Image 01 credits: Thomas Kiehl

Jakob Manz

Saxophone

There are not many jazz musicians who have such a virtuoso command of their instrument as Jakob Manz, and whose playing sounds so unpretentious, clear, songful and soulful: ‘Jazz in ecstasy, an exceptional talent’, was the recent verdict of ZDF heute journal.

Accepted as a young student at the Stuttgart University of Music at the age of 15, Manz received numerous awards as a teenager. At the age of 19, his debut album ‘Natural Energy’ was released on the renowned jazz label ACT. This was followed by euphoric reactions from the media and the public, the Baden-Württemberg Jazz Prize, sold-out concerts - and now the jazz residency at the Alte Oper Frankfurt.

Jakob Manz is an exceptional talent in many respects: on his main instrument, the saxophone, he impresses with breathtaking virtuosity. Manz's playing draws much of its appeal from his inexhaustible wealth of melodies, which flow seamlessly from the composed themes into his ecstatic improvisations. And then there is this sound: clear and present in tone, but at the same time rich in nuance and warm. A great art, especially on the alto saxophone. And then there is Jakob Manz's extraordinary skill on the flute. There are videos showing Manz at the age of nine already performing breakneck improvisations on this not exactly typical jazz instrument. And to this day, it is the flute passages in particular that regularly amaze audiences at his concerts.
All of this means that Jakob Manz is already one of the most sought-after jazz musicians in Germany at the tender age of 20. He plays with stars such as Randy Brecker, Nils Landgren and Thomas Quasthoff, the WDR and SWR big bands and can regularly be seen on the country's biggest stages as a special guest in Sarah Connor's band.

Since the release of Natural Energy, Jakob Manz has played hundreds of concerts and performed at all relevant festivals during this time. This was followed in 2022 by the delicate, acoustic duo album ‘The Gallery Concerts I’ with pianist Johanna Summer, which shows Manz as an improviser of great depth and sensitivity. The album for the follow-up programme Cameo was released in 2025 and again let to many sold-out concert across Germany.

After the release of the rhythmically gripping album Groove Connection in 2023 with international genre greats such as Roberto Di Gioia, Per Lindvall, Tim Lefebvre and several others, "The Answer" (ACT Music) followed in 2024 with his regular formation The Jakob Manz Project.

For 2025/2026, German jazz rising star, saxophonist and flutist Jakob Manz was announced Artist in Residence at prestigious Alte Oper Frankfurt for 2025/2026. The residency will feature a number of concerts consisting not only of some of his most renown projects such as the duo with Johanna Summer and his band The Jakob Manz Project, but also contains concerts especially crafted for this occasion! Jakob Manz will present international top acts as well as international rising stars, including Dirty Loops, Max Mutzke, Michael Wollny, Kinga Glyk, Nesrine, Emma Rawicz, and Robinson Khoury amongst others. The fact that Manz has succeeded in bringing together all these exceptional musicians is in itself a sign of his special position in German jazz.

Projects

contemporary groove instrumental soul

The Jakob Manz Project
The Jakob Manz Project
Johanna Summer & Jakob Manz
Johanna Summer & Jakob Manz
Jakob Manz Groove Connection
Jakob Manz Groove Connection
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet
Jakob Manz European Jazz Night
Jakob Manz European Jazz Night
Jakob Manz Supernova
Jakob Manz Supernova

Calendar

2025

01 08
DE - Rottenburg am Neckar Jazz Open Air 2025
The Jakob Manz Project | Marktplatz
16 08
DE - Berlin Jakob Manz A-Trane Residency / Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet | A-Trane
17 08
DE - Berlin Jakob Manz A-Trane Residency / Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet | A-Trane
18 08
NL - Amsterdam
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet | Hilton Amsterdam
18 08
NL - Amsterdam Festival show
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet | Hilton Amsterdam
26 08
CH - Luzern Lucerne Festival - Debut um 12:15h
Jakob Manz & Johanna Summer | Lukaskirche
27 08
CH - Zürich
Jakob Manz & Johanna Summer | Kurer Möbel Kunst
28 08
DE - Bad Kissingen A very special summer evening with Sarah Connor
Jakob Manz | Flugplatz Bad Kissingen
29 08
DE - Bielefeld A very special summer evening with Sarah Connor
Jakob Manz | Ravensberger Park
31 08
DE - Gleichen Jazz ohne Gleichen Festival
The Jakob Manz Project | Jazz ohne Gleichen
05 09
DE - Duisburg Intermezzo-Konzerte
The Jakob Manz Project | intermezzo - Konzerte in der Lutherkirche
06 09
DE - Mainz
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet | Akut Festival
11 09
DE - Timmendorfer Strand A very special summer evening with Sarah Connor
Jakob Manz | Musik-Arena am Strand
17 09
DE - Frankfurt am Main Residency Jakob Manz Alte Oper Frankfurt / Fratopia Festival
Jakob Manz & Johanna Summer | Alte Oper Frankfurt
22 09
DE - Allensbach Club Show
The Jakob Manz Project | Gnadenkirche
23 09
DE - Dresden Club Show
The Jakob Manz Project | Parkhotel Dresden
24 09
DE - Berlin Club Show
The Jakob Manz Project | Gretchen
25 09
DE - Dortmund Club Show
The Jakob Manz Project | Domicil
26 09
DE - Hamburg Club Show
The Jakob Manz Project | Nica Jazz Club
27 09
DE - Plön jazzApart
The Jakob Manz Project | Alte Schwimmhalle am Schloss
30 09
GB - Surrey
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet | Watermill Jazz
03 10
DE - Einbeck
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet | Kultur im Esel e.V.
04 10
DE - Herdecke Jazz im Werner Richard Saal
The Jakob Manz Project | Werner Richard - Dr. Carl Dörken Stiftung
05 10
DE - Offenburg Club Show
The Jakob Manz Project | Reithalle im Kulturforum
08 10
DE - Bad Urach Herbstliche Musiktage Bad Urach
Jakob Manz & Johanna Summer | Dorfgemeinschaftshaus
10 10
DE - Hannover Club Show
Jakob Manz & Johanna Summer | Jazz Club Hannover
11 10
DE - Minden Club Show
Jakob Manz & Johanna Summer | Jazz Club Minden e.V.
24 10
SE -  Trollhättan Jazz Festival
The Jakob Manz Project | Trollhättan Jazz & Blues Festival
25 10
DE - Würzburg Jazzfestival Würzburg
The Jakob Manz Project | MozARTareal Würzburg
31 10
DE - Esslingen am Neckar Jazzfestival Esslingen
Jakob Manz & Johanna Summer | WLB Esslingen – Die Württembergische Landesbühne
02 11
NL - Nijmegen
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet | Festival Jazz International Nijmegen
13 11
DE - Elmau/Oberbayern Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic @ Schloss Elmau (kuratiert von Siggi Loch)
Jakob Manz & Johanna Summer | Schloss Elmau
14 11
DE - Elmau/Oberbayern Jakob Manz w/ Stockholm Underground // Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic @ Schloss Elmau (kuratiert von Siggi Loch)
Jakob Manz | Schloss Elmau
17 11
DE - Kassel Club Show
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet | Theaterstübchen
19 11
DE - Gauting
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet | Bosco
21 11
DE - Berlin Cannonball / Jazz at Berlin Phil
Jakob Manz | Berliner Philharmonie
22 11
DE - Heidelberg
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet | Jazzclub Heidelberg - Vereinigung für improvisierte Musik e.V.
22 11
DE - Frankfurt am Main Residency Jakob Manz Alte Oper Frankfurt / The Jakob Manz Project feat. Matthias Schriefl
The Jakob Manz Project | Alte Oper Frankfurt / Mozart Saal
26 11
AT - Bleiburg Club Show
The Jakob Manz Project | Brauhaus Breznik
28 11
DE - Düren Club Show
The Jakob Manz Project | Fabrik für Kultur und Stadtteil
01 12
SE - Göteborg Theatre show
Jakob Manz Groove Connection | Göteborgs Konserthus

2026

10 01
DE - Reutlingen Club Show
The Jakob Manz Project | Kulturzentrum franz.K
27 01
DE - Frankfurt am Main Residency Jakob Manz Alte Oper - Großer Saal
Jakob Manz Supernova | Alte Oper Frankfurt
13 02
DE - Mannheim
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet | Ella & Louis
21 02
DE - Merzhausen
Jakob Manz & Johanna Summer | FORUM Merzhausen
27 02
DE - Kassel
Jakob Manz European Jazz Night | Anthroposophisches Zentrum Kassel e.V.
28 02
DE - Köln Jakob Manz Young European Jazz Night
Jakob Manz European Jazz Night | Kölner Philharmonie
01 03
DE - Frankfurt am Main Residency Jakob Manz Alte Oper Frankfurt
Jakob Manz European Jazz Night | Alte Oper Frankfurt / Mozart Saal
07 03
DE - Lüneburg IG Lüneburg
Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet | Musikschule Lüneburg
13 03
DE - Kiel Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | Wunderino Arena
14 03
DE - Berlin Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | Uber Arena
15 03
DE - Hamburg Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | Barclays Arena
17 03
DE - Bremen Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | ÖVB-Arena
18 03
DE - Leipzig Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | QUARTERBACK Immobilien ARENA
20 03
DE - Erfurt Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | Messe Erfurt
21 03
DE - Frankfurt am Main Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | Festhalle Messe Frankfurt
22 03
DE - Oberhausen Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | Rudolf Weber Arena
24 03
DE - Stuttgart Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | Porsche-Arena
25 03
DE - Köln Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | Lanxess Arena
26 03
DE - Hannover Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | ZAG Arena
28 03
AT - Wien Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | Wiener Stadthalle
29 03
DE - München Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | Olympiahalle
30 03
CH - Zürich Sarah Connor Tour 2026
Jakob Manz | Hallenstadion Zürich
show more

Contact

Patrick Weißenfels

Booking Agent

Lena Werner

Production Manager