Fabia Mantwill Orchestra | IN.SIGHT | July 25, 2025
There is music that bypasses analysis and speaks directly to something deeper. IN.SIGHT, the sophomore album by Berlin-based composer, conductor, and saxophonist Fabia Mantwill, is such a work – a sweeping, cinematic journey of sound that begins with a single thread and blossoms into a vast, emotional tapestry.
From the first notes, Mantwill draws us into a dreamscape shaped by longing, curiosity, and fearless intuition. Genres dissolve – Jazz, Folklore, Americana, Pop, Classical, Film music, Exotica – blending into a unified, unmistakably personal sound.
IN.SIGHT features the Fabia Mantwill Orchestra with 32 world-class musicians, six star soloists and three acclaimed composers.
Even for an arranger who has worked with the likes of Vince Mendoza, Kurt Elling, and Becca Stevens, it would be easy to approach such a large format academically. Yet IN.SIGHT emerges from the opposite space.
“I quickly realized that the only way to make this happen was to let go of control, trust the process, and allow the music to guide me. Once I did that, everything began to unfold naturally” – Fabia Mantwill
This spirit of surrender extended far beyond the recording; the six compositions were written in just 72 hours alongside Grammy-winning Snarky Puppy bandleader Michael League and celebrated Greek composer Magdalini Giannikou. Sharing this vulnerable, creative stage with two other writers might have felt like a risk – but the result is intuitive, emotionally honest, and strikingly multidimensional.
Each piece is crafted with a specific soloist in mind. Kurt Rosenwinkel’s guitar soars through Fairy Glen, while Roosevelt Collier’s steel guitar slides shimmer across Whirl The Wheel. Anat Cohen adds meditative warmth with her clarinet on Olhos, and Momi Maiga (kora), Goran Stevanovich (accordion), and Morris Kliphuis (French horn) each bring tonal colors that blur the boundaries of genre.
And then there is Mantwill herself. The album may be a masterclass in technicolour ensemble writing, but her saxophone and vocals add both texture and soul – a reminder of why she’s as sought-after a soloist as she is a composer.
While her 2021 debut EM.PERIENCE introduced an ambitious musical language and earned her a German Jazz Prize, IN.SIGHT goes further. Though released in a traditional album format, it feels more like an immersive sonic journey than a conventional record.
IN.SIGHT is an unwavering declaration of trust in the primal power of music and the composer’s creative instincts. Mantwill maintains her sharp, focused vision while inviting the listener to marvel alongside her – a wholehearted commitment to pure, absolute music.
Line up
Fabia Mantwill – composition & arrangement & voice & saxophone
Jochen Neuffer – conductor
Violins: Anne-Sophie Bereuter,Luiza Labouriau, Marit Behnke, Annabelle Dugast, Julia Czerniawska, Almut Wolfart, Johanna Hempen, Valerie Leopold, Leonie Flaksman, Christina Döring, Çiğdem Tunçelli
Violas: Alexina Hawkins, Marc Kopitzki, Yağmur Atagür, Johann-Vincent Slawinsk
Cellos: Liron Yariv, Tabea Schrenk, Mireia Peñalver
Tilmann Dehnhard – flutes & alto sax
Matthew Halpin – tenor sax & flute & clarinet
Daniel Buch – baritone sax & bass clarinet
Jo Hermans – trumpet & flugel
Johannes Böhmer – trumpet& flugel
Jan Landowski – trombone
Tobias Herzog – bass trombone & tuba
Teresa Emilia Raff – harp
David Soyza – vibraphone & marimba
Charis Karantzas – guitar
Igor Spallati – bass
Marcio Doctor – percussion
Fabian Rösch – drums
Guest Soloists
Kurt Rosenwinkel – guitar
Anat Cohen – clarinet
Roosevelt Collier – lap steel guitar
Momi Maiga – kora
Goran Stevanovich – accordion
Morris Kliphuis – french horn
Track Listing
Satoyama
Whirl the Wheel
Circular
Sleeping Giant
Olhos
Fairy Glen
PR Quotes
Bandcamp (USA)
“I have not been able to stop listening to this album. There’s a magnetism to this music, but the bond is forged indirectly, by gently encircling the listener. All of it is so damn tuneful”
Paris-move (FR)
“A Dazzling Collision of Jazz, Classical and World Music, Fabia Mantwill’s “IN.SIGHT” Is a Visionary Leap Into the Future of Orchestral Sound”
UK Vibe (FR)
“There’s a special kind of alchemy at work on “IN.SIGHT”… an intelligently woven work of modern orchestral jazz that feels grounded in tradition yet equally forward-thinking”
Backseat Mafia (UK)
“Yes the whole set is giddily packed with stylistic twists but nothing feels forced or overwrought and knowing when to pare things back remains high on their agenda. Fabia Mantwill is clearly an emerging force to be reckoned with in the contemporary jazz world and this album marks another significant step forwards.”
Jazz Journal (UK)
“Mantwill’s nobility is matched by her courage in writing for what is virtually a symphony orchestra plus a biggish band of jazz-related instruments”
Blue in Green (UK)
“positions Fabia Mantwill as a force for modern music”
Jazz in Family (IT)
“a sonic journey that intertwines contemporary orchestral jazz, folklore, and intimacy“
Jazz Mania (BE)
“a magnificent transversal journey between musical currents, continents and even traditions. A true feat resulting in great music, truly cinematic!”
Jazzwise (UK)
“She’s built the project on a monumental scale not merely for its own sake, but in order to maximise the impact of these stunningly beautiful tunes. More is more, you might say.”
JazzLife (JP)
“Blending jazz, classical music, folk traditions, pop, and film music, she expresses her unique sound with even greater depth and dynamism than before, together with her orchestra”
All About Jazz (US)
“There is a mix of precision and improvisation in Mantwill’s compositions; her arrangements manage to feel both widescreen and intimate. The fluid transitions through the passages, along with the instrumental variety, make the soundscape immersive with deeply woven textures drawn from diverse musical traditions”
Jazz Views (UK)
“It’s not just a showcase of Mantwill’s talent—it’s an invitation to step into her imagination and explore a world she’s carefully crafted.”
Written in Music (NL)
“With IN.SIGHT, Fabia Mantwill not only makes a musical statement but also proves that the big band idiom is alive and well—a powerful and limitless canvas for the imagination of a new generation.”
Maxazine (FR)
“This is next level. Big band meets fusion.”
Lira (SE)
“In sight is a veritable masterpiece in innovative composing“
Cuttings
