Jazz acts
Benny Greb’s Moving Parts trio (Germany/UK)
When it comes to music, Benny Greb leads a kind of double life. He is constantly on a plane going somewhere, jetting from Russia to the USA, on his way to Italy or the UK, but judging by his luggage, you would never guess he is a world-renowned drummer. Originally from Germany, he now offers drum clinics all over the world.
Although his face graces the covers of numerous drum mags, he is still traded as an insider tip among musicians. At bottom, he is a person to be divined rather than experienced. Benny Greb has been passionate about drumming ever since childhood. At an early age, during two lengthy stays in the US, he got into music that nobody else in his age group was interested in: Tower of Power, The Police, James Brown, James Taylor, Billy Joel. As his interest in drumming grew, he joined forces with drum makers and started developing his own drum sound.
Today, leading drum manufacturers offer several award-winning signature series drums in his name. Aside from his interest in the equipment side, Benny Greb has also developed his own teaching method on which his workshops and clinics are based. His instructional CD & DVD, entitled The Language of Drumming, has become a global sales hit. Benny Greb has always been present on the German music scene. As well as having produced his own CDs, he has played live and on studio recordings numerous artists.
It was his fine musical instincts that brought him together with the UK musicians Kit Downes (keys) and Chris Montague (git.). Kit Downes was nominated ‘Rising Star’ by the Downbeat Magazine in 2013. Aside from being an excellent guitarist, Chris Montague also excels as a composer and has been appointed an associate member of the Royal Academy of Music. The trio has called its band MOVING PARTS.
Grinning, the three band members admit that they are fans of Miles Davis, Aphex Twin and Police – ah yes, and Star Trek. Stroking his beard, a thoughtful Benny says: “True, we are a bit nerdy. But the time is right, I have found wonderful musicians in Chris and Kit who pack an enormous punch but can also take it down a gear or two. Our band concept developed straight from jamming together. Live it works like a dream.” The music MOVING PARTS make is tightly and powerfully interwoven. The band is a statement in itself. One sees many young, delighted faces in their audience. A good omen.
Nighthawks (Germany)
Three time winners of the German Jazz Award this band combines electro jazz with fusion, pop, funk and dub influences. All their albums (6 so far) ended up high in the jazz charts in Germany. They play and have played all the big jazz festivals in Germany and Poland.
Line-up: Reiner Winterschladen (trumpet, flugelhorn), Dal Martino (bass, gtr., keys), Thomas Alkier (drums, perc.), Jürgen Dahmen (keys, perc.), Markus Wienstroer (gtr.), Jörg Lehnardt (gtr.)
The history of the Nighthawks began with the fateful meeting of two musicians. Even though they live far apart (trumpet-player Reiner Winterschladen works in Hamburg and bassist/producer Dal Martino is Cologne-based), their collaboration has intensified over time. With ‘Metro Bar’, ‘As The Sun Sets’ and ‘4’, their 3 German Jazz Award-winning albums, the two artists triggered off the still-burgeoning electro-jazz revival. The Nighthawks have developed its very own international sound that is increasingly making itself heard. The success they have achieved with their recordings has also spilled over into the live arena. The band has enthralled audiences at major festivals such as ElbJazz, Jazzbaltica, JazzOpen Stuttgart and the Krakow Jazz Festival.
For many years now, the successful songwriting team Winterschladen/Martino has been accompanied by their colleagues Thomas Alkier (dr) and Jürgen Dahmen (rhodes) as well as guitarists Markus Wienstroer and Jörg Lehnardt. The Nighthawks are back with their sixth studio album which is entitled “Rio Bravo”. The title is very suggestive and the music does not disappoint. Dal Martino and Reiner Winterschladen conjure up atmospheric scenes in the listener’s mind delivering the perfect soundtrack to match the spell-binding images. Music in true Cinemascope. It was not by chance that the Nighthawks story started with a film music assignment in the mid-1990s while Winterschladen and Martino were part of the Cologne-based combo ‘Trance Groove’. With unfailing instinct, they named their new band after Edward Hopper’s best-known picture. Hopper’s late night scene, with its compelling light effects and palpable sense of urban isolation, is clearly reflected in the ambient and emotional depths evoked by the Nighthawks’ impressive ambient, dub, pop and jazz fusion.
On “Rio Bravo” their last album, one can hear echoes of “Citizen Wayne”, Dal Martino‘s and Reiner Winterschladen’s 1998 debut album. “As the name “Citizen Wayne” implies, our common denominator lay somewhere between an atmospheric trumpet drifting through rainy urban streetscapes and Western film sets featuring white-washed Mexican churches and red dust. “Bronco Suite” on “Citizen Wayne” was inspired by Western soundtracks.” Both the urban vibe and the Wild West have also made it onto “Rio Bravo”, an album whose relaxed, playful character reveals two musicians at peace with themselves.
Starting in 2016 the band will also do a few tours in The Benelux.
Contact us for possible dates.