trio, and their latest album Recondita Armonia will also be released on Pirouet on November 3).
Landfermann has been a bandleader for quite some time, and has released solo records under his own name on the JazzHausMusik, PAO, Clean Feed, and Klaeng Records labels, the latter being the label of the Klaeng Jazzkollektiv in Cologne, a musician-run initiative of which Robert is a co-founder.
Night Will Fall not only marks his first release on Pirouet, but also his first recording as bandleader of his own quintet.