A Session Built on Musical Trust
Inspired by classic recordings such as Kind of Blue, the session became an exploration of musical trust — placing experienced improvisers in an environment where instinct, communication and creativity could lead the music.
Bringing Together the Right Musicians
Following studies in both classical music and jazz, Wolfgang has spent more than twenty-five years performing, composing and teaching jazz improvisation, ensemble playing and music theory. For this recording, he assembled an exceptional quartet of musicians who share a deep understanding of musical conversation. The ensemble featured Wolfgang Obert on tenor saxophone, Christoph Spangenberg on piano, Seb Gieck on double bass and Julian Külpmann on drums, with special guest Tony Potts joining the group for a live performance of Everyday I Have The Blues. Although the music spans contemporary jazz, blues, funk, Latin influences and hip-hop inspired grooves, every composition shares the same philosophy: leave room for discovery.
Recording the Performance
The studio was configured to allow every musician to perform together while maintaining uninterrupted eye contact throughout the session. Carefully planned room placement provided the acoustic separation needed for professional multitrack recording without sacrificing the subtle visual communication that is so important in improvised music. Rather than eliminating every trace of acoustic spill between instruments, the recording embraced the natural ambience created when musicians perform together in the same space. Small amounts of carefully controlled bleed contributed to the depth, realism and three-dimensional sound that many listeners associate with classic jazz recordings. Throughout the day, the quartet consistently captured complete performances within just a handful of takes. Musical ideas developed naturally, with each player responding instinctively to the others. Even after many hours in the studio, the intensity of listening never diminished, resulting in performances that remained fresh from beginning to end. For the album's only vocal performance, Everyday I Have The Blues, soul singer Tony Potts joined the quartet from the control room. While remaining acoustically isolated, he maintained direct sightlines with every musician, allowing the performance to unfold with the same sense of interaction as the instrumental recordings.
Filming the Session
The entire session was simultaneously documented on film by videographer Isabelle Schmitz, capturing both the performances and the collaborative atmosphere that developed throughout the day.
Music That Draws from Many Traditions
While Everyday I Have The Blues pays tribute to the jazz and blues tradition, the remainder of the album presents Wolfgang Obert's original compositions. Pieces such as Herbie's In Da House, Jump Max and White Dilla reveal influences from funk and hip-hop, while Puerto Sherry Blues and Trixies Tricks explore blues and swing. Elsewhere, Latin rhythms and contemporary jazz harmonies broaden the album's musical landscape, creating a programme that feels both rooted in tradition and unmistakably modern. Throughout every composition, the emphasis remains on interaction rather than perfection — capturing musicians creating music together in the moment.
Production
The album was recorded as a live tracking session at Hot Milk Studio in Berlin using our hybrid recording and mixing workflow. Following the recording sessions, the project was edited, mixed and mastered entirely in-house. At the time of writing, the completed album is scheduled for release in autumn 2026.
Track Listing
Everyday I Have The Blues (featuring Tony Potts) · Herbie's In Da House · Insomnia · Jump Max · Kids Can · La meuse geule · No Complaints · Palomares · Pick Me Up · Puerto Sherry Blues · Trixies Tricks · White Dilla
The Result
Whether recording a straight-ahead jazz quartet, contemporary European jazz or projects that draw from multiple musical traditions, our goal remains the same: to create an environment where musicians can perform together naturally while every nuance of the performance is captured with clarity, depth and musicality.