Dirk Blümlein

Dirk Blümlein Photo
Dirk Blümlein, Photo: Rainer Ortag

Biography

Dirk Blümlein is a German bass player.

He started playing the recorder at the age of 8, then switched to the trumpet at 12, he later played the bass, or more precisely the electric bass, and even more precisely the bass guitar. Dirk Blümlein has been doing this since the age of 14 out of deep passion. After graduating from university with a degree in electric bass in 1999, he became a full-time musician.

To this end, the bassist has toured criss-cross Europe with the ska band No Sports and is musically on the road all over the world with the band Fools Garden.

In addition to many productions as a sideman, Dirk Blümlein has currently recorded and released 3 solo CDs and 4 CDs with his own band, the Dirk Blümlein Terzett. At the moment, the electric bassist is working on his fourth solo production, which has a programmatic title: "WLFZ - Was Leichtes für Zwischendurch".

Current band
The "Dirk Blümlein Terzett" is made up of the following musicians, co-creators:
Andreas Francke (as & clar.), Eckhard Stromer (dr) and Dirk Blümlein (eb).

The musicians can't believe their luck, because they have been playing in this formation for over 20 years. Yes, congratulations are in order.

What distinguishes the group? There is blind musical understanding, forgiving friendship and always the search for new musical possibilities. Despite the spartan line-up (trio), the band's banner is at the top: they want to make their own exciting music, and offer it expertly and with humour. That's how it should be.

Current Album

Dirk Blümlein - Auf allen 7 Meeren

Dirk Blümlein Terzett:
Andreas Francke - alto-sax & clarinet
Eckhard Stromer - drums
Dirk Blümlein - e-bass

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Funk & Fun
On all 7 seas
A slightly rocking bass sprays groovy movement. Theme and rhythm vary, develop more towards funk. The melody lines blown by the sax, on the other hand, have something of bebop loops. In the quiet middle section, sparse drums and bass make for more tranquil playing. Then the sax hurls short erruptive notes into the theme, which then lead back into the opening figure. Performed in unison with the lightning-fast bass guitar, this sequence seems like a flashing homage to Charlie Parker.

Bottomless Barrel;
Straight rhythms, bouncy beat. The sax lays melody line and solo sequences over it: kept simple but effective. All in all, the piece is a well-rounded, balanced affair. It's rather the opposite of a bottomless barrel, it's an earthy song by funky-
Grounding.

I'll go over and check it out
Straight beat between the rock of the drums and the funk of the electric bass, into which the alto sax can carry its ideas and pimp the piece towards jazz.

La Dotta
This track insists on belonging to the "sub-category" "soft funk". This can be granted. Crisp bass, bouncy beat, catchy title motif, and the winning solos of saxophone as well as the singing bass leave nothing to be desired in this respect.

Ballads and daydreams - a triology
Aaron dreams. What beautiful story Aaron dreams of is not known, but he is accompanied in his musical daydreams by the soothing sound of the clarinet. More. Andreas Francke's clarinet sounds are the seductive guiding medium, to which bass and drums bow with a few sparse, but effective, notes. Dream catcher, it doesn't always have to be the flute.

The years run through
A full sounding electric bass by Dirk Blümlein produces an "acoustic" sound approaching that of a double bass - Jacco Pastorius was the pioneer of such technique as well as playing style. Eckhard Stromer beats his drums just as sensitively. The clarinet paints its colors into this landscape of euphony, and with its balladesque playing transforms the already gentle landscape into a warm valley for musical pleasure walking.

The Camille
The same can be said of the Camille. Impressive landscape painting in the burgundy tone colors of clarinet adorn this ballad.

Clubhouse of Freinsheim
Here an accentuated rhythm of the bass guitar resounds with a distinctive motif, presented by the alto saxophone. The theme was already on the solo CD Record. There in a rocky version. This is the jazzy version of the title in the style of a subtle funk. The melodic motif has something very catchy that listeners don't want to forget, nor should they. The "Vereinsheim von Freinsheim" can certainly be visited virtually - around the clock with the Dirk Blümlen Terzett.

Rhythmically accented songs & carols
Three Step Dance
Accentuated and rhythmically tricky this dance wants to be played. The title lives from the lines of the bass, into which the sax adds its colors. The drums by Eckhard Stromer are restricted to the most necessary, a few delicate strokes between the 3 beats of the bass. The improvisations of the alto saxophone, which can now let out its screams more wildly and expressively, live on this rhythmic-harmonic basis. Towards the end, bass and sax together engage in minimalist variations of the theme.

Out of sight out of mind
Melodic driving bass motif that immediately goes over the ears into the blood and remains there. The melody lines have recognition value, can be sung along, act like earworms. The now beginning solos of the alto don't change anything, because the striking melody is repeated again and again. A drum solo may bridge the gaps before the earworm resounds again. Out of sight out of mind? Maybe, but not out of the ears.

Text: Cosmo Scharmer

Discography

  • "auf allen 7 Meeren", 2018
  • "Fette Beute", 2011
  • "Freizeitvergnügen", 2007
  • "Alles für den Künstler", 2004
  • MeinsDeins "lockdown lounge", 2021
  • saltacello "in between times", 2020
  • ulrich zehfuss "erntezeit", 2020
  • dirk blümlein "fernreise", 2018
  • fools garden "rise & fall", 2018
  • dirk blümlein "record", 2018
  • thomas siffling "flow", 2017
  • peter lehel quartett & junger kammerchor ba-wü "missa in jazz", 2015
  • fools garden "flashback", 2015
  • Jazz Ensemble Baden-Württemberg "the doors without words", 2015
  • M.A.D "ganz in weiss", 2014
  • M.A.D "immer ärger mit dem wagen", 2012

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