Some projects can seem like haut cuisine recipes: the long list of ingredients alone can have chefs quaking in their boots. But then again, the mere thought of the delights to come can set the mouth watering … Sebastian Krol and Rüdiger Ruppert, the two organizers of the Big Band of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, can easily bear comparison with any visionary culinary artist. To keep the metaphor going – gospel, blues, soul, jazz, funk, disco and hip-hop are all flavours of music that blend very closely together. Even though these musical styles come from the most diverse range of environments and eras, they are characterized by their similarities in groove, brass sections, wide range of distinctive voices, and in their harmonic relationships.