Andreas Schmidt (born 21 March 1967) is a German pianist,

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

and

arranger In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orches ...

Early life and education

Andreas Schmidt was born in Berlin. He took piano lessons beginning at since age 13 and later also studied saxophone. His piano teachers Aki Takase (Japan) and Walter Norris (United States) encouraged him to study jazz piano, composing and arranging. From 1993 to 1998 Schmidt studied in the jazz department of the Berlin University of the Arts.

Career

In 1994 Schmidt met saxophonist

Lee Konitz Leon Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American composer and alto saxophonist. He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's association with the cool jazz ...

. The pair recorded a CD together entitled ''Haiku'', along with drummer Jerry Granelli, bass clarinetist Rudi Mahall and vocalist Sayumi Yoshida, for which Schmidt composed all the music. In 1995 Andreas Schmidt received a composition grant from the Berlin Senate and spent six months in New York City working with Jim Black, Jane Ira Bloom, D. D. Jackson,

Susie Ibarra Susie Ibarra (born Anaheim, November 15, 1970) is a contemporary composer and percussionist who has worked and recorded with jazz, classical, world, and indigenous musicians. One of SPIN's "100 Greatest Drummers of Alternative Music," she is kno ...

and

Joe Fiedler Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * Joe (1970 film), ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * Joe (2013 film), ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage * Joe (TV series), ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from ...

. There he also met pianist Paul Bley, who motivated him to work with bassist

Gary Peacock Gary George Peacock (May 12, 1935September 4, 2020) was an American jazz double bassist. He recorded a dozen albums under his own name, and also performed and recorded with major jazz figures such as avant garde saxophonist Albert Ayler, pianist ...

. From this project emerged the CD, ''berlin, 1999''. Since 1997 Schmidt has been the house pianist of the Berlin jazz club

A-Trane The A-Trane is a jazz club in Berlin, Germany. Overview The A-Trane was opened in late 1992. It is located in Berlin-Charlottenburg at Bleibtreustrasse 1 where its doors open every night at 9 pm. Uncounted locally and internationally renowned mus ...

, playing with many notable musicians. Schmidt has contributed either compositions or playing to about 30 albums. In 2007 his third album was released, entitled "hommage à tristano". It was followed in early 2008 by "Andreas Schmidt & David Liebman & Friends in Berlin". In 2009, Schmidt released two albums: ''Schmidt Happens!'', a live recording with Berlin musicians Thomas Heberer entitled ''Pieces for a Husky Puzzle''. In early 2010 the trio played concerts at clubs in both Berlin and New York. In 2013 he played on the album ''Yingying'' as part of the Birgitta Flick Quartet. The quartet also recorded an album ''Dalarna'' in 2016. Schmidt is currently professor of piano at Jazz-Institut Berlin.

Discography

* 1995: Haiku (with Lee Konitz) (as Pianist, Composer and Producer) * 1996: just a moment (as Pianist and Composer) * 1999: Neothis und Neothat (as Pianist and Composer) * 1999: berlin, 1999 (with Gary Peacock) (as Pianist, Composer and Producer) * 2000: Kannenberg on Purpose (als Pianist and Arranger) * 2002: A Sigh, A Song (as Pianist and Arranger) * 2003: M. Schiefel: Gay (as Pianist) * 2004: Jazz & Blues Award Berlin 2004 * 2006: Y MOVE * 2007: hommage á tristano"Andreas Schmidt / John Schroder / Christian Ramond: Hommage a Tristano"
''All About Jazz'', C. MICHAEL BAILEY. February 27, 2007 * 2008: Andreas Schmidt & David Liebman & Friends in Berlin * 2009: Schmidt Happens! (Andreas Schmidt Quartet with Peter Weniger) * 2009: Pieces for a Husky Puzzle (Trio with Thomas Heberer) * 2010: slow motion emotion (Solo CD, as Pianist and Composer)

Awards

* Jazz-Performance-Preis der Karl-Hofer-Gesellschaft 2003 * Jazz & Blues Award * Hip Hop

References

External links

*
Website of Andreas Schmidt

Current projects of Andreas Schmidt

Konnex Music Group
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schmidt, Andreas German jazz pianists German jazz composers Male jazz composers Musicians from Berlin Avant-garde jazz pianists 1967 births Living people German male pianists 21st-century pianists 21st-century German male musicians