Dance on the vulcano

June 6, 2008 Domicil/Dortmund





Matthias Schubert - tenor saxophone
Hans-Joachim Hessler - piano, keyboard
Klaus Wallmeier - drums, percussion, voice

»Dance on the vulcano« was extended here...

...with Techno & Heavy Metal...















...with Oriental & Cuban sounds ...















...and with South African sounds.

Mirror in the mirror

July 6, 2009 Traumzeit/Duisburg






Matthias Schubert - tenor saxophone
Hans-Joachim Hessler - piano, keyboard, percussion

»Hardly anyone knows that Michael Ende, the terrific creator of the Neverending Story, also wrote texts for adults - for example his prose volume The Mirror in the Mirror, a series of absurd and surreal reflections that turn our usual perceptions upside down. The idea of mirroring also fascinated the composer and pianist Joachim Hessler - after all, mirrorings, reversings and canons have been well-known musical techniques ever since the middle ages. Hessler mirrors four narrations of Ende's work with musical refinement and connects composed and free passages so elaborately that the Berlin tenor Matthias Schubert, who considering his amazing scope belongs to the strongest saxophone players of Germany, can play out his entire emotionality. A dazzling reflex which, illuminated by Ende, surpasses by far usual expectations« (program leaflet).

»Hessler & Schubert reaped enthusiasm«
(Rheinische Post dated July 07, 2009).

Canción del Emperador

September 25, 2009 HolzDesign/Moers









Bettina Rutsch - dance
Thorsten Toepp - guitar, electronic
Hans-Joachim Hessler - piano, keyboard, percussion

»Renaissance music and the sounds of machines coupled with a dance performance in an impressive space. [...] Three artists, the female dancer Bettina Rutsch, the pianist Hans-Joachim Hessler and the guitar player Thorsten Toepp dared to stage a confrontation of extremes to the sounds of Canción del Emperador. [...] The result of the evening: refreshingly different, impressive for all people present, needs to be repeated« (TOP Magazine).

Hessler Quartet feat. Tim Isfort

November 16, 2010 HundertMeister/Duisburg












Frank Bergmann - tenor saxophone
Hans-Joachim Hessler - piano, keyboard
Tim Isford - double bass, electronic
Oliver Birk - drums

»Joachim Hessler's improvisations on narrations of Michael Ende were the surprise-hit at the Traumzeitfestival 09. Of course, and exclusively for the HundertMeister, keyboarder Heßler places Traumzeit-chief Tim Isfort on stage together with him! An intoxicating program with associations to Jazz, Flamenco, Tango and especially with great wit« (T. Toepp)