Concerts

Press comments about outstanding stage appearances of the orchestra (extracts):

They are brilliant interpreters of Tito Puente’s Latin jazz classic “Mambo” and of the sound of the sixties with trumpet guru Maynard Ferguson’s “Spinning Wheel”. Excellent solo artists, stirring arrangements and technical perfection — it’s not surprising that Kicks & Sticks has achieved an enormous reputation worldwide. Conclusion: a fantastic evening and the question how will this sound at the 25th birthday. 
Wiesbadener Kurier

The genre-spanning programme offered the opportunity to prove their skills in different varieties of jazz such as Latin, jazz rock, soul jazz and the diverse characteristics of classic and modern big band sounds. The orchestra and its guests presented inspired versions of classics as well as some compositions by the guest stars in a powerful, groovy, but also very disciplined and discreet manner. Standing ovations were the well-earned reward for a super jubilee concert. 
Offenbach Post

CD releases, specially commissioned compositions by American notables, spectacular guest soloists, worldwide tours and plentiful service activities of a practical university with enormous dedication for the new bloods: these are the milestones on their way to a musical career. The reward: joy at the sensuality of the tones and of the physical drive of swing. And at a concert like this. The band sounded absolutely professional and together with the soloists also wonderfully balanced, precise and compactly sensible. 
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

With this great big band big fun is guaranteed. 
Wiesbadener Kurier

What the young big band musicians submitted was perfect in interplay and coordination. 
Frankfurter Rundschau

Best and intoxicating big band entertainment — swinging, precise with elegant lightness. Clear, bright brass parts, splendid, sophisticated solos and terrific control even in most difficult time changes, exact playing and obvious and spreading joy on playing made the concert a real pleasure. 
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung – Rhein-Main-Zeitung

Particularly with its dynamic range and ability to adapt the different sceneries atmospherically, the orchestra proved at all times precise acting and competent swinging with a lot of feeling. When playing “Rotten Kid” by Buddy Rich, the trumpet section always made it clear: This is a lot of fun. 
Frankfurter Rundschau

Young, dynamic, full of energy and first of all not to miss. Besides the classical titles, most notable were the compositions that had been specially re-written in modern arrangements for the orchestra.
Frankfurter Rundschau

According to opinions from experts, the orchestra’s musicality, virtuosity, discipline and its feeling for the originally black unscripted music meanwhile secure the band a position in the European comparison. Their tours are filling halls in Germany and abroad, with their concert at the Frankfurt Jazz Festival and their CD
Kicks and Sticks
, the young jazz players are playing on an international level thereby easily handling different styles from classical swing (Count Basie or Duke Ellington) to jazz rock titles. 
Offenbach Post

Wolfgang Diefenbach has created an ensemble that is not only skilled in a smoothed orchestra sound based on Woody Herman’s style. Albert Mangelsdorff obviously enjoyed being accompanied by this powerful swinging and dynamically sophisticated orchestra with its exact rhythmically cue.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

Variety has become a characteristic, modern sound with many facets, exact and elaborated in detail. The versions are characterized by a never ending variety. There is a future for jazz. Albert Mangelsdorff played his solos, the speaking trombone, excursions to the surreal. And everything embedded in a powerful swinging sound. A virtuoso concert. 
Frankfurter Neue Presse

Whether Basie-style or modern jazz, the orchestra created out of everything with perfect intonation pungent rhythms, fluent drive or disarming sounds and let off steam in groovy arranged techno pop. Perfect tones and musical drive could be felt in an environment full of suspense. 
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

Dynamically indicated directions in a monolithic system, razor sharp cues and breaks, aligned tutti, a great chorus and perfected solos. The band can be especially proud of its presentation of the complicated “Mean What You Say” by Thad Jones, that even demands the highest standards from professional orchestras. 
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

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