Helmut Forsthoff

Helmut Forsthoff (born November 29, 1944 in Mühlhausen / Thuringia ) is a German jazz saxophonist (tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flute).

Life

Forsthoff began to learn piano at the age of seven; at sixteen, saxophone and clarinet were added. After graduating from high school and apprenticeship as a skilled worker, he began studying in 1964 at the Carl Maria von Weber Academy of Music in Dresden (saxophone, piano). Forsthoff then had engagements in dance bands in Berlin before he played jazz rock in the group SOK . Here were Ulrich Gumpert and Günter Baby Sommer key drivers for his musical awareness, especially in the direction of jazz . He then had engagements with Klaus Lenz ( Jazz Jamboree Warsaw 1974) and in the band of Uschi Brüning (Warsaw 1976, Prague 1978). As a soloist he became known through recordings and appearances with the Modern Soul Band , and in jazz especially with the Gumpert Workshop Band , with whom he also appeared at the Berlin Jazz Days 1979 and the Moers Festival 1979 . Tours through all Eastern European countries followed. He appeared at several German festivals in workshops with Hanno Rempel , Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky and Manfred Schulze . Forsthoff also works as a studio musician (z. B. with the Amiga Blues Band by Peter glasses , Gerhard Hugo Laartz and Herbert Junck ), played in the sheet metal strip by Hannes Zerbe (East-West Jazz Nuremberg 1984) and to date in the quartet of Joe Sachse ( North Sea Jazz Festival 1990). He was also active in the GDR jazz orchestra under the direction of Manfred Hering and Baby Sommer. Since 1987 he has appeared in his own trio with Gerhard Kubach on double bass and Denis Stilke on drums (CD "Four Together"), which is often expanded to include trumpeter Paul Schwingenschlögl to form a quartet. In addition, Forsthoff works as a saxophone teacher at two Berlin music schools.

Web links

• Forsthoff website
• Helmut Forsthoff at Discogs (English)