Pablo Held (*1986) is an acclaimed German pianist, composer, podcaster and educator. He is a significant figure in international jazz, celebrated for his adventurous spirit, originality, and musical mastery. DOWNBEAT calls him “a restlessly creative artist with virtuosic skill". Praise also comes from jazz legend Wayne Shorter: „I like what you’re doing. You’re going to those other places. And you have that inside-velocity and storytelling! I hear you going your way, down the path least taken in life. Yeah! That’s an adventurous path and it takes courage“
Held’s musical endeavours have earned him a place among the most respected European jazz musicians. He worked with greats such as John Scofield, Chris Potter, Melissa Aldana, Billy Hart, Norma Winstone, Ralph Towner, Ben Street, Tom Harrell, Caroline Davis, Skúli Sverrisson, Dave Liebman, Sam Amidon, Anders Jormin and Lage Lund.
For two decades, Held has led the Pablo Held Trio with bassist Robert Landfermann and drummer Jonas Burgwinkel, a dynamic unit that has become a model for long-term ensemble development. The trio is known for their empathic interplay, musical risk-taking and improvisational skills. Their performances are thrilling and unpredictable, constantly pushing the boundaries of improvisation and composition. This has earned them the admiration of audiences, critics and jazz greats. Ralph Towner hailed the Pablo Held Trio as an “important example of the evolution of the piano trio in jazz” and John Scofield called them “one of the great bands in music today”.
Since 2018 he hosts the interview podcast Pablo Held Investigates. In over 100 episodes he has talked to his musical heroes and peers about their creative process, inspirations behind the music and memorable experiences, focussing on the magical moments, when music comes to life. Pablo Held Investigates has become an important contribution to the oral history of the music of our time. The long list of guests includes Wayne Shorter, Bill Frisell, Caroline Shaw, Joey Baron, Sullivan Fortner, Madison Cunningham, Billy Hart, Chris Weisman, Maria Schneider, Dave Holland, Wolfgang Muthspiel, John Patitucci, Ella Zirina, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Savannah Harris, Jorge Rossy, Tineke Postma, Larry Goldings, Blake Mills and many more.
Transcription and analysis are the cornerstones of Held’s musical studies, and he loves sharing his discoveries with others. On his Patreon page he shares educational videos, handwritten lead sheets and music recommendations, offering unique insights into his creative process. In the past he has held teaching positions at leading European jazz conservatories. Currently, Pablo Held teaches at Hochschule für Musik & Tanz Köln and gives masterclasses around the world.
Since 2017, Held has been curating the concert series Pablo Held Meets at LOFT Köln. The innovative format celebrates the magic of first encounters, bringing together international greats, his peers and young talents, bridging generations, nationalities and directions in music. Each edition features a newly curated line-up with a tailored repertoire. The concerts are also streamed live to a worldwide audience.
Held’s artistry is well documented on more than 60 albums. As a bandleader he released trio records (Forest Of Oblivion, Music, Trio Live, Lineage, Recondita Armonia, Investigations, Who We Are, Trio Plays Standards), albums with bigger instrumentations (GLOW, GLOW II and Elders), a solo album (Embracing You), an extensive documentation of his concert series (Meet Me At The Loft), an orchestral album (Adventures) and fruitful collaborations with two guitar heroes: John Scofield (The Trio Meets John Scofield) and Nelson Veras (Ascent, Descent, Unity).
Since 2021, Held has been releasing music on his own label Hopalit Records.
Throughout the years Pablo Held has won numerous awards, including the WDR Jazz Prize for Improvisation, the SWR Jazz Prize, and the German Jazz Prize.