Accordion Affairs

Trio or quartet? Both are true for Accordion Affairs. Accordionist and pianist Jörg Siebenhaar, bass player Konstantin Wienstroer and drummer Peter Baumgärtner may be three musicians, but they play four instruments. Sitting at the piano, Siebenhaar usually plays the accordion with his right hand and the piano simultaneously with his left. This gives the band a very special, unique sound and considerably expands the way arrangements and improvisation can be used – accordion and piano become one! The ensemble develops an extraordinary dynamic from almost whispered to extremely voluminous sounds, expressive or ultra-cool. Not tied to only one genre, the programme ranges from world music to original compositions to interpretations of pieces by the great accordionist Richard Galliano and guitarist John Scofield and from Bach to the Beatles. Accordion Affairs play with casual virtuosity and are full of joie de vivre.

Pianist and accordionist Jörg Siebenhaar, who is visually impaired, is a sought-after composer, stage and studio musician who has taken part in numerous theatre and television productions. He has worked on national and international stages with well-known artists such as Greetje Kauffeld, Bobby Hebb, Inga Lühning and Desirée Nick.

Konstantin Wienstroer was awarded the Folkwang prize in the category jazz. Working with musicians such as Lulo Reinhardt, Bobby Hebb, Ziroli Winterstein, Hazy Osterwald and Stefan Krachten, he has repeatedly demonstrated his musical versatility. He has regularly toured the USA, Japan, Switzerland and Great Britain.

The experienced jazz musician Peter Baumgärtner has already worked with many renowned musicians such as Silvia Droste, Klaus Osterloh, John Goldsby, Jon Davis, Axel Fischbacher and ensemble members of the WDR Big Band and has been part of numerous studio, radio and TV productions. He is a founding member of the association “Jazz in Düsseldorf e.V.” (Jazz Schmiede) as well as founder, organiser and artistic director of the Hildener Jazztage.

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The press says:

“The musicians play with splendid subtlety. Siebenhaar’s multitasking is fabulous, Wienstroer’s bass sounds like your best friend who is there when you need him. And Baumgärtner elicits from his drums not only a marvellous sound, but even an aroma.” (Rheinische Post)