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Whoever thought jazz is a marginal branch of music meant for small cellar pubs was disabused at the ACT jubilee concerts during the first week of February 2012. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Munich label, the ACT all-star ensemble consisting of nine musicians thrilled the audience at four of Germany's premier concert halls. The newspaper DIE WELT was greatly impressed after the final concert in Hamburg on the 5th February and spoke of "a magnificent programme and a storm of applause". Fortunately, the NDR had decided beforehand to record the concert. Therefore, the ACT family celebration on stage is being made available on a double CD, released at a special price (2 CDs for the price of one).

Polish pianist Leszek Mozdzer indulged in playful duels with his German counterpart Michael Wollny. Pensive French-Vietnamese guitarist Nguyên Lê channelled the spirit of Jimi Hendrix with a little help from Denmark's Cæcilie Norby. Finnish trumpeter Verneri Pohjola added will o' the wisp cameos elsewhere, while the diminutive
French player Céline Bonacina - almost dwarfed by her baritone sax -- unleashed one fiery solo after another. The musician who remains the symbol of ACT's act was, of course missing. But Esbjörn Svensson - who died in a scuba-diving accident four years ago - was remembered as the cast gathered for a moving finale. Here's to the next twenty years.