Nighthawks is a German nu jazz band formed in 1998 from the collaboration between core members Dal Martino and Reiner Winterschladen. Having met during the inaugural concert of Trance Groove, the duo began performing together and worked on a film score for Samantha in 1996. The band released its debut studio album, Citizen Wayne, in 1998, which stereo magazine recognized as the Fusion CD of the Year. The group achieved success with subsequent releases, including Metro Bar (2001), which reached number 3 on the German jazz charts, and As the Sun Sets (2004). The 2007 album 4, released under Herzog Records, showcased an experimental sound. Live performances included an appearance at the Elbjazz festival in Hamburg in 2011, with recordings from this show released as Live in Hamburg in 2012. The band received the German Jazz Award in Gold for Metro Bar, As the Sun Sets, and 4 in 2005, 2011, and 2013 respectively. Its discography also includes the albums Today (2010) and Rio Bravo (2014).
