Each month, we spotlight up-and-coming jazz artists from Austria as part of the “5 Million Pesos” series — a monthly concert and radio broadcast dedicated to young jazz in and from Austria, presented by Radiokulturhaus Vienna and the Ö1 Jazz Department. For November, the spotlight shines on drummer Max Plattner with his ensemble Ploy.
Ploy
Anja Obermayer – vocals & lyrics
Andi Tausch – guitar
Sebastian Schneider – piano
Victoria Kirilova – doublebass
Max Plattner – drums & composition
Max Plattner’s name had been on the list of potential candidates for the “5 Million Pesos” series for young jazz in and from Austria for quite some time. Born in Innsbruck and now living in Vienna, the drummer, born in 1994, has increasingly made a name for himself as a (co-)bandleader in recent years – in the most positive sense. The formation Elmo Nero with bassist Gina Schwarz and guitarist Christoph Helm is worth mentioning, as is Plattner’s trio with alto saxophonist Lorenzo Sighel and bassist Marco Stagni.
And then there’s Ploy: in 2024, Plattner presented the debut work of this band, which was originally founded as a quartet. Singer Anja Obermayer, whose voice enriches the self-titled album in the piece “Their Fault,” has since become the fifth permanent member of the band. Ploy’s music draws from many directions: jazz, pop, hip-hop, contemporary composition. Max Plattner demonstrates a broad perspective and an open ear, distilling his own multicolored sound: this can take the form of decelerated sound tableaux as well as energetic, rhythm-driven tracks with clever dramaturgy. What’s certain: variety is guaranteed!
In collaboration with the Ö1 jazz editorial team.
Concert: FR | Nov. 21, 2025 | 8:00 p.m. | Studio 3
Broadcast: Ö1-Jazznacht, Dec. 27/28 2025 (Presentation: Katharina Osztovics)
Translated from the German original by Arianna Alfreds.