Torsten Goods

Torsten Goods, the “German George Benson”: one of the stars of the first weekend

Here is a highlight of the first weekend of JazzAscona 2026! Torsten Goods (born in 1980 in Düsseldorf) is a renowned German jazz guitarist, singer, and composer of Irish origin. He is considered one of Europe’s leading guitarists and is often nicknamed the “German George Benson” for his virtuosic style blending jazz, soul, blues, and pop. He studied jazz in New York at the New School University, where he attended workshops with legends such as Jim Hall and John Scofield. Among his prestigious collaborations are George Benson (who called him “a prodigy” after performing with him in 2019), as well as Les Paul (who suggested the stage name “Goods”), Bob James, and Chris Potter. In 2005, he was the only European selected by Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter for the final of the prestigious Thelonious Monk Jazz Guitar Competition. Also strongly inspired by the acid jazz of Incognito, he will appear at JazzAscona 2026 with his quartet, thanks to the collaboration with the Festival da Jazz in St. Moritz.