Matthias Kirsch with Quincy Jones
Matthias Kirsch with Quincy Jones

Born in Attendorn and lived in Cologne and Frankfurt before moving to Berlin in 1991 to study journalism and American History.

Contributing writer for various magazines and newspapers (JazzThing and Berliner Morgenpost among them) and started a career in radio in 1996.

From 1992 to 2005, DJ work in various clubs and bars throughout the city, like Frannz Club, 808, Delicious Doughnuts, WMF, and Himmelreich, among others.

Worked as a free-lance radio DJ and broadcaster with several shows before becoming Head of Music for JazzRadio 101.9, which later moved to 106.8.

Building the playlist for the station and also being responsible for all specialist shows which included Latin Jazz, Swing, Electronic Jazz and European Jazz. A lot of those shows have won the New York International Radio Programming Awards.

Host of a daily one-hour show for 88.9 WDNA Miami.

Scriptwriter and voice for commercials and jingles.

Live interview broadcasts from New York several times. Frequent Jazz Festival visitor (Montreux, the Hague, Monterey, Capetown, Burghausen, Berlin etc) and interviewing hundreds of artists too numerous to mention, among them Quincy Jones, Ron Carter, Diana Krall, Billy Taylor, Norah Jones, Herbie Hancock, Joe Sample, George Duke, Charlie Haden, Blossom Dearie, Michael BublĂ©, George Benson, Ramsey Lewis, Branford Marsalis, Robert Glasper, Jason Moran, Randy Brecker, Jon Hendricks, Jackie & Roy, Alan Broadbent, Ann Hampton Callaway, Jimmy Scott, Karrin Allyson, Christian McBride, Joe Lovano, Tierney Sutton, Jimmy Heath, Mark Murphy, Marlena Shaw, Eric Reed, Houston Person, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Nicholas Payton, Keely Smith, Ahmad Jamal, Kevin Mahogany, Carol Sloane, Pat Metheny, Gary Burton, Lou Rawls, Lizz Wright, Gregory Porter, Marcos Valle,…

Contributing writer for the Reclam Jazz Lexikon, responsible for all vocal Jazz entries.

Panelist at the JazzConnect conference in NY in January 2014. Contributor to rbb Kultur.

All-time favorite albums:
Irene Kral – Where Is Love
Stevie Wonder – Songs In The Key Of Life
Donald Byrd & 125th Street, NYC – Love Byrd
Miles Davis – Someday My Prince Will Come
Morgana King – Cuore Di Mama

Who’s Gina?

Gina loves Jazz
Gina with her favorite toy

Gina is our 10-year old dog who came to us through our neighbors. Interestingly, she showed strong reactions when she heard John Coltrane and Miles Davis for the first time, especially the freer and experimental stuff. She was staring at the speakers and moved her head from one side to the other as if she couldn’t believe what she heard. Over the years, her taste in music has broadened.

Gina is an elegant lady now who likes to play ball.