Florian Hoefner Trio
December 7 & 8 @ 8:00 PM

Florian Hoefner - Piano
Andrew Downing - Bass
Nick Fraser - Drums

Born and raised in Germany, trained in New York City and now based in Canada, Juno-award-winning jazz pianist and composer, Florian Hoefner, draws from a myriad of influences that cumulate in his unique brand of modern jazz. Praised as a “composer-bandleader of insightful resolve” by the New York Times and a “harmonically daring pianist […] reaching toward new sonic territory” by Downbeat Magazine, Florian Hoefner has made his mark as an inventive creator and performer of exciting contemporary Jazz. With his quartet, the Florian Hoefner Group, he has released 3 albums on Origin Records that have received rave reviews around the globe. “Luminosity,” their latest release that features tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, has been described as a “starkly picturesque album ... that makes profound statements from quiet moments” by Downbeat and as a “total experience” by the New York Jazz Record. It has been nominated as Jazz Recording of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards 2017. The Group also received the Stingray Rising Star Award after their performance at the Montréal Jazz Festival 2015. Its busy touring scheduled has taken the group to North America, Europe and Australia so far, including a celebrated performance at the Melbourne Jazz Festival 2019. His work with the German group Subtone and as a sideman has led to numerous additional CD releases including a collaboration with guitarist, Kurt Rosenwinkel on Fresh Sounds Records. He has shared the stage with Norma Winstone, Jerry Bergonzi, Joe LaBarbera, Linda Oh, Laila Biali, John Hollenbeck and many others. Since 2018, Hoefner has been working with his new Canadian trio with Andrew Downing on bass and Nick Fraser on drums. Their award-winning debut album “First Spring,” was released in September 2019 on Alma Records / Universal. The album that focuses on Hoefner’s arrangements of folk tunes from around the world was nominated for a 2021 Juno Award in the category Jazz Album of the Year: Group and won “Instrumental Recording of the Year” and “Jazz Recording of the Year” at the 2020 East Coast Music Awards in Atlantic Canada. Now the three are presenting their follow-up album, “Desert Bloom” (release: June 3rd 2022, Alma Records). The new program includes 7 new original compositions that showcase Hoefner’s hallmark lyricism and knack for suspenseful dramaturgy, and 2 new arrangements of pieces out of the contemporary Indie Rock and Bluegrass world. The album has earned a 2023 Juno (“Canadian Grammy”) Award for Jazz Album of the Year (Group).