Jazzquartett Dimensionality

Ursel, Lou, Ken + Andrea am 27.10.2017 im Schauspielhaus, Kassel

Dimensionality is the quartet of four stalwarts of jazz and improvised music: pianist Ursel Schlicht, bassist Ken Filiano, drummer Lou Grassi, and vocalist Andrea Wolper. While each member of the group has played with the others in any number of configurations over many years, they had never played as a quartet until Schlicht organized Dimensionality. Created to honor the free-thinking pianist-composer Connie Crothers (1938–2016), Schlicht named the group for Crothers' frequent statement about life and music: "It's dimensional!"

Dimensionality made its debut at the Kassel and Göttingen jazz festivals in 2017, and since then has appeared at numerous venues in New York City. The quartet moves easily from free improvisations to expansive explorations of composed music, bringing spontaneity, honesty, and the joy of discovery to their performances.

Filiano, Grassi, and Wolper frequently appear in the New York (and beyond) jazz and creative music scenes, while Schlicht, living in her native Germany after several years in New York, returns frequently to perform in the U.S

Dimensionality will be touring in October 2026 with appearances at Pioner Valley Jazz Shares (MA), the Bop Shop (NY), and Edgefest (MI). 

Ursel Schlicht • Ken Filiano • Lou Grassi • Andrea Wolper

About Connie Crothers: A classically trained pianist and composer from California, Crothers changed the course of her life when she moved to New York in the 1960s to study with pianist Lennie Tristano. Mentored by Tristano, Crothers ultimately "built her own identity as an inventive composer, improviser, and instructor" (Rusonello, The New York Times). A close association with drummer Max Roach in the 1980s led to the formation of the record label New Artists, and the release of the piano-drums duet recording, "Swish!" Crothers performed in the U.S. and Europe, leading her own quartet, performing as a solo artist, and performing and recording in a number of creative collaborations, including the free improvisation trio, TranceFormation with Filiano and Wolper. She inspired a wide community of musicians with her generous, open-minded, creative approach to performing and teaching.

"Remembering Connie Crothers" Article by Ursel Schlicht, 2016 

"Pianistin, Tristano-Schülerin, Label-Präsidentin – Eine Begegnung mit Connie Crothers" Article by Hans-Jürgen Schaal, 2000 

Painting of Connie Crothers by Jeff Schlanger.