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Reiner Witzel (2010)

Reiner Witzel (born June 21, 1967 in Mannheim ) is a German jazz musician ( saxophone , flute, clarinet, EFX), composer and photographer .

Life

Witzel studied music at the Cologne University of Music and the Manhattan School of Music . He then taught at the music academies in Düsseldorf and Frankfurt. He is also a guest lecturer at universities, gives seminars, works as a coach for music groups and theaters and as a consultant for agencies and instrument companies.

As a musician, Witzel u. a. with Richie Beirach, Fela Kuti, Marla Glen, Defunkt, the HR-Bigband, Xavier Naidoo, the Gil Evans Orchestra, Alex Sipiagin, Vinx, Sasha, Fury in the Slaughterhouse, Udo Lindenberg. He is co-founder and member of the Jazz Ensemble Düsseldorf (JE: D). He released sound carriers with his groups Reiner Witzel Group, Witzel`s Venue, Drei im Rote Kreis and Datfunk from Athens. Concerts and tours took him through Europe and other continents, he had festival appearances a. a. in Montreux, Montevideo, New York, San Jose, Odessa, Xi`An, Yaounde, Zanzibar.

As a composer, he has published compositions on a number of albums (with Vernon Reid , David Sanborn and Lew Soloff as guest musicians) and wrote title tracks for TV series for WDR such as B. for Westart, On Your Side, All Around Healthy, Day Seven and Beautiful Regions , theme music for the TV broadcasts of World Youth Day and the Pope's visit in 2005, complete audio design for the Eins Festival station , theme song for the Club of Budapest and the Cirque Buffon and lead role in the musical The Magic Forest (1998).

In addition to his work as a musician, he also works as a photographer. He portrayed a. a. Lionel Richie and Roger Cicero and photographed a. a. for the Rheinische Post and Sonic .

Reiner Witzel is married to Ludmilla Witzel, a cellist.

Awards and grants

  • Laureate at Jugend Jazzt (1984 and 1985)
  • Winner of the WDR Stadtmusik with the group Backyard Moon (1988)
  • Scholarship from the Ministry of Culture of North Rhine-Westphalia for studying in New York (1990)
  • Prize of the City of Düsseldorf (1994)
  • 2nd place at the Hennesy Jazz Search competition with his group Witzel's Venue (2000)

Discography

  • 16mm (three in the red circle with Markus Schieferdecker , Christian Scheuber ; Jazzsick, 2011)
  • Nomansland (three in the red circle with Christian Scheuber and Joscha Oetz; Jazznarts Records 2013)
  • Perceptions (Witzel's Venue feat. David Sanborn , Vernon Reid and others)
  • Passage to the Ear (Reiner Witzel Group feat. Lew Soloff)
  • Infinite Voyage (Reiner Witzel Group feat. Lew Soloff)
  • Steppin`Up (with Datfunk, Unique-Records 2016)
  • Witzel / Beirach / Scheuber / Oetz live (Jazzsick Records 2020)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Witzel, Reiner
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German jazz musician (saxophone, flute, clarinet, EFX) composer and photographer
DATE OF BIRTH June 21, 1967
PLACE OF BIRTH Mannheim