Maik Krahl represents his generation’s current top of the German jazz trumpeter. His musical statements enrich me and let me look forward into a future of a whole genre, which will always exist. Big compliment!

Maik Krahl studied jazz at the Carl Maria von Weber University of Music in Dresden and additionally completed a Master of Music in Jazz Improvising Artist at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. His most important teachers included Till Brönner, Malte Burba and the American jazz trumpeter Ryan Carniaux.

His debut album Decidophobia was released in 2018 on Double Moon/Challenge Records International. His second album Fraction, featuring star saxophonist Seamus Blake as a guest, was released two years later, in May 2020, on Challenge Records International. With his own quartet, Krahl has performed numerous concerts at all major jazz clubs in Germany as well as at festivals such as the International Jazz Week Burghausen, JazzBaltica, Hildener Jazztage, Trave-Jazz Festival, Jazzfest Bingen and the Birdland Radio Jazz Festival.

His third album, In-Between Flow, was released in September 2022, also on Challenge Records International, and features internationally renowned guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel alongside Krahl’s quartet. Maik Krahl’s album The Magic of Consistency, featuring Seamus Blake on saxophone, was released in November 2024. His new album Rain, Flowers and New Beginnings will be released on September 11, 2026, marking the beginning of a new musical chapter for Krahl.

In addition to his work as a bandleader, Krahl is a permanent member of the Cologne-based Subway Jazz Orchestra. With this ensemble, he has already appeared on five albums: Primal Scream (2015), State of Mind (2016), Richbeck Suite (2018), Still Screaming (2020) and You are the Universe (2023). He has also performed as a guest musician in productions and concerts with the WDR Big Band. In 2023, Krahl won the HI Five Music Award and has received the scholarship of the Werner Richard – Dr. Carl Dörken Foundation three times, most recently with his quartet.

Concert tours have taken him to countries including Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Canada, Croatia, Lithuania, Serbia, Senegal and the USA. These travels have enabled him to collaborate with musicians such as John Clayton, Kurt Elling, Maria Schneider, Benny Green, Jeff Hamilton, Ingrid Jensen, John Ruocco and Peter Evans.

Since 2026, Maik Krahl has been Professor of Jazz Trumpet at the University of Music Würzburg.