The Jungle jazz band

The Jungle Jazz Band is a traditional jazz band formed by six young international musicians based in Berlin. They all share a passion for the oldest jazz, born in New Orleans in the early 20 th century.

The Jungle is known throughout the European swing dance and traditional jazz communities for offering some of the best hot jazz in the scene. They often collaborate with renowned New Orleans musicians including Meschiya Lake, Russell Welch, and Joseph Faison.

The band resurrects the original rough and powerful sound of the early jazz era, when music was meant to be hot, entertaining and danceable. Drawing from great composers like Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Louis Armstrong's hot five, Bix Beiderbecke, and Sidney Bechet, the band delivers fresh interpretations and thrilling arrangements, exciting all kinds of audiences from dancers, to jazz connoisseurs and party crowds.

Laurent Humeau

Laurent started playing guitar at an early age with his father, fell in love with the music of New Orleans and taught himself soprano saxophone and clarinet. Today it is the trumpet with which he continues to develop his musicality.

Eldar Tsalikov

Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Vocals, This young talent, who comes from a family of musicians and was awarded by the Jazz Institute Berlin in 2014, studied Alto Saxophone and Clarinet, both in classical and jazz music. He quickly became an active member of the jazz and swing scene in Berlin, expanding his virtuosity in all kinds of genres.

Carlos Santana

Trombone, Piano, Vocals, Classically trained on piano as a child, this self-taught multi-instrumentalist brings the works of Jelly Roll Morton and Kid Ory back to life, traveling back and forth from New Orleans to Berlin and throughout Europe, playing the hottest jazz on both piano and trombone.

Thomas Dekas

A native of South Tyrol, he began playing the guitar at a young age. He is a dynamic multi-talent and plays both gypsy jazz guitar and tenor banjo. His musical influences are an asset to the band and he makes the rhythm section rock solid. Thomas can play from the sweetest to the rawest hot jazz, always surrounded by the warmth of southern sunsets.

Ben Lehmann

Born and raised in Berlin, Ben has been a very active member in various music scenes. Coming from a musical family, he brings his talents to both the swing and modern jazz worlds with ease and a smile.

François Perdriau

Multi-instrumentalist, Taught in the beginning by a traditional master drummer in Mali, and inspired by the very first great jazz drummer Baby Dodds, François brings the origins of drumming back into the band with the original instrumentation of bass drum, snare, cymbals, wood block and bell.