Featured Release

Jakob Manz — Supernova – Live at Alte Oper Frankfurt

Album Overview

Recorded before an audience of 2,600 at Frankfurt’s Alte Oper, Supernova – Live at Alte Oper Frankfurt documents saxophonist Jakob Manz leading an expanded ensemble through a program that connects contemporary jazz, groove-based writing, and improvisation.

The January 2026 concert was part of Manz’s residency at the historic Frankfurt venue. For the occasion, he assembled the Supernova Band under the musical direction of keyboardist Ferdinand Schwartz, with additional appearances by bassist Kinga Głyk, pianist Michael Wollny, trombonist Nils Landgren, and vocalists Max Mutzke and Sarah Connor.

The album moves between large-ensemble passages and more intimate musical exchanges. Its repertoire includes Manz’s original compositions, music by his collaborators, and an interpretation of Horace Silver’s “Peace.” The arrangements allow the ensemble’s brass, woodwinds, and rhythm section to move between coordinated passages and individual improvisational voices.

Throughout the recording, Manz draws on his background in jazz, funk, and soul while giving space to the different musical identities of his guests. The result is a document of an artist working within a broader community of musicians, connecting generations and approaches through a shared performance.

From the album…

“Mr. M (Live)”

Composed by Swedish trombonist Nils Landgren, “Mr. M” brings together several of the musicians at the center of Supernova: Jakob Manz on alto saxophone, Landgren on trombone, Michael Wollny on piano, and Kinga Głyk on bass, alongside the Supernova Band.

The performance places Manz within a musical conversation with artists whose work has helped shape his own direction. Landgren’s composition provides the common material, while the expanded ensemble gives the musicians a setting for interaction across different instrumental voices.

As the album’s fifth selection, “Mr. M” offers a point of entry into the collaborative character of the Frankfurt concert, connecting the featured guests with the larger ensemble assembled for the evening.

Listen to the album

Recommended listening: Start with “Mr. M (Live)” to hear the interaction between Manz, Landgren, Wollny, and Głyk. Continue with “Peace” for the album’s interpretation of Horace Silver, then “Eyes of Crystals” for Manz’s opening statement and its musical acknowledgment of David Sanborn.

Album Details

Artist: Jakob Manz
Album: Supernova – Live at Alte Oper Frankfurt
Label: ACT Music
Catalog Number: ACT 8047-2 (CD)
Recording Date: January 27, 2026
Location: Großer Saal, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Germany

Personnel

Jakob Manz

• Jakob Manz — alto saxophone, recorder

The Jakob Manz Supernova Band

• Niko Zeidler — tenor saxophone, flute
• Maximilian Seibert — trumpet
• Jonathan Böbel — trombone
• Ferdinand Schwartz — keyboards, musical director
• Bruno Müller — guitar
• Thomas Stieger — bass
• Roland Peil — percussion
• Felix Lehrmann — drums

Special Guests

• Kinga Głyk — bass
• Max Mutzke — vocals
• Michael Wollny — piano
• Nils Landgren — trombone
• Sarah Connor — vocals

Recording / Production Details

Recorded live January 27, 2026, at Alte Oper Frankfurt as part of Jakob Manz’s Jazz Residency.

• Recording engineer: Dominik Arnold
• Musical direction and live arrangements: Ferdinand Schwartz
• Horn arrangements for “Forgotten World” and “Islands”: Jakob Manz
• Mixing and mastering: Emanuel Uch
• Photography: Markus Haner, except the photograph of Jakob Manz and Sarah Connor
• Cover artwork: Champagne Supernova (2025), Jinjoon Lee

Track Listing

1. Eyes of Crystals (Live) — 4:33
2. Islands (Live) — 6:08
3. Polygon (Live) — 5:34
4. Peace (Live) — 5:18
5. Mr. M (Live) — 7:00
6. Welt Hinter Glas (Live) — 5:48
7. Forgotten World (Live) — 6:46
8. Ich Wünsch Dir (Live) — 5:34

Total running time: Approximately 46 minutes, 36 seconds.