DATSKAT

in this edition of datskat, we present the talented alto saxophonist braxton cook, an emmy award-winning artist and one of the most exciting voices of his generation. as a juilliard graduate, he became a member of christian scott's band and has also performed on tours with christian mcbride, jon batiste, marquis hill , and popular musicians such as rihanna and mac miller. in 2017, cook was hailed by fader as a "jazz prodigy." shortly thereafter, in 2018, ebony named him one of the top five jazz artists to watch (alongside robert glasper, kamasi washington, butcher brown, and kris bowers). as a bandleader, he has five albums to his credit, the most recent being who are you when no one is watching from 2023. at bimhuis, with his mix of genres and deeply emotional performances, he has carved out a unique position in the music world. whether playing solo or collaborating with other top artists, cook continues to surprise and inspire with his innovative approach to music.

wnbl, formerly known as wanubalé, is a collective of nine young musicians based in berlin and potsdam, who bring an unique blend of influences from electronic music, jazz and hiphop with a matchless energy onto the stage. their constantly evolving approach to music results in a blissful room capturing harmony of virtuously played music that makes everybody feel like dancing in the blink of an eye. with a brass section of four and a rhythm section that has two drummers their live sets guarantee for infectious playfulness, exciting improvisations and ecstatic beats.

peter somuah is a young, promising trumpeter hailing from accra, ghana and currently based in rotterdam. an impressive autodidact and virtuoso, he developed his warm, melancholic sound by listening endlessly to his trumpet heroes roy hargrove and miles davis. in his danceable grooves you can hear traces jazz, funk and traditional ghanaian music, sprinkled with a hint of electronic music. after his award winning debut album outer space, somuah releases his new album highlife in the fall 2024. highlife is a tribute to the ghanaian tradition of highlife music, showcasing its distinctive sound characterized by finger-picked guitar, groovy bass lines, percussive keyboard patterns, soulful brass melodies, and strong rhythmic emphasis. the album features highlife legends like pat thomas, gyedu-blay ambolley, and koo nimo, connecting ghana's older and younger generations of musicians. somuah blends highlife with jazz to create a unique "highlife jazz" sound that honors the genre's vintage roots while adding a modern twist. the album also explores social and political themes, addressing the lingering effects of colonialism and critiquing political corruption. despite its serious messages, the album remains lively and danceable, encouraging listeners to swing along.