- Alexandra Ridout, trumpet

- Kevin Sun, tenor saxophone

- Hamish Smith, bass

- Jochen Rueckert, drums, compositions

Drummer Jochen Rueckert presents his new quartet - a group composed of up-and coming musicians in New York a couple decades younger than himself - a self-imposed challenge for the band leader to keep up with - and invest in - the new generation.

Drawing on the vast knowledge he amassed during his stints with two of the 2000s’ greatest acoustic jazz bands: the Kurt Rosenwinkel quartet as well as the severely under-appreciated Sam Yahel trio, Rueckert has long proven his ability to sustain a band of the highest caliber. His previous quartet with mainstays Mark Turner, Lage Lund and Mike Moreno, toured internationally for more than 15 years.

The new group features a lineup of distinctive voices:

• Alexandra Ridout (trumpet) Originally from London, Ridout has been turning heads for her recent Next Jazz Legacy award from New Music USA, as well as her appearances with Blue Note’s all-star band Artemis—all by the age of 24. Her lyrical sound also earned her the Best Soloist prize at Amsterdam’s 2023 Keep an Eye International Jazz Award.
• Kevin Sun (tenor saxophone) A virtuosic improviser and prolific bandleader with more than eight albums to his name, his presence is also a reminder that, as any point, there are at least ten saxophonists in Brooklyn you've never heard of playing at a higher level than almost anyone else in the world.
• Hamish Smith (bass) Hailing from New Zealand, Smith's rhythmically robust craft is highly in demand; he has recently been swept up by the Paquito D’Rivera Quintet.

The quartet focuses primarily on Rueckert’s original compositions - some freshly written, others reimagined from his six prior releases, but Rueckert also makes sure to throw in a few nuggets of jazz history each night.

Besides his own projects, Rueckert is widely known as a sideman, with long-running roles in Marc Copland’s trio (12 years), Nils Wogram’s Root 70, and recent work with Melissa Aldana and Fred Hersch.

He has performed on stages worldwide - including at the Village Vanguard, which, in the end, is the one he really cares about.

for booking please contact Jochen directly jochenrueckertdrums [at] gmail.com

jochenrueckert.net

Instagram.com/jochenrueckertjazz