Akvariet Trio - Cosmos (2022)

Is a Berlin based jazz Trio with Wieland Möller, drums and percussion, Rieko Okuda, piano, and Antti Virtaranta, bass. Spontaneous, free and honest is the character of the music, while at the same time is embedded with composition to structure the shape of the music. Characteristics of the trio’s music is, catchy lyrical melodies that float on top of complex swirling rhythms, being contrasted by wild and abstract sound scapes. As a group the trio expanded to different colors of music out of purely Jazz. The roles of the instruments and the deconstruction of the pieces led to a development of new compositions which can be described as more fluid and less narrative.The newer compositions are developed from a macrocosmos versus microcosmos. Specific Moods and colors are amplified and magnified. Zooming in on them focusses on the unconscious actions and raises the awareness towards them.Beyond the Akvariet Trio, the three musicians are involved in various other projects ranging from jazz, orchestral, experimental, theatre and contemporary dance projects.

The Akvariet Trio is deeply rooted in jazz and in free improvisation and presents music full of melodic beauty, rhythmic intensity and exuberant enthusiasm for playing. The unconventional variety of forms, bubbly rhythms and lyrically flowing tunes of their compositions reflect travel experiences, meeting people, landscape impressions and dreams. Brief sound stories in the form of free improvisations are about crazy anecdotes spluttering out of everyday life’s permanent stream and providing our thinking with new inspirations.

Antti Virtaranta (Finland) is a Bassist and Composer. Currently based in Berlin, Antti is involved with many creative groups and projects. Coming from a Jazz and Rock background, he is emphasizing his work on improvisation and other creative collaborations. In Berlin, Antti performs Solo improvisations and works with a number of different groups.

Rieko Okuda (Japan) began with Classical music from the age of 3, in Japan. Later then moved to USA to study and learn Jazz music. She fell right into the Jazz scene in America performing with some of the great American Free Jazz musicians (Marshall Allen, Elliott Levin, Calvin Weston etc.) She has performed in Festivals throughout her stay in the USA.

Wieland Moeller (Germany) is a Berlin based drummer, sound artist and performer in the field of jazz, improvised music and contemporary dance. Wieland studied drums at the Berklee College and the Rotterdams Conservatory. He released several records with ATOS (Trytone) and as a leader, the Trio record “Akvariet”. Now he is involved in the Akvariet Trio and Sander Baan Quartet among others.He has been guest at the Buenos Aires Jazz Festival, Reykjavik Dancefestival and North Sea Jazz Festival. Among others he shared stage with Klaas Hekman, Markus Stockhausen, Philipp Gropper, Tobias Delius, Christof Knoche und Horst Nonnenmacher.