Uli Lenz

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Ulrich "Uli" Lenz (born March 10, 1955 in Frankfurt am Main ) is a German jazz pianist .

Life

Lenz grew up in a musical family and began playing the piano at the age of four. In the seventies he studied piano and cello at the Hoch'schen Conservatory in Frankfurt , later at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts and also played piano in bars and clubs. In the eighties he moved to Berlin and from there undertook several tours to France, Spain, Italy and Israel, where he played with well-known saxophonists. In Berlin he appeared in jazz clubs and in 1985 at the JazzFest Berlin .

1986 followed a solo tour over the Balkans and through the Mediterranean area, 1987 a first stay in New York . He then suffered an accident in which he injured a hand and from which he recovered only with difficulty. In 1988 a live recording followed in the New York jazz club "Sweet Basil" with Joe Chambers and Cecil McBee as well as a tour through the Caribbean, Central and South America. In 1989 he gave concerts in a trio with bassist Günter Lenz and drummer Allen Blairman at the Montreux Jazz Festival .

In the nineties he worked with Steve Grossman , Ed Schuller , Patricia Nomakosazana Dhlamini and Johannes Barthelmes , among others . He has made guest appearances as a soloist at international festivals and toured Europe, Africa and the Far East. In 1997 Lenz formed a trio with bassist Pepe Berns and drummer Thomas Alkier . In 2001 Lenz recorded the album Rainmaker's Dance for Arkadia with bassist Ira Coleman , drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernández and guest soloist TK Blue on saxophone , which received good reviews. As a result, Lenz recorded further duets with Nomakosazana and Triojazz with Ed Schuller and the drummer John Betsch . In 2005 he started a long-term collaboration with François Jeanneau , with whom he recorded duets and toured Russia, Brazil, India, Pakistan and parts of Africa. Since 2007 he has been playing in Trio 105 Jazz with drummers Zam Johnson and Gerhard Kubach on the double bass, which has also toured internationally. Lenz is currently continuing touring with François Jeanneau, Ed Schuller, 105 Jazz and as a solo pianist.

Discographic notes

  • Midnight Candy , 1986, Enja 5009 (LP), solo
  • Live at Sweet Basil , 1989, Enja 6008 (LP) & Enja 6008-2 (CD), with Cecil McBee ( b ), Joe Chambers ( dr )
  • Life at the Montreux Music Festival , 1991, B&W 005/006, with Günter Lenz (b), Allen Blairman (dr)
  • Concert of the Lost Sons , 1992, Konnex 5035, with Johannes Barthelmes ( ts , ss )
  • Trane's Tree , 1993, Konnex 5057, with Johannes Barthelmes (ts); German Record Critics' Prize 1994
  • Trouble in Paradise , 1993, Tutu 888144, with Nomakosazana ( voc )
  • Love Channel , 1995, Bellaphon 45100, solo
  • Echoes of Mandela , 1997, Tutu 888180, with Ed Schuller (b), Victor Jones (d)
  • Rainmaker's Dance , 2001, Arkadia Jazz 71031, with Ira Coleman (b), Horatio "El Negro" Hernandez (dr), TK Blue ( as )
  • Tenderness - The Art of the Duo , 2004, tutu 888198, with Nomakosazana (voc)
  • Good-bye Venus , 2007, tutu 888218, with Ed Schuller (b), John Betsch (dr)
  • Walking in the Wind , 2008, tutu 888226, with François Jeanneau ( s )
  • Is There a Life after Bradley's? , 2011, tutu 888238 , with Ed Schuller (b)
  • Une Fille pop , 2011, Vila Mariana, with Emmanuel Tugny and the Lady Guaiba's Swing Band
  • Dance Manaña , 2014, HGBS 20041 , solo
  • Thinking Of You , 2014, HGBS (Fenn Music) 20035 CD , with Kubi Kubach (b), Zam Johnson (dr) as The 105 Lenz-Kubach-Johnson Jazz Trio
  • Art of Duo - Les Danses de Vulcain , 2015, tutu 888242 , with François Jeanneau (ss)

literature

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Lenz, Uli
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Lenz, Ulrich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German jazz pianist
DATE OF BIRTH March 10, 1955
PLACE OF BIRTH Frankfurt am Main