Having built an impressive following on the back of live performances and social media, Berlin’s Moses Yoofee Trio shared their impatiently awaited debut mini-album Ocean in November 2023. Released by Nils Frahm’s LEITER label, it contains five tracks and was praised by the press and audiences alike. The trio – awarded the German Jazz Prize for Live Act of the Year in 2024 – responded to constant demand last year by releasing their acclaimed debut as a limited-edition vinyl. After the first pressing sold out in no time, the three are now following up: Ocean is once again available on vinyl – now in select record stores, on Bandcamp, and via the LEITER store.
 
The trio – pianist/keyboardist/producer Moses Yoofee, bassist Roman Klobe-Barangă and drummer Noah Fürbringer – has lit up Europe’s clubs and venues over recent years with astonishing, almost obscenely tight live shows. Turning as much to RnB, hip hop and soul as more traditional jazz sources, the tunes on Ocean reflect the spontaneity, inspiration and instinctive refinement of their performances. The deliciously frantic title track and increasingly ecstatic ‘Minor Issues’ stand in stark contrast to ‘At Ease’’s restrained complexity, while ‘Fragile’’s hypnotic rhythm betrays their love of hip-hop and the lush ‘Richmond’ is driven by a deliciously low-strung groove before shifting up a gear for its climax. “Everybody loves fusion,” the band agree, “even if they don’t admit it,” but that’s only one element of the trio’s sophisticated style, with Moses’ exceptional keyboard skills illuminated by Roman’s fluid bass lines and Noah’s eloquent drum patterns.
 
This summer and fall, the trio returns to the stage with a packed live schedule, including headline shows and appearances at major festivals such as Blue Note Festival New York and Montreux Jazz. First dates in Japan have also been announced, with more shows across Europe to follow.

The trio also released their first full-length LP: MYT, released in February, entered the Top 100 of the German album charts as an instrumental jazz record. Work on new material is already underway.