Kai Eckhardt (born 15 June 1961) is a German born musician and composer who plays bass, best known for his work with

John McLaughlin John or Jon McLaughlin may refer to: Arts and entertainment * John McLaughlin (musician) (born 1942), English jazz fusion guitarist, member of Mahavishnu Orchestra * Jon McLaughlin (musician) (born 1982), American singer-songwriter * John McLaugh ...

Vital Information Steve Smith and Vital Information is an American jazz fusion group led by drummer Steve Smith. The first line-up of Vital Information — Steve Smith (drums), Tim Landers (bass), and Dave Wilczewski (sax) — met in 1971 during their high scho ...

Torsten de Winkel Torsten de Winkel (born 6 January 1965) is a German musician, composer, and philosopher primarily active in the jazz, world music, fusion and electronic music genres. He is known as an electric and acoustic guitarist but also records and perfor ...

, Billy Cobham and

Garaj Mahal Garaj Mahal is a jazz fusion band formed in 2000 that combines jazz, rock, Indian music, and funk. The band consists of Fareed Haque (guitar), Kai Eckhardt (bass), Sean Rickman (drums), and Eric Levy (keyboards). Garaj Mahal allows its music to ...

—a band he co-founded. Educated at the prestigious Berklee College of Music Eckhardt has also collaborated on projects with guitarist Larry Coryell as well as keyboardist Tom Coster. Eckhardt is known for his fast chordal slap-style abilities, and for his unique combination of funk, jazz, and world music.

History

Eckhardt began to play bass guitar at age 15. His first major undertaking came in 1985 when European guitar prodigy

asked him to join his recording ensemble with Michael Brecker and Alphonse Mouzon, making quite a splash in the European scene, and later his touring band with

Ernie Watts Ernest James Watts (born October 23, 1945) is an American jazz and rhythm and blues saxophonist who plays soprano, alto, and tenor saxophone. He has worked with Charlie Haden's Quartet West and toured with the Rolling Stones. On Frank Zappa's ...

and Steve Smith, leading to an invitation to Eckhardt and Torsten to join Smith's US-based group

. The two German musicians also appeared together in a TV production with Randy Brecker and Simon Phillips. Meanwhile, he had accepted a scholarship to the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

and began to establish himself in the US, working with the likes of Aydin Esen, Stanley Clarke,

Tiger Okoshi Toru "Tiger" Okoshi (born March 21, 1950) is an American jazz fusion trumpeter born in Ashiya, Japan. After studying at Kwansei Gakuin University, Okoshi moved to the U.S. in 1972. In 1975 he completed studies at the Berklee College of Music. O ...

and

Bob Moses Robert Moses (1888–1981) was an American city planner. Robert Moses may also refer to: * Bob Moses (activist) (1935–2021), American educator and civil rights activist * Bob Moses, American football player in the 1962 Cotton Bowl Classic * Bob M ...

. In 1988 Kai joined the John Mclaughlin Trio with percussionist

Trilok Gurtu Trilok Gurtu (born 30 October 1951) is an Indian percussionist and composer whose work has blended the music of India with jazz fusion and world music. He has worked with Terje Rypdal, Gary Moore, John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek, Joe Zawinul, M ...

and

. The trio toured extensively in the years to come and recorded a number of albums, including ''

Que Alegria ''Qué Alegría'' is an album by the John McLaughlin Trio, featuring percussionist Trilok Gurtu and bass guitarist Dominique Di Piazza. Di Piazza is replaced by Kai Eckhardt on two tracks. It was released on the Verve label in 1992. The album ...

'' in 1992. Afterwards, Eckhardt moved to the San Francisco bay area and turned his attention to composing, while performing with the Billy Cobham International Quartet and with

. In 2000, he released his first CD as a leader, entitled "Honour Simplicity, Respect the Flow" and featuring

Aydın Esen Aydın Esen (born 1962) is a Turkish jazz musician who plays keyboards and electronics. Career The son of a trumpeter, Esen began music lessons at the age of five in Turkey and attended a music conservatory, continuing for 13 years. His background ...

, Courtney Pine,

Zakir Hussain Zakir Hussain ( ur, , link=no) is the name of: * Zakir Husain (politician), an Indian politician and former president of India * Zakir Hussain (actor), Bollywood actor * Zakir Hussain (field hockey) (1934–2019), Pakistani field hockey player * ...

and others. In 2008, he appeared on the CD of the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

endorsed Bimbache Jazz y Raices global encounter project and reconnected with

, leading to renewed collaborations of the two in Garaj Mahal and later in de Winkel's group Idiot Savants. He is also working with his own new group the Kai Eckhardt Band (which released an album entitled ''Zeitgeist'' in 2014). Eckhardt also runs a mentor-ship program for young musicians.Anil Prasad. ''Kai Eckhardt: Investing in the Fundamentals'' 'Bass Player Magazine' January 2009 Eckhardt 2015

Eckhardt was a co-leader and co-producer of the influential jam band

. The band played over 1000 shows in the US and Canada between 2000 and 2010. Garaj Mahal released 9 albums during those years and won the independent music awards in the Jam Band category in 2007. In August 2011 Garaj Mahal put an end to touring and there are currently no plans for future shows.

Discography

* Tuba ''Insight'' (Deda Music 2015) * Kai Eckhardt Band - ''Zeitgeist'' (Area 61 Records 2014) * Kai Eckhardt - ''Atomic Bass: Reactive Intervals'' (Truefire 2014) Instructional DVD * George Brooks' Summit ''Spirit and Spice'' (Earth Brother Music 2010) * Rad ''Getting Down is Free'' (7 Bridges recordings 2009) * Bimbache Jazz y Raíces - ''La Condición Humana'' (nyjg/ESC 2008), with Gregoire Maret,

, Maria Mérida and others * Tribute to Mahavishnu : ''Visions of an Inner Mounting Apocalypse'' (Tone Center 2005) * Bill Douglas ''Sky'' (Tala Records 2005) * Zigaboo Modeliste "I'm on the Right Track" (JZM 2004) * Kai Eckhardt - ''Honour Simplicity, Respect the Flow'' (2000) with

, Courtney Pine,

and others * Maria Joao : ''Fabula'' (Verve 1996) * Curandero - ''Aras'' (Silver Wave 1996), with Ty Burhoe, Miguel Espinoza, and Bela Fleck * Aziza Mustafa Zadeh: ''Dance of Fire'' (Columbia 1995) * John McLaughlin - ''Que Alegria'' (Verve Records 1992), with

and

Dominique DiPiazza Dominique Di Piazza, born in Lyon, France, in 1959, is an electric bass player. Di Piazza discovered the bass in 1979. Already a self-taught guitarist, Di Piazza developed a distinctive, but unorthodox 'closed palm' technique of picking with the ...

* John McLaughlin Trio - ''Live at the Royal Festival Hall'' (JMT 1989),with

* Torsten de Winkel - ''Mastertouch'' (EMI 1985), with Michael Brecker, Alphonse Mouzon and others * Steve Smith's Vital Information - ''Fia Fiaga'' (Columbia/Sony 1988), with Frank Gambale,

and others * ''BassTalk'' (HotWire 1989)

With Garaj Mahal

* ''Live Vol. 1'' (2003) * ''Live Vol. 2'' (2003) * ''Live Vol. 3'' (2003) * ''

Mondo Garaj ''Mondo Garaj'' is the debut studio album and fourth album by jazz fusion band Garaj Mahal. The album was recorded in late 2000 and early 2001 at In The Pocket Studio in Sonoma County, CA, then mixed/mastered over 2001 and 2002 at Talcott Moun ...

'' (2003) * ''

Blueberry Cave ''Blueberry Cave'' is the fourth album and second studio album by United States-based fusion band Garaj Mahal. Reception ''Blueberry Cave'' was well received and won the "Best Jam Album" award at the 6th Annual Independent Music Awards in 2007.< ...

'' (2005) * ''Woot ''(2008) * '' More Mr. Nice Guy'' (2010) * ''Discovery'' (2010)

References

External links

Kai Eckhardt official website
*

Berklee College of Music alumni Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cour ...

Feature article from UK Bass Guitar Magazine Japanese feature about Kai Eckhardt text is JapaneseInterview with Kai EckhardtSan Francisco feature about Kia EckhardtGaraj Mahal website
* Dance of Fire wiki page {{DEFAULTSORT:Eckhardt, Kai 1961 births Berklee College of Music alumni German bass guitarists Male bass guitarists German composers Living people Jazz fusion bass guitarists Blue Coast Records artists Male jazz musicians Vital Information members Garaj Mahal members German male guitarists