Sara Decker · Journal
Concerts, new music and a look behind the scenes – updates from my projects.
Villa Hammerschmidt · Bonn
On 8 July, my ensemble and I performed at Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s invitation in the park of Villa Hammerschmidt in Bonn. We opened the evening with my composition “Pick your brain”.
Heidi Bayer, Carlotta Ribbe, Tabea Kind and Jeroen Truyen joined me on stage. Thank you for sharing this concert with me.
„Noch einmal herzlichen Dank, Sara Decker und Ensemble!“Frank-Walter Steinmeier · 8. Juli 2026
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung · 2026
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes about Expand and Sara’s voice. The original German excerpt is also available in the Expand press kit.
„Mit ihrer neuen Band Expand findet die Sängerin Sara Decker einen ganz ungewöhnlichen und poetischen Klangraum. Sie (…) singt mit reiner Intonation, ohne Vibrato und doch mit warmer Intensität: ein schöner, elegischer Epilog.“FAZ · 2026
Kulturzentrum Schlachthof · Bremen
On 23 April, I presented Expand in the German Jazz Expo showcase programme at jazzahead! in Bremen. We performed at Kulturzentrum Schlachthof for an international audience of music professionals and jazz listeners.
The band featured Heidi Bayer, Carlotta Ribbe, Tabea Kind and Michala Østergaard Nielsen. Thank you to the band and everyone who joined us.
Jazzbayreuth · Bayreuth
Just before jazzahead!, we brought Expand to Jazzbayreuth, where Bavarian Radio recorded the concert.
Heidi Bayer, Clara Vetter, Tabea Kind and Mareike Wiening joined me – another line-up bringing these songs to life on stage.
LOFT · Köln
In September, our Expand tour took us through Belgium, Switzerland and Germany. After Eupen, Basel, Stuttgart and Chur, we returned to Cologne’s LOFT on 8 September for a live recording session.
This is also where we recorded the studio album. This time, we returned to the music after playing it together on tour.
Unit Records
My third album, Expand, is out on Unit Records as of 19 September. With Heidi Bayer, Yuhan Su, Kaisa Mäensivu and Mareike Wiening, it brings my songs together with the musical voices of four longtime collaborators.
Thank you to everyone who helped make this album happen, and to you for listening.
LOFT · Köln
On 15 and 16 January, we recorded Expand at LOFT in Cologne. After a day of rehearsals, I went into the studio with Heidi Bayer, Yuhan Su, Kaisa Mäensivu and Mareike Wiening.
Thank you to the musicians, Christian Heck and LOFT, and to Jeroen Truyen for photos, filming and support around the sessions.
AMC Records
“poetryfied” is a project very close to my heart. I love poetry and I love jazz, and this album gave me a place to bring the two together.
With Billy Test, Nicolai Amrehn and Jeroen Truyen, I created music around poems by Rilke, Emily Dickinson, Mascha Kaléko and others. Heidi Bayer, Stefan Karl Schmid and Julia Kriegsmann join as wonderful guests.
LOFT · Köln
On 14 and 15 September 2019, we recorded poetryfied at LOFT in Cologne. With Billy Test, Nicolai Amrehn and Jeroen Truyen, my settings of poems became music for the quartet.
Christian Heck handled recording, mixing and mastering, with editing by Jeroen. These sessions became my second album.