Drummer Obi Jenne is internationally acclaimed for his distinctive stage presence, brilliant technical skills, and flair for blending disparate musical genres. Concert tours have taken him to major concert halls on all continents, such as the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the KKL Luzern, the Teatro Romano di Verona, the NCPA Mumbai, and all the main concert halls in Germany, as well as to international festivals such as the Jazz Open Stuttgart. Obi Jenne has recorded nearly 100 albums and is a recipient of both the ICMA and the German Record Critics’ Award.

He is the leader of the Stuttgart Jazz Orchestra, the Porsche Big Band, Band in the Bix, and the cult band Soul Diamonds. He has performed with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Helen Schneider, Lang Lang, Art Farmer, Jimmy Woode, Benny Golson, Ack van Rooyen, Chuck Berry, Imaani Saleen, the Pointer Sisters, Les McCann, Cecile Verny, Klaus Graf, Olaf Polziehn, David Gazarov, Bill Ramsey, Kenny Wheeler, Katie Melua, Till Bronner, Chaka Khan, and Roby and Tony Lakatos. Jenne is the drummer for the “German Jazz Masters” with Klaus Doldinger, Wolfgang Dauner, Manfred Schoof, and Wolfgang Schmid.

Born in Heidelberg and inspired by jazz and classical music since early childhood, Jenne began studying classical percussion at the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik Trossingen at the age of 17. His first professional engagements were productions with almost all of the radio symphony orchestras in Germany, the Ensemble Modern, and the German Brass. He has served as a percussionist in the Orchester des Nationaltheaters Mannheim, and as an academy player with the Berliner Philharmoniker.

Obi Jenne’s early interest in jazz and groove music can be traced back to a masterclass with legendary drummer Elvin Jones that he attended when he was twelve. This unforgettable experience with such an exceptional musician as Elvin Jones has influenced Jenne to this day, and he regards the interaction inherent in playing in a band as the highest form of musical fulfillment.

See Obi Jenne perform Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F with the RSNO on 20, 21 & 22 November 2025.