Feature by the ARD Radio Festival 2026 on 40 Years of LOFT
Published: 11 September 2026 – Odilo Clausnitzer

https://www.ard.de/ardkultur/musik/jazz/stories/das-herz-der-szene-40-jahre-loft-in-koeln,das-herz-der-szene-40-jahre-loft-in-koeln-100.html

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Without the LOFT, the history of German jazz would have taken a different course: countless national and international jazz greats have performed here in a living-room atmosphere. Careers have begun here, such as those of Nils Wogram and Frank Gratkowski. From the very beginning, uncompromisingly experimental music also found a home here.

With often more than 200 concerts a year, the LOFT is the beating heart of the Cologne jazz scene. It is run single-handedly by Urs Benedikt Müller, son of founder Hans-Martin Müller. Both have their say in the programme, alongside plenty of music from the LOFT’s orbit.