Composer

Out of Print

What a mood spectrum indeed: from the depths of misery to highest jubilation. From impressionist sound-shifting through to expressive intensification. From reminiscences of the sensitive innovators of the jazz tradition and reflections of a multi-cultural urban environment through to flights into remote ethnic regions. Out of Print doesn't just borrow randomly from any influence. They've heard and experienced it all through their in-depth study of the music, through their travelling and above all through the process of playing.

Integration, that magic word in ensemble playing in general, and in particular within the context of jazz trios, is to be naturally taken for granted here. The commanding interplay on this album is the natural result of many years of intensive collaboration. Often one gleans the impression that all three musicians are playing as soloists while at the same time reacting to one another. All musical combinations are possible in this sensitive network: the bass may weave in melodies, the piano brings in percussion rhythms and the percussionist has a say not only in the rhythmical blueprint but also in the sound textures.

Out of Print, formed in 1990 in cooperation with Céline Rudolph, have been successful in moulding their own sound. This has only come about through each individual member contributing something unique to the music while the performance remains that of one unit.

After travelling through Africa and Latin-America as well as calling in on the New York jazz clubs they have finally congregated at the A-Trane jazz club in their native Berlin in order to express all their experiences in a common musical language.

A mood spectrum indeed...and what a trio!

Bert Noglik

Das Trio Out of Print entfaltet in seiner neuen CD "Fishland Canyon" einen reichen Schatz an sorgfältig ausmusizierten Stimmungen.
...der minimalistische Rückzug aufs Essentielle.
...halten sich an die grundlegenden Formen der Jazzimprovisation...die Kottenhahn durch seine versonnen wiederholten Motivschleifen mit der Klangwelt der Minimal Music verknüpft. Keiner der drei Musiker sucht sich durch musikalische Muskelspielereien hervorzudrängen, die Tempi...reichen bis ins extreme Lento. Genau hier zeigt sich jedoch die unschlagbare Stärke dieses Trios: um ein Stück wie den urgemächlichen "Waitz for Snoopy" über fünf Minuten lang am Grooven zu halten, dass die Bude wackelt, dazu braucht es eine gehörige Portion musikalischer Meisterschaft. Diese verbinden die Spieler von Out of Print mit einer nahezu telepathischen Kommunikation untereinander und lassen so einen außergewöhnlich homogenen aber detailreichen Gruppensound entstehen.
 

Die verträumten Harmonien Kottenhahns, die sanglichen Basslinien Strakhofs, die feine Beckenarbeit und die spritzige Besentechnik Bockholts fügen sich zu einem Klangbild, das mit Talent allein bei weitem nicht mehr zu erreichen wäre.

Marcus Gammel 
 

The music of "Out of Print" is lyrical, charming, humorous and wild
 

1990	"Out of Print" is established in collaboration with vocalist Céline Rudolph
1992	1st prize at the national Competition for Jazz Newcomers in Leipzig
1994	CD "Paintings" with Céline Rudolph & Out of Print" Nabel Music 4661
1996	CD "Book of Travels" Céline Rudolph & Out of Print" Nabel Music 4672
1999	CD "Fishland Canyon" Nabel Music 4680
2004	as Trio "Out of Print"  -  Anthem for a private country (Konnex)
2007	with Dave Liebman - Schmidt & Liebman & friends

Festivals:
Hamburg (Fabrik), Leipzig, Stuttgart, Brandenburg, Berlin (Jazz across the Border), Bucharest, Antananarivo, Bogota, Medellin, Bucaramanga, Manizales
Radio and television broadcasts: WDR, NDR, MDR, ORB, Romanien TV
Tours: Romania 1994 and1996, South Africa 1995, Tansania, Kenya, Madagascar 1995, Colombia 2000 and 2007
 

Volker Kottenhahn piano composition
 

1994	Diploma in Jazz Studies, Hochschule der Künste Berlin under David Friedman, Jerry Granelli, Aki Takase and Walter Norris
1994	prizewinner of the Berlin Senate's Studio Competition with "Welcome to the Maze"
1995	CD "Welcome to the Maze", Nabel Records, various concerts and radio broadcast on ORB (Eastern German Radio Brandenburg) with this group
1997	New York scholarship from the Berlin Senate - study programme with Richie Beirach, Kenny Werner and Ron McClure
1998	own band featuring among others Britta-Ann Flechsenhar, Jerry Granelli and Carlos Bica

 

Dirk Strakhof bass composition
 

1993	Diploma in Jazz Studies, Hochschule der Künste Berlin under Sigi Busch, David Friedman, Jerry Granelli
1994	CD "Reise nach Dschabarsa" (Journey to Dschabarsa), "die Chromatischen Phantasten" (the Chromatic Visionaries), Wonderland Records
1993	2-month study programme through a New York scholarship granted by the Berlin Senate; coaching from Richie Beirach, Rufus Reid, Dave Holland and other renowned musicians
1995	Study tour to Gambia
1996	Concerts and radio broadcasts with own compositions for the Batoru project, feat. Nils petter Molvaer and Denney Goodhew
1998	CD "Elegy for Africa"with Batoru, Nabel Records
1999	Festival "Jazz across the Border" with Batoru
2000	CD "Tree of sounds", feat. Stoyan Yankoulov and Peter Ralchev

 

Johannes Bockholt percussion composition
 

1994	Diploma in Jazz Studies, Hochschule der Künste under Sigi Busch, David Friedman, Jerry Granelli
1992	prizewinner of the Berlin Senate's Studio Competition with the group Linear Ensemble
1994	Improviser's Pool project with Alex von Schlippenbach and Manfred Schoof: radio broadcast (RIAS, ORB, WDR)
1995	CD "Background for Improvisers", with Improviser's Pool feat. Sam Rivers and Alex von Schlippenbach, FMP, CD 75 as drummer and producer
1995	South East Asia tour with Linear Ensemble
1996	Tour through Central America with Linear Ensemble
1996	Centralamerika Tournee mit "Linear Ensemble"
1997	Radio broadcast (WDR, ORB) with "The Globe Band" feat. Jane Ira Bloom and Jerry Granelli Professor at Java/Javeria University. Regular concerts in Colombia with the local musicians and with "Out of Print"
2000	Berlin Festival "Jazz Across the Border" with Nicolas Simion