Piano duo with Lawrence Sieberth from New Orleans
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
In July I had visitors from New Orleans: pianist Lawrence Sieberth and his wife Ming were in Germany for ten days. During this time we played four concerts together – at the Bach House in Bad Hersfeld, in the Waggonhalle Marburg, in the Rosengärtchen as part of the Wetzlar Festival and at Haydau Monastery in Morschen.
Larry and I have known each other since 1993. Back then, he was touring Germany with a small group of musicians from New Orleans – and I was incredibly lucky to receive my first piano lessons from him in the New Orleans styles. This encounter laid the foundation for my interest in and enthusiasm for that special music, which continues to accompany and shape me to this day.
More than thirty years later, being able to play concerts as a piano duo with Lawrence Sieberth was therefore a special moment. Playing on two pianos created a very immediate, natural interplay that reminded me of what fascinated me so much about the music of New Orleans back then: the rhythmic diversity, the fusion of Caribbean and African elements with European influence, the habanera rhythm, the interplay of energy and lightness. This music carries its history within it – and it speaks openly and directly to its audience. Furthermore, the interplay with Larry was characterized by a great improvisational freedom that reached almost into the realm of free jazz – sometimes risky, but always with a sure sense of where the shared foundation lies.
The Hersfelder Zeitung wrote about our concert at the Bach House:
"Perfectly attuned to one another, playfully tossing musical ideas back and forth, that's how jazz pianists Lawrence Sieberth from the USA and Jan Luley from Hauneck presented themselves." "Rhythmic precision and accuracy were paired with playful ease. Communication in the improvisations was achieved through intuition and subtle eye contact. Otherwise, the motto was: 'The secret of jazz is that you can do what you want.'"
And the HNA (Melsungen edition) described the concert at Haydau Monastery as follows:
"The hall was on the one hand energetically filled with driving sounds, on the other hand characterized by quiet songs and masterfully placed still, intimate and introverted moments."
Offstage, we had time to get to know each other better. Eda and I showed them around our area – for example, Wartburg Castle in Eisenach and the old town of Marburg with the Landgrave's Castle. We also enjoyed good food: we cooked together and often ate out, which made the conversations and open exchange even more meaningful. It was a wonderful, enriching time – both musically and personally.
I'm especially pleased that Larry is now trying to organize some duo concerts for us in New Orleans next spring. That's by no means a given. I've often invited pianists and other musicians from New Orleans in the past – but never before has anyone gone out of their way to arrange something for me in their hometown. And it's not easy to organize, since I don't have a work permit for the US, and we first need to see under what conditions it would even be possible. But the mere fact that Larry is trying to make it happen means a lot to me.
Musically and personally, this time together was a real benefit – and we are already very much looking forward to seeing Ming and Larry again next spring on the Mississippi.
Starting March 24, 2026, I'll be leading another group trip to New Orleans . There are still a few spots available – and if you'd like to join me in the Crescent City on the Mississippi, you might even have the chance to see Larry and me perform live in concert . You can find more information and register at www.janluley.de/neworleans
