Klaus Doldingerīs Passport |
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A young Klaus Doldinger on the cover of the compilation, Doldingers Best The master of the German jazz and fusion/funk scene, Klaus, Erich, Dieter Doldinger was born on the 12th of may in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. He was from an early age interested in music and started, by the age of eleven, to play the piano and to take piano lessons. He began studying music at Robert Schuman Conservatoire in Dusseldorf, and at the age of 16 he traded the piano for the clarinet. The step from the clarinet to the saxophone was not very far, and soon the sax became his first and also most creative instrument. Doldinger's biggest influences during this period was jazz and in perticular jazz musicians as Sidney Bechet and tenorsaxophone player, "Lucky" Thompson. His great interest in jazz soon drove him into Germany's absolute Dixieland circuits, and during the 1950s he came to perform and play with the famous German Dixieland band, Dusseldorf Feet farmers among others. Doldinger was however looking for something more and deeper within his music. He wanted a more direct and a more personal contact with the music and with his audience and that was something that either the Dixieland, nor the traditional jazz, was able to offer him. He therefore gave his influences from slick, cool and intellectual saxophone players as Lee Konitz and Stan Getz free space within his playing. He also got more involved in blues, be-bop and hard bop. He soon started playing with artists like Kenny Clarke, Ron Ellis, Roland Kovac Quintet and Werner Giertz Combo. In the beginning of the 60s Doldinger had developed his sax skills, and he was now recognized as a very gifted and talented saxophone player, which resulted in several performances with legendary musicians as organ player Johnny Griffin, Benny Bailey and trumpet player Donald Byrd among others.
Klaus Doldinger In 1962 he formed his own group, the Klaus Doldinger Quartet. After playing many years with Ingfried Hofmann, Doldinger had developed such a "black" sound in his saxophone that he among American jazz critics was known as "the black tenor from the Southside of Chicago", without any of the journalists knowing his German background. In 1964 Doldinger went on his first tour abroad. In 1970 he took another big step in his own musical career and formed his now legendary fusion group Passport, and by doing so, he wrote international jazz history. His intentions with Passport was to explore the combination of more rock-like-rhythms with advanced jazz improvisation. The groups first recording, "Passport" was released in 1970, and featured Doldinger on sax and keyboards, together with an electric rhythm section consisting of Olaf Kubler on second sax and flute, Jimmy Jackson on organ, Lother Maid on electric bass and Udo Lindenberg on drums. The result of the recording became a wonderful mix of jazz-rock and 70s jazzy fusion/funk. It didn't take very long until the group went through its first cleanup, and several musicians were about to come and go during the following years. In the mid 70s Doldinger managed to get the stability among the musicians, which he had so long been thriving for. Passport now consisted of Kristian Schultze, keyboards, Wolfgang Schmid, electric bass and Curt Cress, drums. This setting lasted for a few years, but by the end of the 70s the members once again were renewed, and new musician were added. Doldingers fellow musicians has however meant very little when it comes to bringing out Doldingers unique musical voice through the bands music, as to the musical stableness of the band. No matter what musicians Passports been consisting of, Doldingers leading voice and musically leadership has without any doubts permeated the groups sound completely.
The latest setting of Klaus Doldinger's Passport. Until 1996, Passport had released 23 albums which the latest one, "Passport to Paradise" also stated the bands 25th-jubilee and Doldinger's 60th birthday. The latest album "Passport to Paradise" is also considered to be one of the best albums the group has released. It covers everything from groovy laidback jazz/funk, to melodious ballads, to plain 70s funk spiced with complex African-rooted rhythms. It also stated the groups then 28th history in a natural way. The Passport of today is also including two percussionists besides the drummer, and the group is known for an enormous groove during their live performances. Doldinger is regarded being one of Germany's greatest composers and jazz-musicians and besides his group Passport he has also has an successful career of his own. He has released several solo recordings, the latest one released in 1994, titled "Streets of Dreams - Doldinger in New York" which as well featured several guest artists. He has also written a lot of film music, where the most successful one is the soundtrack for the German film Das Boot from 1981. In 1996 he was awarded the prestigious German award, Echo Lifetime for his musical achievements. Discography Klaus Doldinger: Street of Dreams - Doldinger in New York 1994 Never ending Story Film As (TV & Film Themes) Doldingers Best Das Boot - Original Filmmusik
Discography Passport: Passport to Paradise 1996 Passport Control Garden of Eden Blues Roots Heavy Nights Looking Thru Infinity Machine Hand Made Earthborn Cross Collateral Ataraxia Passport Links: |
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