Matti Klein Soul Trio

What is soul? A rousing style of music, say some. A stunning feeling, say others. It unmistakably defines who we are, according to the dictionaries. Each of these definitions applies to the Matti Klein Soul Trio, but the latter describes the essence of the trio, which was founded in 2017, particularly well.

Indeed, the Matti Klein Soul Trio brings together three like-minded soul mates in the name of groove, who forge an independent trail beyond the much-travelled paths of Hammond organ trios. The warm Wurlitzer sounds of band leader Matti Klein, who has already graced the most important jazz clubs in New York, Tokyo, London, and Paris with the funk-jazz formation Mo' Blow and the Brazilian yacht-pop heavyweight Ed Motta, are at the centre of the sound.

The comforting low notes of a 1973 Fender Rhodes piano bass are a unique feature of the group, as is the tasteful use of sound effects by Lars Zander on tenor saxophone and bass clarinet. The elastic playing of drummer André Seidel ensures that the trio's other specialty, their unabashed passion for odd meters, literally doesn’t feel so odd at all.

Renowned soul gourmets such as BBC radio legend Robert Elms and German pop star Max Mutzke are raving about the trio's songs, in which vibrant soul jazz and instrumental funk of The Meters or The Crusaders sit organically alongside hip-hop elements or spacy post-rock. And the media response to the band's previous albums and international live shows (e.g. Haiti, Finland and a UK tour) also speaks for itself. "It grooves tremendously", was the verdict of the national radio channel Deutschlandfunk and the British magazine Jazzwise stated: "A new, smoking' hot twist on the much-loved organ trio format. They deserve to be huge everywhere!"