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Wie das Leben so spielt - How life goes

What does a musician in the time of Corona  do – what with no engagements, financial insecurity, and with the growing feeling that it may well be a long time before events managers and organizers feel confident enough to plan future concerts or events in the form we have heretofore been accustomed…? Does one give in to despair, quit entirely or find other work? Thomas Kramer decided to try to use this time meaningfully and creatively und began again to compose and with that,  to fulfill one of his fondest wishes: to bring my musical “Dream Team” with whom I had already worked for several years  into the studio.  So now here it is: a “sign of life” – certainly to be continued! With two wonderful friends and musicians, Erwin Schmidt on Hammond organ and Heimo Wiederhofer on drums, The Thomas Kramer Hammond Trio, he recorded 10 fine original compositions and shows his great musical craftsmanship with a great sound as well.

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Nicolas de Staël (II)    
Late Indian Summer
Nicolas de Staël (III) 
Opus 2  Nobility  Phoenix 

1970 Hans Koller returned after 20 Years abroad and was looking for young musicians for his avant-garde musical ideas. He found this in the keyboardist Albert Mair, the guitarist Costa Lukacs and the drummer Karl Prosenik.
All three were "at home" in mainstream jazz at the time. The first rehearsals with Hans, Albert and Costa took place in late 1970, early 1971. It showed the genius of Hans Koller as a band leader, how he implemented his musical avant-garde ideas with them. He invited the bassist Adelhard Roidinger to realize his ideas. At that time he was active in avant-garde music, among other things. Adelhard says today: “Hans was a grandmaster for me. Years later I discovered a deep kinship, the commitment to Central European musical culture in the form of freedom in rhythmic design (agogic) and the overabundance of musical events ”. The "Hans Koller Free Sound Quintet" was born. The decisive factor was Koller's respect for his fellow musicians, whose talents he enhanced.
His graphic - artistically unique notation in the form of concise musical ideas without bar lines gave all musicians the greatest possible scope for creativity. After a short time, the five of them were playing music from a single source in the most renowned jazz bars in Germany, in Switzerland, France, Denmark and Austria. One day Hans said: “Let us make a record ”. A college friend of Albert, Guido Bertol, had experience in studio recording and Albert had a Revox A77. Guido - the "Rudy van Gelder" of Vienna - built a makeshift mixer from cheap components. He used the natural reverberation of his cellar for the recordings. And so this - as yet unpublished - honest, strong and rustic document was created, with Hans Koller iat his best. There are other recordings or of the FREE SOUND Quartett, but this one is UNIQUE because of the use of the additionnal guitar, geniusly played by Costa Lukacs!

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Blue Waltz Visitation Zulu Zali 
The Masquerade is Over 
Seven Steps to Heaven 
Waltz for Charlotte Del Sasser 
Speak Low Bitter Sweet

This live recording is of one of the last concerts of the international Albert Mair Trio, recorded live, 25 years ago on January 2, 1996 in the original Porgy & Bess Jazz Club in Vienna. The trio was formed In the mid-nineties..its goal: to accompany Joan Cartwright and other singers. Soon thereafter an equal musical frame of mind moved the three musicians, Albert Mair (piano), Marc Abrams (bass) and Andy Winter (drums) to perform solely as a trio. Albert’s preferred formation, a musical dream team. Concerts in Austria, Germany and Switzerland followed. Marc Abrams is a bass player from New York City presently residing in Venice (Italy) who participates in radio and television broadcasts, jazz festivals, concerts and tours in the following countries: Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Greece and of course the USA. He has performed with many well-known American soloists (e.g. Chet Baker, Gil Evans, Steve Grossman, Lee Konitz...) as well as European soloists Kenny Weeler, Karl Berger and Heinz Sauer and the list goes on. He met Albert Mair and Andy Winter in the mid-nineties and formed a trio for the purpose of backing featured singers (see above). In the following years they performed solely as a trio. Andy Winter is a drummer from Vienna, Austria now living in NYC, USA and Berlin, Germany. He received his formal education at the Vienna Conservatory and gave concerts early on with greats of the local scene such as Karl Ratzer, Harry Stojka, Wolfgang Puschnig and others. In 1988 he went to New York to study at the New School and has since worked with jazz musicians such as Larry Goldings, Brad Mehldau, Ron Carter, Mark Whitfield, Peter Bernstein, Scott Colley, Chris Potter, Ben Monder, Donny McCaslin, and others. He and Albert Mair were also sidemen in the Jimmy Woode Trio before they formed the trio formation with Marc Abrams.The Trio is performing loosely, with greatinteraction and lots of space for the soloistic qualities of all three. Fine Standard versions and four originals of the bandleader.

1. Blue Waltz (Albert Mair) 2. The Masquerade is Over (Allie Wrubel, Herb Magidson ) 3. A Ballad For Her (Albert Mair) 4. Bitter Sweet (SamJones) 5. Speak Low (Ogden Nash, Kurt Weill) 6. Del Sasser (Sam Jones) 7. Visitation (Paul Chambers) 8. Zulu Zali (Albert Mair) 9. Seven Steps To Heaven (Miles Davis, Victor Feldman) 10. Waltz For Charlotte (Albert Mair)

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Pete´s Message  Nocturne Op. 9 
Brazilian Nature  The Edge
Here We Are What Now My Love?

In the Corona year 2020 this great project developed out of a spontaneous studio jamsession of four jazz personalities:
A strong Jazz Organ Quartet, of course with the legendary Wes Montgomery Quartet in the back of the head, with some of the best musicians of Vienna, Austria.
The Clubs were closed, so better meet in the studio of drummer Dusan Novakov (projects with Mark Murphy, Oliver Lake, George Cables, John Marshall, Dick Oatts, Don Menza, Kirk Lightsey, Michelle Hendricks, Toninio Horta, Dusko Gojkovic, Valery Ponomarev, Andi Bey, Bread Lealy, Karl Ratzer, Timna Brauer und Elias Meiri Ensemble, Fernando Correa, Fritz Pauer, Big Band Graz, Frank Lacy, Gregory Porter, Paul Zauner, and Andy Middleton) and record some tunes! 
On the soundgiving Hammond Organ: Erwin Schmidt (projects a.o. with Kevin Mahogany, Ray Charles, Christian Havel, Elly Wright, Ingrid Maria Wagner, Carole Alston, Heinz von Hermann, Joris Dudli, Hans Salomon. Joschi Schneeberger,  Walther Großrubatscher).
On the cool jazz guitar: Christian Havel (projects Dennis Irwin, Charles Fambrough, Tony Scherr, Paolo Cardoso, Peter Herbert, Paul Imm, Jack Walrath, Ralph Ericson, Valerie Ponomarev, Juraj Bartos, Ingrid Jensen, Lee Harper, Ed Thigpen, Mario Gonzi, Joris Dudli, Fritz Pauer, Jon Davis, John di Martino, Roberto di Gioia, Harry Sokal, Klaus Dickbauer, Andy Middelton, Thomas Kugi, Rudi Berger, Erwin Schmidt, Carole Alston, Toninho Horta, Nelson Faria)
On saxophone and flute: Bernhard Wiesinger (projects FREE TENORS feat. Harry Sokal , Miss Moravia, Joris Dudli, Christian Havel, Fritz Pauer, Lori Williams, John DiMartino, Danny Grissett, Klemens Marktl, Rob Bargad, Renato Chicco Jon Davis, Gina Schwarz,Kevin Hays, Scott Colley, Bill Stewart)

1. Pete´s Message (Bernhard Wiesinger) 2. Nocturne Op. 9, No. 2 (Frédéric Chopin) 3. Within A Word (Christian Havel) 4. Brazilian Nature (Christian Havel) 5. Here We Are (Bernhard Wiesinger)
6. Blue Rose (Duke Ellington) 7. The Edge (Erwin Schmidt) 8. Walkin´ In Monk´s Shoes (Bernhard Wiesinger) 9. What Now My Love?  Cover design by Rens Newland for GRFX

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Luny Tune Senza Fine  Minor Truth
Peace Groovin on Dr. John One for ST
Rumpelstilzchen Balkan Flood

Erwin Schmidt, Martin Fuss, Wolfgang Pointner and Vladimir Kostadinovic are all masters of their respective instruments in any case and these four musicians have more in common than their jazz expertise: what makes The Organ Champs unbeatable as a quartet is their shared grounding in the blues. Plus that a certain funky vibe always underlies their mellow songs and solos. Their debut recording required no major advance coordination, but they simply counted themselves in and turned it on. “Turn it on” is also the name of the album, which kicks off with a vigorous drumroll! At its epicentre is the earthy, vibrant sound of the Hammond organ, a recurrent feature throughout the history of jazz that gives the music an irresistible tingling warmth. The Organ Champs also like to make forays in the direction of soul jazz and hard bop, with classics by the likes of Horace Silver, Lee Morgan or Larry Young. In their own songs, though, they skilfully bring their wide-ranging influences bang up to date. 

1. Luny Tune - 2. Senza Fine - 3. Minor Truth - 4. Peace - 5. Groovin on Dr. John - 6. One for ST - 7. Way Up North - 8. Why does it have to be so bad - 9. Sonic Boom - 10. Rumpelstilzchen - 11. Balkan Flood - 12. Are You Serious

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Listen to the Band Sound of Love Hey its me

the highly talented, ambitious, energetic and award winning drummer invited some of the new stars of USA Jazz for his contemporary quartet : Jimmy Greene (Sax), Danny Grissett (Piano) and Matt Brewer (Bass). Fresh and interactive is their sound, quality and fun seem to meet here in a perfect way!

 01. Listen to The Band 02. Course Of Events 03. The Only Sound 04. Duke Ellington’s Sound Of Love 05. Tour Through The Universe 06. Grüner Daumen 07. Hey, It’s Me You Are Talking To