New Directions in Improvised Music

Consisting of founding members Frank Paul Schubert (alto & soprano saxophone) and Andreas Willers (guitar etc.) with Willi Kellers on drums and Christof Thewes on trombone the Berlin-based ensemble GRID MESH performs suspenseful, multi-dimensional improv music with a fascinating blend of acoustic and electric sounds. It’s an energetic, subtle and intelligent musical journey on which the development of ideas and cooperation of these master improvisers are as impressive as their individual mastery of a modern, biting jazz language. This shines effectively besides more abstract, lower key structures and bolder, quite archaic walls of sound that can even dip into irony. Thus a band sound is created that can truely be dubbed „21st century improv music“.

GRID MESH was founded in 2006 and released its debut CD „GRID MESH“ on Farai Records in 2007. Following concerts all over Germany, the UK, Austria, Rumania and after an US/Canadaian tour in 2009, their second CD was recorded for the Brtitish FMR label. In early 2010 drummer Willi Kellers replaced Rudi Fischerlehner. Since 2008 reknowned trombonist Johannes Bauer was a frequent guest with the trio, augmenting GRID MESH to a quartett in 2010. After Johannes untimely death in 2016 Grid Mesh continued to work with Christof Thewes. Festival appearances of the ensemble include Jazz & More Sibiu, Jazzfest Nordhausen, Hurta Cordel Madrid, JIG Lisbon and Free Jazz Saar.

Frank Paul Schubert

born in 1965, lives in Berlin since 1999. Besides his main project GRID MESH he works regularly with Matthias Müller, John Edwards, Mark Sanders, Paul Dunmall, Alexander von Schlippenbach. Since 2006 he is also working with drummer Günter Baby Sommer (CD: „HIC SUNT LEONES“ 2007; „Hic Sunt Leones’s power and finesse make it album of the year material.“, The Wire). He released several recordings on labels including Leo Records, NoBusiness Records, FMR, Creative Sources, gligg, JazzHausMusik, KONNEX, farai-NRW. Tours led him to Poland, Romania, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, Holland, England, USA and Canada. http://www.frankpaulschubert.de

Christof Thewes

Works as a trombone player in improvised music and free jazz with Alex v. Schlippenbach (Globe Unity), die Enttäuschung and has played with Evan Parker, Paul Lovens, Roger Turner and many more. Also works as a composer and arranger from new music to big band environments. Numerous releases, tours and awards, has works with literature/spoken word and theatre. http://www.christofthewes.de

Andreas Willers

Since his 1981 solo debut on Berlin’s FMP label Willers has gained a reputation as an exceptional guitarist with a rich stylistic background and impressive technical and tonal abilities carried by a great instinct for form and emotional power. Worked with international greats like Paul Bley, Louis Sclavis, David Murray, Dominique Pifarély, Gerry Hemingway or Jim Black as well as with known figures of the scene in Berlin like Conny, Johannes & Matthias Bauer, Matthias Schubert, Achim Kaufmann or Axel Dörner leading to more than 50 releases. Also works as a composer and performer  of New Music. Studied electric guitar and composition in Los Angeles and Hamburg, taught jazz guitar at the HfM Hanns Eisler in Berlin. Several awards, international festivals and tours. https://andreaswillers.de

Willi Kellers

studied music at the universities in Münster and Detmold, working as a composer for theatre music for the stages in Bochum, Köln, Hamburg, Basel and Vienna. Works in a duo with Peter Brötzmann since 1980, also led his own Workshop Band. Has performed with a lot of well-known figures of the European Free Jazz movement like Willem Breuker, Fred Frith, Harry Miller, Tony Oxley, Frank Wright, Phil Minton, Keith and Julie Tippetts, Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky and Barre Phillips. Traveled in most European countries, the USA, China and Sibiria. https://www.willikellers.de