The music on this CD was captured during a morning and afternoon recording session in June 2003 at the famed WDR radio studio in the midst of a project that featured the WDR Big Band playing the music of Erik Satie as arranged and conducted by pianist Bill Dobbins. Most of the songs here are "first takes" - the trio (Dobbins with bassist John Golsby and drummer Peter Erskine) did not rehearse before the session. In fact, this was the first time the three musicians ever played together. "Cologne" is a fitting title for the CD, simply because that's where the trio's musical bonds were born and where this album was recorded.