Koro Kurt, the new recording project by Koro Almost Brass released by Caligola Records, has been available since 21 January. After the debut album dedicated to Thelonious Monk, the quintet continues its exploration of major twentieth‑century composers, this time focusing on the music of Kurt Weill (Dessau 1900 – New York 1950), a central figure in the development of a language capable of bridging classical tradition, musical theatre and popular roots.
Koro Almost Brass is an unconventional ensemble, particularly within the jazz world. Inspired by the classical brass quintet, the group distinguishes itself through the presence of Cristiano Arcelli’s alto saxophone in place of the second trumpet. Arcelli also signs the arrangements, joined by Fulvio Sigurtà (trumpet, flugelhorn), Massimo Morganti (trombone), Giovanni Hoffer (French horn) and Glauco Benedetti (tuba): five musicians of strong individual character who create a compact and remarkably flexible ensemble sound.
Koro Kurt stems from the group’s desire to build a bridge between jazz — the art of improvisation — and fully written classical music. Weill’s musical universe, positioned at the crossroads between Europe and the United States, between Broadway and contemporary music, offers an ideal terrain for this exploration. After composing some of his masterpieces in Germany and spending a brief period in France, Weill settled in the United States in 1935, integrating jazz elements into his writing and shaping a language that was accessible, modern and deeply theatrical. Many of his songs have since become true standards of the jazz repertoire.
The album features six well‑known works by Weill — four from his American period, from September Song (1938) to Lost in the Stars (1949), one from his French years (Youkali), and one from his German period, the celebrated Mack the Knife from The Threepenny Opera (1928) — alongside six original compositions. Three of these are written by Cristiano Arcelli, inspired by Weill’s style; the remaining three were commissioned from composers Stefano Bellon, Roberto Martinelli and Mauro Montalbetti, following a practice borrowed from the classical music world.
The project’s sound quality is enhanced by the acoustic direction of Marti Jane Robertson. Koro Kurt was produced with the support of Nuovo IMAIE, and was selected among the winners of the 2024/2025 call for new recording productions.
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Information drawn from the press release and official materials provided by Caligola Records.