A “reimagination” of Kurt Weill songs provides the basis of the latest album from Julia Hülsmann also featuring originals by the German jazz pianist joined by her bassist husband Marc Muellbauer, trumpeter Tom Arthurs, drummer Heinrich Köbberling and singer Theo Bleckmann.

To be released by ECM on 9 March [that’s the updated UK release date] tracks are ‘Mack the Knife’, ‘Alabama Song’, ‘Your Technique’, ‘September Song’, ‘This Is New’, ‘River Chanty’, ‘A Clear Midnight’, ‘A Noiseless Patient Spider’, ‘Beat! Beat! Drums!’, ‘Little Tin God’,’ Speak Low’, and’ Great Big Sky.’

Julia Hülsmann was born in 1968 in Bonn, forming her first band while still a teen. After playing in the national jazz youth orchestra the Bundesjugendjazzorchestra she began to make her own albums going on to collaborate with singers Roger Cicero and Rebekka Bakken.

Her most recent album reviewed in Marlbank was the excellent In Full View a baker’s dozen of tracks mostly written by Julia Hülsmann and Muellbauer, also featuring Arthurs and a highlight of which was ‘Sealion’, the song also known as ‘See Line Woman’ made famous by Nina Simone and covered by Canadian indie folk singer/songwriter Feist.

Theo Bleckmann above and Julia Hülsmann photo: Volker Beushausen / ECM updated 27/2 with new video