Tommy Schneller

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Tommy Schneller (born September 18, 1969 in Ankum near Osnabrück ) is a German blues musician, saxophonist and singer. In addition to working in his own band, he is always a guest musician in various other formations. His albums "Smiling for a Reason" (2012) and "Backbeat" (2016) each won the quarterly award of the German Record Critics .

Musical career

At the age of five, Tommy Schneller took his first creative steps as part of early musical education at the Osnabrück Conservatory, followed by violin lessons at primary school age. Through his teacher Hans Schwach, who was a clarinetist with the Osnabrück Symphony Orchestra, he got to know old swing recordings: for example by Louis Jordan , Count Basie , Duke Ellington and Satchmo . Tommy Schneller changed the instrument to the saxophone and became a member of his school's big band. Tommy Schneller describes a concert by pianist Little Willie Littlefield as a “key musical experience” , which he saw in 1986 at the Osnabrück blues club Pink Piano and which ended with four-handed improvisation with Christian Rannenberg , in which saxophonist Gary Wiggins finally joined . The latter lived in the neighborhood of the then 16-year-old and became his mentor, with whom he gained his first live experience in sessions. In 1989, Tommy Schneller's first permanent line-up followed with Christian Bleiming's Boogie Boys. At the same time he established himself as a singer. Further engagements for Al Jones and Tom Vieth followed and established the professional musician career of the saxophonist. In the 1990s, Tommy Schneller moved to Cologne and became a member of Richard Bargels Talkin 'Blues Combo. In 1995 the first class blues band started working with Frank Biner. There he played for the first time with Kevin Duvernay (bass) and Tommie Harris (drums), who later formed the rhythm section in his first band. In Germany, the trained businessman Tommy Schneller worked briefly at the Frankfurt concert agency Lynro Music as a booker, event assistant and tour manager. His clients included Sweets Edison , Red Holloway, and Ed Thigpen ; The saxophonist also took part on the stage with them. He also worked as a road manager for John Hendrix, Clark Terry and Ray Brown . In collaboration with the Bluesnight Band and the Grand Jam Band, Tommy Schneller has worked with various greats from the blues scene since 2000 - including Larry Garner , Andreas Schmidt-Martelle, Rolf Stahlhofen and Ron Williams .

Own projects

Back in Osnabrück, Tommy Schneller founded the label “Out Of Space” together with bassist Olli Geselbracht and in February 1997 recorded his first solo CD “Blown Away”. This was followed by further releases as the Tommy Schneller Band and Bluesin 'the Groove, a project he established together with Christian Rannenberg and Alex Lex in 2010. He is also a sought-after studio musician. Tommy Schneller recorded with Gregor Hilden, Supercharge and Henrik Freischlader , among others . The latter was also responsible as the producer of his album “Smiling for a Reason” (2011), which was awarded the quarterly prize of the German Record Critics.

Tommy Schneller band

The Tommy Schneller Band also includes Jens Filser (guitar, vocals), Helge Adam (keyboard, vocals), Gary Winters (trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals), Dieter Kuhlmann (trombone, saxophone), Raphael Becker-Foss (drums). and Maik Reishaus (bass, vocals).

The jury of the "Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik" writes: "Songs that are so precisely written to the point, in which blues, funk, soul and pop are extremely friendly, are very rare in this country. Hot music plays faster, but in cool sound comes along. That is exactly the material for relaxed listening in the lounge as well as for hard dancing in the club. (For the jury: Karl Leitner) "

Discography

As a contributor

  • Christian Bleiming & His Boogie Boys: "Jivin Time" (1989, Acoustic Music)
  • Christian Rannenberg: "Long Way From Home" (1990, Acoustic Music)
  • Pink Piano Allstars: "Fools Paradise" (1990), "Happy Valley"
  • Frank Biner: "Mr. Frank Biner "(1994)," Time to Move On "(1995)," Fixin to Jam "(2000)
  • First Class Blues Band: "Live" (1996, Acoustic Music)
  • Big Jay McNeely: "Deacons Hope Since 1949" (1998, Out Of Space)
  • Gregor Hilden: "Westcoast Blues" (2000, Acoustic Music), "I Play The Blues For You" (2000, Acoustic Music)
  • Farrell & Black Band: "Black Limosine" (2001, Stormy Monday Records)
  • Supercharge: "Live And Loaded" (2005)
  • Bluesnight Band feat. Ron Williams: "Doing The Right Thing" (2005)
  • 5 Live: "In The Kitchen" (2008)
  • Michael Witte & Volume "Streets & Curves" (2009)
  • Bluesin 'The Groove: "Let's Get High" (2010)
  • Bluesin 'The Groove feat. Adam Hall: "Mess Around" (2013, Timezone )
  • Michael Witte & Band "Zirkushimmel" (2013, Timezone )

Under his own name

  • Blown Away (1997)
  • Blues For The Ladies (2000)
  • A Heartbeat Away (2004)
  • Smiling For A Reason (2011, Cable Car Records)
  • Cream Of The Crop (2014, Cable Car Records)
  • Arschkalte Art (Charity single, 2015, Timezone )
  • Backbeat (2016, Timezone )

Prizes and awards

  • 2012: Prize of the German Record Critics
  • 2012: Winner of the German Blues Challenge with the Tommy Schneller Band
  • 2012: German Blues Award (category instrument - other)
  • 2012: "Smiling for a reason" at number 14 on the Living Blues Radio Charts (USA)
  • 2010: German Blues Award (category instrument - other)

Web links

proof

  1. ↑ http://www.schallplattenkritik.de/component/content/article/79-bestenlisten-2012/509-bestenliste-1-2012
  2. ↑ a b c personal conversations
  3. ↑ http://www.tommyschneller.de
  4. ↑ http://www.schallplattenkritik.de/component/content/article/509-bestenliste-1-2012
  5. ↑ Source: http://www.schallplattenkritik.de/bestenlisten/818-bestenliste-2-2016
  6. ↑ a b Archived copy ( memento of the original from March 8, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / bluesfest-eutin.de
  7. ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from January 18, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / bluesfest-eutin.de
personal data
SURNAME Faster, Tommy
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German blues musician, saxophonist and singer
DATE OF BIRTH 18th September 1969
PLACE OF BIRTH Ankum near Osnabrück