This live recording captures the Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic concert celebrating Nils’s 70th birthday at the Berlin Philharmonie. It’s a special set with real warmth, bringing together a milestone performance in a room that suits the scale and spirit of the music perfectly.

Built as a tribute to Nils’s idol and later collaborator, the late Joe Sample, the album centres on songs that carry a deep personal connection for him. That gives the whole performance an intimacy and sense of purpose that runs through every arrangement.

What makes this one really stand out is the pairing of leading jazz musicians with the outstanding brass players of the Berlin Philharmonic, opening the music up with richness, detail and a real feeling of occasion.