The fascination of opposites Famous classical melodies combined with hot Cuban rhythms: The Klazzbrothers featuring Cuba Percussion get Mozart & Co swinging. The spontaneous improvisations and hot drum solos by these musicians are the purest rejuvenation for any Mozart, Brahms, Beethoven, Schubert or Bach - and a sensation at every concert!   Classic meets Cuba It all started in Havana, in the heart of Cuba. Chance would have it that the three Klazzbrothers from Germany, on their first tour in Cuba with the Dresden Philharmonic, came across two outstanding Cuban percussionists, and got out their instruments during a spontaneous meeting. And then something strange happened: The musicians, deeply rooted in their very different traditions of music, intuitively found a common musical language as if it were the most natural thing in the world. A new sound was created here, a unique combination of classical European music tradition, with the elements of swing and Latin jazz and the sheer endless diversity of Cuban rhythms. It was one of those magical moments, when something just - clicks. The crowd that happened to witness this breathtaking session, went wild with enthusiasm. It was the beginning of a prolific cooperation, the results of which are recorded on this CD. It is not a commercial conglomeration of different styles that was created here, but a spontaneous interaction of highly-gifted musicians from different cultural environments complementing each other in a mysterious and fantastic way.   Classic Classical music goes jazz. This by no means involves the Klazzbrothers putting revered old classical masters in a jazzy sort of straitjacket. Their music 'swings' without denying its classical roots. It is no coincidence that all three musicians have an excellent classical training behind them. For Kilian Forster and Tobias Forster, it was the early encounter with Leonard Bernstein, who often invited the brothers to work with him, that turned out to be a crucial experience. Today Kilian is solo bassist with the Dresden Philharmonic. The classical soloist, jazz musician, composer and conductor has long stopped distinguishing the boundaries between serious and easy-listening music. As a concert pianist, Tobias Forster not only devotes himself to playing music from Bach to Prokofiev, but particularly impresses with his jazz improvisations and his own compositions. Well-known jazz musicians such as Betty Carter, David Baker and Roby Lakatos have come to appreciate him as an innovative and versatile jazz pianist. In addition to his work as a composer, Tobias Forster is principal arranger of the production Classic meets Cuba. Tim Hahn has been commuting between Europe and America since his student days, participating in numerous master classes. Concert tours with various ensembles took him all over Europe, to Canada, China and the USA. The drummer is in great demand, with one invitation for studio productions, concert tours and television appearances, after another and engagements by artists like José Carreras and Andrea Bocelli.   Cuba Cuban music, with its great variety of rhythm and melody, its impulsive virtuosity and its folkloristic roots, has had a huge influence on dance, rhythm and the development of musical styles in the whole world. The unique phenomenon of Cuban music appears to be based on a simple secret: It draws its power and vitality from the contagious love of life of the Cubans themselves. And vice versa! Any doubts that may exist will disappear on being carried away by the rhythms of the two Cuban percussionists Alexis Herrera Estevez and Elio Rodriguez Luis. The timbales player Alexis Herrera Estevez gave concerts with all sorts of jazz and salsa bands, including also with the legendary guitarist of the Buena Vista Social Club, Compay Segundo. Today he is a member of the Havana Ensemble, considered as one of the best and innovative Latin jazz ensembles in Cuba. The conga player Elio Rodriguez Luis, also member of the Havana Ensemble, has demonstrated his spectacular feeling for rhythm in the course of numerous tours and concerts in Europe and America, together with musicians such as Arturo Sandoval and the 'King of the Timbales', Tito Puente.