Hesse Koerner Petrov

Hesse Koerner Petrov (HKP) strives to evoke the New Orleans spirit and Caribbean rhythms in a contemporary organ trio setting, while preserving their interest in jazz and experimental music. Each member of the band contributes something uniquely personal. The result is an honest exploration of various musical forms without sacrificing danceability.

Founder/drummer Benedikt Hesse and guitarist Georgi Petrov met in 2011 at the iconic club, the Maple Leaf in New Orleans, listening to Johnny V’s trio. They reconnected several years later on a tour across Europe with a New Orleans band. Their shared passion for groove music, New Orleans, the organ trio, and the more psychedelic sounds of Medeski Martin and Wood and the Astral Project, led to the decision to join forces with Cologne-based Hammond organ player Gero Koerner, form HKP and tour Germany in 2018.

In April 2019 the trio recorded their debut album in New Orleans which featured legend Johnny Vidacovich (aka Johnny V.) as a producer and a musical guest. Over the years Johnny has worked with artists like Joe Sample, Wayne Shorter, Professor Longhair, James Booker and is a master drummer, composer and band leader in his own right.

Gero Koerner is regarded throughout Germany as an exceptional keyboard talent who has been able to prove his skills as a sideman for diverse artists. In this trio Gero plays the Hammond B3 organ which provides both the harmony and bass and shapes the overall unique sonic experience. Gero has released two albums under his own name: TRUTH feat. Soleil Niklasson and Gero Koerner Trio plays greatest hits.

Georgi Petrov, originally from Bulgaria, has been developing his reputation as an eclectic guitarist, a session musician and a strong leader on the New Orleans music scene since his arrival in 2011. He has extensively toured the US, Canada and Europe with Maggie Koerner, the Roamin’ Jasmine, Panorama Jazz Band and Brad Webb  Making Faces. Georgi has released two albums under his own name which reflect his Bulgarian heritage and his experience as a musician in New Orleans.

Drummer Benedikt Hesse, known for his ability to be in the moment, capitalizes on his diverse musical tastes, shaped by  his musical pilgrimages to New York , New Orleans and the Drummer’s Collective early in his musical path. His career now reflects the investment he made, having toured internationally with a  variety of  Jazz and World Music artists such as Cameronian trumpeter Terrence Ngassa and the Tabadoul Orchestra. Benedikt remains firmly rooted in his hometown of Cologne, maintaining a decade-plus tenure with the acclaimed 120-year-old puppetry  Haenneschen Theatre, running his own drumming school, and cultivating original projects like CubaNola and his Solo program.