Subtone stands in the forefront of today’s young innovative Jazz ensembles.
Founded in 2005 in Berlin, its members now live on both sides of the Atlantic, in St.
John’s, NL, Berlin and Cologne. Through innumerable concerts at home and abroad,
as well as appearances at festivals like the Bohemia Jazz Fest in the Czech
Republic and Jazz Baltica in Salzau, Germany, Subtone quickly established
themselves as one of the most sought-after jazz ensembles in Europe. After three
acclaimed albums, in early 2014 Subtone released their 4th album “Roswitha’s
Revenge” on Laika Records.
The individual members are all accomplished performers. Collectively, they have won
prestigious awards like the US National Trumpet Competition (Magnus Schriefl),
the Bass Competition of the International Bass Convention (Matthias Pichler)
and the Stingray Rising Star Award (Florian Hoefner) and have collaborated with
artists and groups like the Kurt Rosenwinkel Trio, Seamus Blake, Joe Lovano, Dave
Liebman and Randy Brecker. As a group, Subtone is also the winner of the Jury and
Audience Award of the International Jazz Competition “Tremplin Jazz d’Avignon” in
France.
With their own imaginative compositions, the five artists offer an inexhaustible
selection, from the voluminous big-band sound to a bare-essential chamber music
approach. In addition to the apparent mastery over their instruments, it is above all
the implicitness with which they communicate that is so striking.
What makes Subtone stand out from other ensembles is the impressive artistic
connection among the five musicians. The listener perceives this intense
communication and fundamental understanding among all members of the band in
the very first notes.

MAGNUS SCHRIEFL – trumpet, flugelhorn
MALTE DÜRRSCHNABEL – woodwinds
JOHN SCHROEDER– piano
MATTHIAS PICHLER – bass
PETER GALL – drums