AHA Trio
AHA Trio is the chordless-experimental-jazz-trio of Andrew Saragossi (tenor saxophone - Greece/Australia), Helen Svoboda (contrabass & vocals - Finland/Australia) and André van der Heide (drums - Germany/Netherlands). With a common passion for spontaneous explorations of strange melodies, their music is focused distinctly on freedom and uninhibited interaction.
Upon meeting in Maastricht in late 2018, the three musicians were immediately drawn towards each other’s uniquely expressive playing styles, forming an uncommon level of kinship from their first musical collaboration. Their collective sound is largely inspired by the artistic freedom of Ornette Coleman, the angular precision of Jim Blacks’ ‘Endangered Blood’, and the folk-ish melodic style of Bill Frissell. A distinguishable element of AHA’s music is related also to their improvisational approach, in which they build upon foundational melodies as a unit - often without a distinct soloist at the forefront. In this regard, the input is equal in terms of sonic contribution.
AHA Trio released their debut EP "Against All Odds" in November 2019 off the back of their selection as finalists in the 2018 Maastricht Jazz Awards. The trio were also selected as finalists in the 2020 Burghausen Jazz Awards which were regretfully cancelled due to Covid-19.