Written by Jazz in Europe is expanding its playlist curation, and I’m delighted to welcome a genuine expert in the genre to lead one of our most ambitious additions.
Over the past year our playlists have built a strong and engaged following, and it’s become clear that our readers want more than an algorithm can give them. They want curation from people who actually know the music — who’ve lived inside it, played it, and produced it. That’s good for discovery, and it’s good for the artists whose work deserves to land in front of listeners who are paying real attention.
With that in mind, I’m very pleased to announce that Thilo Berg is joining the Jazz in Europe curation team. Thilo will take charge of our new “Art of the Big Band” playlist, and I can’t think of anyone better suited to the job.
I’ve known Thilo for years, and big bands have always been his thing. He came up as a drummer and bandleader in the 1980s, leading his own big band through some of its strongest years and working alongside guest soloists like Slide Hampton, Barbara Morrison, and Till Brönner. Before he ever founded a label of his own, Thilo cut his teeth producing for major labels — Sony, BMG, Columbia, Universal — experience that gave him a producer’s ear long before Mons Records existed. When he did found Mons in 1991, he built it into one of the most respected independent jazz labels in Europe, and for more than two decades big band recordings have remained close to the centre of that catalogue. He’s produced some of the finest big band albums to come out of the European scene over that span, and he’s already put that same ear to work curating big band playlists elsewhere in the genre — this isn’t new territory for him, it’s where he’s most at home.
That’s a rare combination: a player’s instinct for how a big band should swing, a producer’s judgement on what actually belongs on a record, and years of hands-on curation experience in exactly this repertoire. Few people bring all three to the table.
You’ll find “Art of the Big Band,” curated by Thilo, embedded below. Follow it — and our other playlists — to make sure you never miss what our curators are uncovering.
New Release Spotify Playlist
The Jazz In Europe “Art of the Big Band” features tracks from the Basie-era swing to the modern large ensembles pushing the format forward. Curated for Jazz in Europe and updated weekly, it is the best place to discover music selected by our Thilo Berg. Follow the playlist to keep up with the kind of records we believe deserve attention and to stay ahead of the curve.
The best way to keep up to date with all the latest music is to follow the playlist on Spotify.
Just click the button below.
Last modified: July 20, 2026
