Rainer Böhm
Biography
Rainer Böhm is a German jazz pianist, composer and arranger.
Rainer Böhm - born in 1977 - has been involved as a bandleader or sideman in more than 60 CD recordings and has made a name for himself in the jazz scene as an internationally sought-after pianist. In addition to his work as a pianist, he teaches as a professor of jazz piano and ensemble conducting at the Hochschule für Musik in Nuremberg and Mannheim.
Already at a young age he was awarded with various prizes (e.g. Jazz Prize of the "Nürnberger Nachrichten", New German Jazz Prize, prize for the best soloist at the international jazz competitions in 2002 in Hoeilaart/Belgium and 2005 in Getxo/Spain, 2003 and 2007 Quarterly Prize of the German Record Critics, 2007 the 1st prize at the International Piano Solo Competition in Freiburg and 2010 Landesjazzpreis Baden-Württemberg).
As a sideman he has played with countless jazz greats, including Dave Liebman, John Patitucci, Mark Turner, Albert Mangelsdorff, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Ari Hoenig, Donny McCaslin and Randy Brecker.
His music
As a pianist, there are especially many opportunities to play with other musicians:
Solo, duo and trio, combo to big band. Rainer Böhm has played in all of these formations.
A selection of his CD productions:
He accompanied the singer Luciana Souza on the piano of the WDR Big Band.
With the American colleagues John Paticucci, Marcus Gilmore and the Berlin saxophonist Ben Kraef he formed a quartet - CD Berlin-New York.
In the trio of bassist Dieter Ilg he could participate in 3 albums of fantastic jazz interpretations of classical music - Wagner, Beethoven, Bach.
Rainer Böhm also shows his versatility in a duo with guitarist Norbert Scholly. Most recent album: El Movimiento del Gato Negro.
hýdōr (Piano Works XII)
On the album hýdōr (Piano Works XII), his attention is focused on solo piano. Here Rainer Böhm can present the entire scope of his skills and stylistics. Subtle ballads, rhythmically moving titles, chamber music ideas up to free excursions from traditional tonality can be found. The poles of tension range from lively sequences - hammered at a fast tempo - that bring forth a wild expression, to calmly lingering in the quiet realms of harmony and melody. His improvisations mediate between these accents of his music.
Current Album
Rainer Böhm & Norbert Scholly - El Movimiento Del Gato Negro
Rainer Böhm – Piano
Nobert Scholly – Gitarre
The piano is not too fine to get into dialogue with almost all other instruments: gladly with wind instruments like sax and trumpet, also the bass is welcome. Duo albums of piano with guitar, on the other hand, are rather rare. Possibly this is due to the fact that both instruments can play chords as well as soloistic figures, and the need for harmonic coordination might be greater than with instruments playing single notes. All this does not prevent Rainer Böhm from having an intensive dialogue with Nobert Scholly. Both know each other from the earlier CD recording Juvenile.
What can be heard is a stylistically broad as well as colorful palette of playing styles.
- Sensitive ballads: Ballade for the Brave, Unstet, Still Crazy
- Rhythmically forced titles: Exceeding, Train Game, Tune for Dad
- Latin American inspired (guitar) themes like the rhythmically driving title song: El Movimiento del Gato Negro, Guinga
- Chamber music motifs: Kenny's World, New Song
Duo, that means permanent playing of both musicians, be it by accompanying chords, be it by solos. Thus, an almost non-stop change of voice leading can be heard. This leads to intense listening experiences: who is playing solos, who is playing chords more strongly? Well, as a rule this is easy to distinguish. Here, both have probably agreed to want to sound like the corresponding partner: from timbre to phrasing to intonation - as far as the instruments sonically allow.
The result is a constant stream of changing musical motifs and figures, a permanent intermingling of composed parts and sovereign improvisations, which provides variety and liveliness.
The constant flow of themes, however, requires attention and concentration from the listener in order to absorb and understand the many ideas. Since the low frequencies are rather seldom heard, the musical events move predominantly in the higher frequency range of the fast and short-lived tones, which strongly shape the sound character of the duo sound. Of course, a soft weakness for piano with guitar is to be brought along. If you love all this, you are well - if not better - served with this duo album.
Text: Cosmo Scharmer
Discography
• WDR Big Band mit Luciana Souza (released 2020 by Sunnyside Records)
• Duo Rainer Böhm / Norbert Scholly “El Movimiento Del Gato Negro” (released 2019 by Laika Records)
• Rainer Böhm “hýdōr” (released 2018 by ACT)
• Peter Gall “Paradox Dreambox” feat. R. Baas, W. Slavin, B. Kraef, M. Pichler und R. Böhm als Pianist (released 2018 by Traumton)
• Wanja Slavin “Lotus Eaters” Salvation feat. u.a. Petter Eldh, Nasheet Waits und R. Böhm als Pianist (released 2018 by WhyPlayJazz)
• Vitaliy Zolotov “Vitime Band II” feat. Joscha Ötz, Bodek Janke und R. Böhm als Pianist (released 2017 by EMP Records)
• Dieter Ilg Trio “B-A-C-H” feat. P. Heral und R. Böhm (released 2017 by ACT)
• Arne Huber Quartet “Im Echten Leben” feat. Domenic Landolf, Jochen Rückert, Wanja Slavin und Rainer Böhm (released 2017 by Meta Records)
• Lutz Häfner / Rainer Böhm + 4 Celli “No Lonely Nights” (released 2016 by Care Music)
• Karolina Strassmayer / Drori Mondlak Quartet “Of Mystery and Beauty” feat. John Goldsby und R. Böhm (released 2016 by Lilypad Music)
• Bastian Jütte Quartet “Happiness Is Overrated” feat. Florian Trübsbach, Henning Sieverts und R. Böhm (released 2016 by Unit Records)
• Duo Rainer Böhm / Norbert Scholly “Juvenile” (released 2015 by Pirouet Records)
• Northbound / Southbound feat. Axel Schlosser, Karl-Martin Almquist, R. Böhm, A. Huber und P. Höchstätter (released 2015 by Edition Longplay as LP)
• Dieter Ilg Trio “Mein Beethoven” feat. R. Böhm und P. Heral (released 2015 by ACT)
• Arne Huber Quartet “Pearls” feat. Domenic Landolf, Rainer Böhm und Jochen Rückert (released 2015 by Meta Records)
• Axel Schlosser & HR Big Band “Into The Mackerel Sky” mit Rainer Böhm als Solist (released 2015 by Double Moon Records)
• Malte Dürrschnabel Quartet “Strayhorn” feat. Rainer Böhm, H. Gailing und S. Morger (released 2015 by Double Moon Records)
• Rainer Böhm Trio “Standards” feat. J. Burgwinkel und Henning Sieverts (released 2014 by The World Music Cafe)
• Wanja Slavin Lotus Eaters “For Yery Sad And Yery Tired Lotus Eaters” feat. P. Gropper, R. Böhm, A. Lang und T. Backhaus (released 2014 by WhyPlayJazz)
• KOI Trio “Light Blue” feat. Sebastian Gille / Rainer Böhm (released 2014 by Float Music)
• Rainer Böhm Quartett “Familia” feat. J. Enders, Phil Donkin und Peter Gall (released 2013 as LP by Edition Longplay and 2014 as CD by Laika)
• Dieter Ilg Trio “Parsifal” feat. Rainer Böhm und Patrice Heral (released 2013 by ACT)
• L 14, 16 “Elder” feat. Axel Schlosser, Steffen Weber, Rainer Böhm, Arne Huber und Lars Binder (released 2012 by Double Moon)
• Duo Lutz Häfner / Rainer Böhm “Deep” (released 2012 by Care Music)
• SWR Big Band “die Besten aus Südwesten” feat. Rainer Böhm, Claus Stötter, Dieter Ilg etc. (released 2012 by Edel Germany)
• Peter Protschka “Kindred Spirits” feat. Christian Ramond, Sebastian Merk und Rainer Böhm (released 2012 by Personality Records”
• Manfred Bründl “Tip Of The Tongue” feat. Hugo Read, J. Burgwinkel u. Rainer Böhm (released 2011 by Laika Records)
• Dieter Ilg Trio “Live At Schloss Elmau” feat. Rainer Böhm und Patrice Heral (released 2011 by ACT)
• Ben Kraef Quartet feat. Rainer Böhm, John Patitucci und Marcus Gilmore (released 2011 by ACT)
• Lutz Häfner “Bar Talk With Bela” feat. Scott Colley, Adam Rogers, Rainer Böhm, Jochen Rückert und Donny McCaslin (release in 2011 by Care Music)
• Arne Huber Quartet “Jordan” feat. Domenic Landolf, Rainer Böhm und Jochen Rückert (released in 2011 by Nagel/Heyer Records)
• Dieter Ilg Trio “Otello” feat. Dieter Ilg, Rainer Böhm und Patrice Heral (released 2010 by Fullfat Records)
• Gary Fuhrmann Quintet „L´existencialiste“ feat. Martin Auer, Rainer Böhm, Matthias Nowak und Rene Marx (released 2010 by Konnex Records)
• Rainer Böhm Trio „Red Line“ feat. Aidan O´Donnell (Schottland, Bass) und Jeff Hirshfield (New York, drums) (released 2009 by Jazz4ever)
• RAL 3 feat. Lutz Häfner (Nürnberg, Saxophon), Rainer Böhm und Amoy Ribas (Rio de Janeiro, Percussion). (Released 2010 by NRW records)
• Thomas Stabenow “Die Klavierstücke” feat. Rainer Böhm – piano solo (released 2009 by Bassic Sound)
• Lars Binder Jazzsyndrom “My Personal Songbook” (Released 2009 by Personality Records)
• Peter Protschka Quintet “Kindred Spirits” featuring Paul Heller, Rainer Böhm, Dejan Terzic und Thomas Stabenow. (released 2007 by Jazz4ever Records)
• Regina Klein “Scarlet Wings” feat. Tony Lakatos, Dave King, Axel Schlosser, Rainer Böhm und Heinz Lichius (released 2006 by Chaos Records)
• Enders Room “Hotel Alba” (released 2006 by Tuition records) mit Rainer Böhm als Gastsolist und Komponist.
• Böhm – Huber – Daneck “Out Of Standards” (released 2007 by Jazz4ever)
• Oli Strauch Group “Groovin´ High” feat. Randy Brecker (released 2007 by Rodenstein Records)
• Juergen Seefelder / Ingrid Jensen (USA) “Birds” mit Rainer Böhm, Thomas Stabenow und Dejan Terzic (recorded on June 19th 2005, released 2005 by Westwind Records)
• Axel Schlosser Quartet mit Tony Lakatos, Rainer Böhm, Arne Huber und Paul Höchstädter (released 2006 by Jazz4ever Records)
• Axel Schlosser “Touching The Moon” (released 2005 by Jazz4ever Records)
• Johannes Repka “Metanoia” u.a. mit Rudi Mahall, Christopher Dell, Rainer Böhm und Dejan Terzic (released 2005 by Konnex Records)
• Gary Fuhrmann “G – Zone” mit Johannes Enders, Jürgen Seefelder, Martin Auer, Rainer Böhm, Matthias Nowak und Rene Marx (released 2005 by Double Moon Records)
• Rainer Böhm feat. Johannes Enders “B” (recorded on October 30th/31th 2005, released in 2006 by Jazz4ever Records)
• L 14, 16 “Phlogistone” mit Axel Schlosser, Steffen Weber, Rainer Böhm, Arne Huber und Lars Binder (released 2007 by Nagel Heyer Records)
• Böhm – Halle – Sell Trio “Ozon” mit Rainer Böhm, Gunnar Halle und Rainer Sell – laptop (released 2006 by Jazzcuisine Records)
• Juergen Seefelder / David Liebman mit Rainer Böhm, C. Breuer, J. Enders, Jason Seizer, Keith Copeland und Marc Abrams (released 2004 by Westwind records)
• Secret Sound Nation mit Sebastian Noelle, Rainer Böhm Panagiotis Andreou, Martin Valihora (released 2004 by Nolimit Records)
• Böhm – Halle – Sell Trio “Try To Org” mit Gunnar Halle und Rainer Sell – laptop (released 2003 by Jazzcuisine Records)
• Alberto Menendez Quartet mit Alberto Menedez, Rainer Böhm, Russ Spiegel, Thomas Stabenow, Sebastian Merk (released 2002 by IN + OUT Records)
• L 14, 16 “die Eröffnung” mit Axel Schlosser, Steffen Weber, Rainer Böhm, Arne Huber und Lars Binder (released 2002 by Jazz4ever Records)
• Thomas Siffling Group “Stories” mit Rainer Böhm, Frank Möbus, Uwe Lange, Markus Faller (released 2001 by Jazz4ever Records)
• Changes “Jazz Changes” mit Olaf Schönborn, Rainer Böhm, Sebastian Noelle und Lars Binder (released 2000 by Jazz´n Arts Records)
• BuJazzO “On Tour” unter der Leitung von Peter Herbolzheimer
• Fritz Münzer Tentett “Blue Ideas” mit Rainer Böhm u.a. (released 2000 by Jazz´n Arts Records)
• Thomas Siffling Quartet “Soft Wind” mit Rainer Böhm, Uwe Lange, Markus Faller (released 1999 by Satin Doll Records)
Write a comment