Christian Lillinger was born 1984 in Lübben and is a drummer, composer and representative of the modern creative style and new improvisational music. From 2000 to 2004 Lillinger studied at the University of Music Carl Maria von Weber at Dresden. He plays in the trio Gropper | Graupe | Lillinger, with the saxophonist Philipp Gropper and the guitarist Ronny Graupe.
In 2008, he arranged his first band Christian Lillingers Grund, whose first first two records were released in late 2009 and 2013. Since 2004 Lillinger has been working in the EUPHORIUM, the Ensemble of Contemporary Performing Arts and Music. Since 2009 he founded several projects and bands in which Lillinger collaborated with numerous well-known artists. Christian Lillinger published different albums in cooperation with other musicians and international jazz lables.
Elias Stemeseder is a pianist, keyboard instrumentalist, electronic musician and composer with an interest in synthesizing musical thought, discipline and tools from diverse time periods and geographic origins to create original sonic ordering principles. Performing on historic and contemporary (keyboard-) instruments, Stemeseder is part of the ensembles Stemeseder-Lillinger, Neon Dilemma, WRENS and the Elias Stemeseder Trio. He also works alongside luminaries such as Anna Webber, Adam O’Farrill, Craig Taborn, Ingrid Laubrock, Thomas Morgan and Peter Evans, performs as a soloist, and is a recording artist for Intakt Records.
Fearless percussionist Shakoor Hakeem, a prolific up-and-coming talent, has a gift for making experimental, Afro-diasporan, rhythmic improvisational music immediately enjoyable. Hakeem's unique old soul has him adhering to the cultural traditions of mysticism and folklore, within which are contained the secrets of his elders. The mythical experience of his stage presence evokes feelings that you are witness to a ceremonial gathering, of an ancient rhythmic history. In building this, he has long supported many of the most forward-thinking legendary improvisers, including Graham Haynes, Immanual Wilkins, Joel Ross, Adam Rudolph, Bobby Zankel and Wallace Roney. Performing live with these great artists, he refrains from overplaying and prefers minimalism, playing with the musical and compositional contexts of colors and texture, delivering limited solos, all while occupying the eye of the hurricane.