French-American pianist Jacky Terrasson has been one of the Ruhr Piano Festival’s regular guests for many years, and he will certainly thrill our audience once again on the occasion of his eighth appearance at this event. Trained in the bands of jazz vocalist Betty Carter and of drummer Art Taylor, Terrasson had his major breakthrough in the mid-1990s as the leader of one of the most breathtaking trios on the jazz scene back then. He may have switched musical partners in the meantime, likewise appearing with great vocalists such as Cassandra Wilson and Dianne Reeves, but he still prefers the trio format above all others. Jacky Terrasson’s most recent album is entitled “53” as a reference to his age in 2019, the year it was released. It featured three different trio lineups, including the one he is bringing to this year’s JazzLine series: the electric and acoustic bassist Géraud Portal from the French city of Bourges, and Cuban Paris-based drummer Lukmil Perez. Terrasson originally based his repertoire on jazz standards, occasionally also featuring pop songs, which he combined with his own compositions. On the album “53” he exclusively features his own material for the first time. It is thus entirely possible that he will surprise our audience at this year’s Festival appearance with a programme entirely of his own pen.