BLAKE / BEYER / KOOLE / HERTENSTEIN

Daniel Blake – saxophone

Kriton Beyer – daxophone

Matthias Koole – guitar

Joe Hertenstein – drums

Bringing together four distinctive voices from the fields of free improvisation and experimental music, this international quartet explores sound as an open and collective process. Saxophonist Daniel Blake, daxophonist Kriton Beyer, guitarist Matthias Koole, and drummer Joe Hertenstein meet in a setting where extended techniques, timbral exploration, and spontaneous interaction take precedence over fixed forms and stylistic boundaries. Drawing on diverse backgrounds in improvised music, contemporary composition, and sonic experimentation, the quartet creates music that is at once intimate, unpredictable, and deeply attentive to the possibilities of the moment.

Daniel Blake is an American saxophonist, composer, and improviser active across free improvisation, experimental music, and contemporary jazz. His work is distinguished by a highly responsive and exploratory approach to sound and collaboration. He has performed internationally with artists including Anthony Braxton and Esperanza Spalding, developing a distinctive voice that combines lyricism, abstraction, and sonic curiosity.

https://danielblake.net/

Kriton Beyer is a Greek-German Berlin-based musician, composer, and improviser specializing in the daxophone, the unique friction-driven instrument invented by Hans Reichel. Active internationally in experimental and improvised music, he explores the instrument’s rich spectrum of vocal-like sounds and timbral possibilities through solo performances and collaborations with musicians, dancers, filmmakers, and visual artists.

http://www.kritonbeyer.com/

Matthias Koole is a Brazilian guitarist and improviser whose work focuses on the intersection of free improvisation, contemporary music, and electroacoustic experimentation. Originally from Belgium and based in Berlin, he is known for his detailed attention to texture, resonance, and extended guitar techniques. His collaborative practice spans numerous ensembles and interdisciplinary projects throughout Europe.

https://matthiaskoole.com/

Joe Hertenstein is a German drummer, composer, and improviser recognized for his nuanced, highly interactive approach to percussion. A central figure in Berlin’s improvised music scene, he has collaborated with numerous leading international improvisers and composers. His playing combines rhythmic sensitivity, textural depth, and an openness that makes him a sought-after collaborator in experimental music contexts.

https://www.joehertenstein.com/