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.
contemporary groove instrumental soul
