triosence

About triosence

Pianist Bernhard Schüler’s band project has been around since 1999, has undergone several line-up changes and currently consists of top-class musicians, with Tobias Schulte on drums and Omar Rodriguez Calvo on bass. Their tenth album will be released in autumn 2025. Musically and in name, triosence (a neologism derived from trio-essence) refers to the approach of equal treatment of instruments, following the example of US pianist Bill Evans. In Japan, the band has been considered one of the best jazz newcomers since their debut CD ‘First Enchantment’ and ‘the band that has wiped away the impression of stiff German jazz’ (Swingjournal, Japan 2005). Musically, the band is characterised by the strength and clarity of its melodies. Highly lyrical and poetic, they form the core of all compositions. The band defines its own unique style, which it describes as ‘song jazz.’

Bernhard Schüler (Piano & Composition)

Bernhard Schüler, born on 19 September 1979 in Kassel, began his musical education at the age of 7 with piano lessons. A little later, he learnt the clarinet and saxophone. At the age of 15, he began composing and arranging his own pieces. In 1995, he founded his first own band (basar), in which he was very successful as a saxophonist, bandleader and composer: state and national winner of ‘Jugend Jazzt’ in 1996 and 1999 – he then won the same competitions with triosence in 2000 and 2001. From 1996 to 2000, he was a member of the Hessen State Youth Jazz Orchestra. At the 2nd national ‘Jugend Jazzt’ competition, he was awarded a soloist grant by the German Music Council for his piano playing. In 2000, he won first prize in the ‘Jugend Jazzt’ soloist competition. From 1999 to 2006, he studied jazz piano with Hubert Nuss, Hans Lüdemann and John Taylor at the Cologne University of Music. In spring 2004 he passed his diploma examination and in November 2006 his concert examination at the Cologne Academy of Music. In recent years, his songs have won numerous international song competitions. Most recently, he won the international Christmas song contest ‘The Next Holiday Classic’ in the USA.

Omar Rodriguez Calvo (double bass)

Omar Rodriguez Calvo was born on 19 August 1973 in Matanzas, Cuba. He began his music studies (classical music, double bass) at the conservatory in Matanzas in 1984 and then studied double bass, electric bass, classical music, jazz and popular music at the School of Music (E.N.A – Escuela Nacional de Arte) and the I.S.A (Instituto Superior de Arte) in Havana from 1988 – 1992. He began playing with Argelia Fragoso at the age of 17 and later with Carlos Maza and Ramon Valle. He moved to Hamburg in 1994 and has since played with artists such as Ramon Valle, the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, the NDR Bigband, Joe Gallardo, Matthias Höfs, Jenaer Philharmonie, Tingvall trío, Kurt Elling, Orlando ‘Maraca’ Valle, Nils Landgren, Horacio ‘El Negro’ Hernandez, Perico Sambeat, Ernesto Simpson, Roy Hargrove, Mike Stern, Omar Sosa, Jesse van Ruller, Gerardo Núñez, Chano Dominguez, Ulf Wakenius, Orange Blue, Anette Maiburg, the formation Classica Cubana, the hr-Bigband (Parcifal Goes Habana) Triosence. In addition to three ECHO Jazz and five Gold Jazz Awards with the Tingvall Trio and the HANS for Production of the Year 2011, he received an ECHO Klassik with the formation Classica Cubana. Further nominations: ECHO Jazz 2015 and 2016 as Instrumentalist of the Year nationally in the double bass/E-bass category.

Tobias Schulte (Drums & percussion)

Tobias was born on 7 March 1982 in Hattingen. He started playing drums ten years later. After studying at the Los Angeles Music Academy, he turned his hobby into a profession. Thanks to his broad musical spectrum, Tobias has played with numerous artists from different genres such as Nils Landgren, Jean Louis Matinier, Edgar Knecht, Heino, Johnny Logan, Limahl and many more. His membership of the Edgar Knecht Trio has seen him play at internationally renowned jazz and world music festivals. He won the Hessian and Federal World Music Prize Creole. Tobias also runs a drum school in Kassel, has organised and led the HR band for the Hessentag recordings for many years and can regularly be heard and seen on radio and television. Tobias Schulte is an endorser of Ahead Armor Cases, Rohema Drumsticks and Evans Drumheads.

Paolo Fresu (trumpet, as additional booking option to the trio)

Winner of a wide array of awards, professor, and director of various Italian and international institutions, Paolo Fresu has performed around the world with the most important names of Afro-American music over the past 30 years. He has participated in over 350 recordings, some as a leader, others as a sideman, and still other projects mixing ethnic, jazz, world music, contemporary, and ancient music. Fresu is artistic director of the Berchidda Festival Time In Jazz and – as teacher – leaded for 25 years the Jazz Seminars in Nuoro (Sardinia). He is also involved in the production of numerous multimedia projects, cooperating with actors, dancers, painters, sculptors, and poets, as well as writing music for film, documentary, video, ballet, and theater pieces. Mr. Fresu lives between Paris, Bologna and Sardinia. His unique trumpet sound is recognized as one of the most distinctive in the contemporary jazz scene. He was honored with the important honoris causa degree in Social Psychology at Università Bicocca of Milano, Italy and the historical “Sigillo di Ateneo” by Urbino University.

“…the new faces of German jazz” stern

“when Bernhard Schüler (piano), Omar Rodriguez Calvo (bass) and Tobias Schulte (drums) make music, their melodic playing carries us off into extraordinary poetic worlds of sound” SWR2

“For more than 20 years, pianist Bernhard Schüler has been the mastermind of the ensemble triosence, composing the pieces with that certain something that is so unique in the German jazz scene. For this new release, he has again strung 11 of his little masterpieces on a string of pearls.” SWR2, CD of the Week

“Feel-good jazz that remains artful enough…” Schwäbisches Tagblatt

“At a concert of “Triosence” you bring some sunshine to your soul in the gloomy winter weather. And enough sun, not only for the ears, there is with the new album “Giulia”.” MAZ

“[One is] longing for such a feelgood album as “Giulia”.” kulturnews

“With their new album Giulia, the three musicians are at the height of their art.” Jazzthetik

“All three musicians and their guest Paolo Fresu make Giulia an album that raises lightness and transparency in sound to a new level and radiates a joie de vivre that is good to have, especially in these times, but actually at any time.” Jazzthetik

“A life-affirming sign of confidence, lightness, fullness. (…) In the best piano trio manner, the voices of piano, bass and drums flow equally into each other, always emphasizing melody and in transparent, cheerful lightness.” Jazzpodium

“The latest album by the long-lived piano trio around mastermind Bernhard Schüler is an inspired sonic journey through some of Italy’s most beautiful spots, flooding melancholy souls with optimism by the hectolitre. But never at the expense of quality.” Jazzthing

“Giulia” breathes confidence and lightness, creates the feeling of physical closeness of a loved one, of the happiness of finally seeing the sun again, a glass of red wine in hand and boundless optimism.” Jazzthing

“[The music] caresses the soul” Piano NEWS

“The compositions, which the trio itself wants to be understood as “song jazz,” are always immersed in warm melodies.” STEREO

“[…] wonderful, sparkling, only seemingly light, but always light-footed music like a summer breeze[…]” drums&percussions

“They celebrate the dolce vita quite uninhibitedly.” Fono Forum

“Triosence led by German pianist Bernhard Schüler are one of the leading piano trios in Germany – they play excellent modern jazz with a distinct cinematic touch – Schüler is a very likeable frontman as well as musician and bassist Omar Rodriguez Calvo is one of the best European bassists around at the moment.” Jazzwise

triosence – Stories of Life

With over 25 million streams, sold-out concerts worldwide and acclaimed albums, triosence has been one of Europe’s most exciting jazz formations for years. Following their major international ‘25th Anniversary Tour’ with over 50 concerts, the band will release their tenth album, Stories of Life, on 3 October 2025 on SONY Music Masterworks – bringing its musical depth and emotional complexity to life on stage.

Stories of Life is a musical expression of the realisation that everything in life is interwoven. And so triosence combines jazz, pop, folk, Latin and world music into distinctive soundscapes – with melodies that are equally moving and catchy. They thus give us sophisticated but accessible music, full of emotion, energy and stories. The new album is a musical portrait – a collection of snapshots from life. In each piece, the trio led by bandleader Bernhard Schüler explores the beauty and tragedy of everyday stories and transforms them into beguilingly melodic, rousing instrumental compositions. Great joy and deep pain, the seemingly banal and the profoundly life-changing are often close together. With this album, they tell very personal stories and connect them with a broad spectrum of musical impulses.

Their concerts are a firework display of virtuosity, joy, stylistic diversity and emotional depth: from contemplative and thoughtful to groovy and rousing. The bandleader delights their audience with humorous stories and anecdotes about the songs. This inspires not only connoisseurs but also those who have had little interest in jazz until now.

The music by triosence is characterised not only by the equal status of the instruments, but above all by the strength of its melodies. A catchiness that never comes across as banal or even simple-minded, but instead allows the listener to immerse themselves in the depths of the music through its clear structure and beauty, giving them plenty of room for emotions, thoughts and even dreams.