Thomas Heberer Unterfahrt 2010-10-08-001

Thomas Heberer (born September 24, 1965, in Schleswig, Germany) is a trumpeter, quarter-tone trumpeter, cornetist, keyboardist and composer, primarily focused on jazz, creative improvised music and contemporary chamber music. Based in New York City, he currently works as a leader and sideman in a variety of bands in Europe and the US.

Education

Heberer began playing trumpet at the age of 11. From 1984 to 1987, he studied at conservatory with

Manfred Schoof Manfred Schoof (born 6 April 1936) is a German jazz trumpeter. Career Schoof was born in Magdeburg, Germany, and studied music in Kassel and Cologne, where one of his teachers of the big band leader Kurt Edelhagen. Schoof performed on Edelhagen ...

at the

Cologne University of Music Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 million ...

Notable projects: 1987 to present

Leader

Heberer leads several projects, including past and present: * Lip Lab, a trio with Carl Ludwig Hübsch on tuba and Christian Thomé on drums. The group released ''Lex Luna'' on JazzHausMusik in 2007. * Clarino, a trio with clarinetist Joachim Badenhorst and bassist Pascal Niggenkemper, released two albums: ''Klippe'' in 2011 (Clean Feed) and 2012's ''Cookbook'' (Red Toucan). * X Marks the Spot, a quartet with guitarist Terrence McManus, bassist Michael Bates, and drummer Jeff Davis, debuted with an eponymous album in 2019 on OutNow Recordings. * A quartet, featuring saxophonist

Ingrid Laubrock Ingrid Laubrock (born 24 September 1970) is a German jazz saxophonist, who primarily plays tenor saxophone but also performs and records on soprano, alto, and baritone saxophones. She studied with Jean Toussaint, Dave Liebman and at the Guildh ...

, bassist John Hébert, and drummer Michael Sarin. Their debut album The Day That Is will be released on Sunnyside Records on October 22, 2021.

Solo work

He has recorded and performed solo. Notable recordings include: ''The Heroic Millipede'' in 1988 (ITM); "Kill Yr Darlins" in 1997 (Poise); two albums on the Poise label under the pseudonym T.O.M.: ''Stella'' in 2001 and ''Mouth'' in 2003; the digitally released ''Sloops'' in 2007; and a vinyl-only release called ''One'' on

NoBusiness Records NoBusiness Records is an independent record label, based in Vilnius, Lithuania. History The label was founded in 2008 by Danas Mikailionis and Valerij Anosov. The latter is the owner of a jazz-oriented record store in Vilnius named ''Thelonious'' ...

in 2011. His solo work has been used for films and dance performances, including for two choreographies by

Pina Bausch Philippine "Pina" Bausch (27 July 1940 – 30 June 2009) was a German dancer and choreographer who was a significant contributor to a neo-expressionist dance tradition now known as . Bausch's approach was noted for a stylized blend of dance m ...

. Choreographer Bausch's ''Für die Kinder von gestern, heute and morgen'' (2002) uses a track from "Stella" called ''German Measles''; Bausch's ''Ten Chi'' (2004), uses a track called ''Blue" from the album ''Mouth.'' Wim Wenders used "Blue" in ''Pina'', which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2011 for Best Documentary Feature. "Blue" and "German Measles" were both used in ''Pina Bausch'', a documentary directed by Anne Linsel (WDR/Arte) in 2006 and re-released by the Goethe-Institut in 2012 (IN2998).

ICP and other ensembles

He has been a member of the Instant Composers Pool (ICP) Orchestra from 1993 to present. Founded by

Misha Mengelberg Misha Mengelberg (5 June 1935 – 3 March 2017) was a Dutch jazz pianist and composer.Feather, Leonard & Gitler, Ira (2007) ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'', p. 459. Oxford University Press. A prominent figure in post-WWII European Jazz ...

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and

Willem Breuker Willem Breuker (4 November 1944 – 23 July 2010) was a Dutch bandleader, composer, arranger, saxophonist, and clarinetist. Career During the mid 1960s, he played with percussionist Han Bennink and pianist Misha Mengelberg, co-founding the I ...

, ICP currently comprises Han Bennink, Michael Moore, Ab Baars, Tobias Delius, Wolter Wierbos, Guus Janssen, Mary Oliver, Tristan Honsinger, and Ernst Glerum. During Heberer's involvement, the band has recorded numerous albums for hatOLOGY and ICP, and performed extensively around the world, including tours in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Europe, Japan and the US. Notable US performances with ICP include the Library of Congress, Harvard University, and the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. From 1987 to 2000, Heberer was a member of Alexander von Schlippenbach's Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, which at the time included Evan Parker, Kenny Wheeler, Aki Takase, Paul Lovens and others. During his involvement, the Orchestra recorded three albums for ECM, FMP and DIW, and performed in Europe and Japan. Heberer was a member of Tome XX with saxophonist Dirk Raulf, bassist Tim Wells (1987-1989), bassist, Dieter Manderscheid (1990-1996), and drummer Fritz Wittek. From 1987 to 1996, the band recorded four albums under the JazzHausMusik label, touring across Europe, Africa and South America. From 1988 to 1996, Heberer was a member of the European Jazz Ensemble, along with Joachim Kühn, Gerd Dudek, Konrad Bauer, Charlie Mariano, Tony Levin and others. In addition to performing across Europe, he is included on two recordings from the time: "Meets the Khan Family" (MA Music) and "20th Anniversary Tour" (Konnex). Heberer received significant attention in 1990 with his release of the album ''Chicago Breakdown: The Music of

Jelly Roll Morton Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe (later Morton; c. September 20, 1890 – July 10, 1941), known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American ragtime and jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer. Morton was jazz's first arranger, proving that a gen ...

,'' recorded with bassist Dieter Manderscheid. ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' gave ''Chicago Breakdown'' four stars, the publication's highest rating, citing it "highly recommended." Heberer and Manderscheid went on to record two more duo albums: ''What a Wonderful World'' (2002), in recognition for the centenary of Louis Armstrong, and ''Wanderlust'' (2007), a reflection on American blues music. ''What a Wonderful World'' was critically acclaimed and received four out of five stars in ''

Down Beat ' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chi ...

.'' As a duo, Heberer and Manderscheid have performed across Europe, Asia and the US. From 2008 to 2013, Heberer joined drummer Joe Hertenstein's band HNH with bassist Pascal Niggenkemper. The band released two records on Clean Feed: HNH (black album) and HNH (white album). With the addition of clarinetist Joachim Badenhorst, the band made an album called Polylemma on Red Toucan records, released in 2011. That year, Polylemma won the Happy New Ears award from the Free Jazz Collective. In 2013, Heberer and longtime collaborator Achim Kaufmann released their first recording on Red Toucan called ''Knoten'', followed by a second recording with Ken Filiano joining Kaufmann and Heberer, called Interstices on NuScope Recordings in 2015. In 2014, Heberer replaced the late Roy Campbell in the Nu Band, which comprises Mark Whitecage, Joe Fonda, and Lou Grassi; they toured Europe in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019. Two recordings were issued on Not Two Records: The Cosmological Constant (2015) and Live in Geneva (2017). Upon the passing of Mark Whitecage in 2021, the group was joined by Ken Wessel. In 2018, Heberer collaborated with tenor saxophonist Yoni Kretzmer and bassist Christian Weber. The trio recorded BIG in 2018, which was released on OutNow Recordings. In 2020, Heberer collaborated with bassist

Joe Fonda Joe Fonda (born December 16, 1954) is an American jazz bassist. Career Fonda was born in Amsterdam, New York to parents who both played jazz. He played guitar as a youth but switched to bass guitar later. He studied bass at Berklee College of M ...

and drummer Joe Hertenstein on an album called Remedy, released in 2021 on the Fundacja Słuchaj! label.

Sideman

He participates as a sideman in numerous ensembles and recordings with leaders such as

Muhal Richard Abrams Muhal Richard Abrams (born Richard Lewis Abrams; September 19, 1930 – October 29, 2017) was an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the free jazz medium. He recorded and toured the Uni ...

Peter Brötzmann Peter Brötzmann (born 6 March 1941) is a German saxophonist and clarinetist. Biography Early life Brötzmann was born in Remscheid, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He studied painting in Wuppertal and was involved with the Fluxus movement ...

Eugene Chadbourne Eugene Chadbourne (born January 4, 1954) is an American banjoist, guitarist and music critic. Life and career Chadbourne was born in Mount Vernon, New York, but grew up in Boulder, Colorado. He started playing guitar when he was eleven or twel ...

, Dave Douglas,

, Frank Gratkowski,

Barry Guy Barry John Guy (born 22 April 1947, in London) is an English composer and double bass player. His range of interests encompasses early music, contemporary composition, jazz and improvisation, and he has worked with a wide variety of orchestras ...

, Christoph Haberer, Gabriele Hasler, Joe Hertenstein,

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, Maria João, Paul van Kemenade], Yoni Kretzmer,

, Butch Morris,

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, David Murray, Sunny Murray, Michael Riessler,

Alexander von Schlippenbach Alexander von Schlippenbach (born 7 April 1938) is a German jazz pianist and composer. He came to prominence in the 1960s playing free jazz in a trio with saxophonist Evan Parker and drummer Paul Lovens, and as a member of the Globe Unity Orchest ...

, Andreas Schmidt, Frank Schulte,

Elliott Sharp Elliott Sharp (born March 1, 1951) is an American contemporary classical composer, multi-instrumentalist, and performer. A central figure in the avant-garde and experimental music scene in New York City since the late 1970s, Sharp has released ...

, Norbert Stein,

Steve Swell Steve Swell (born in Newark, New Jersey, December 6, 1954) is an American free jazz trombonist, composer, and educator. Music career Swell studied at Jersey City State Teachers College before moving to New York City in 1975 where he began his m ...

Aki Takase (born January 26, 1948) is a Japanese jazz pianist and composer. Biography Takase was born in Osaka and started to play piano at age 3. Raised in Tokyo, she studied classical piano at Toho Gakuen School of Music.Ankeny, Jaso"Artist Biography".A ...

Attila Zoller Attila Cornelius Zoller (June 13, 1927 – January 25, 1998) was a Hungarian jazz guitarist. After World War II, he escaped the Soviet takeover of Hungary by fleeing through the mountains on foot into Austria. In 1959, he moved to the U.S., wher ...

, John Zorn.

Harald Schmidt

He served as a member of the regular band supporting German talk show host and entertainer Harald Schmidt from 1995 to 2007. He was also featured as a guest several times including for the

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...

episode on November 22, 2002. From 1995 to 2003 the show aired four times a week for the German SAT1 private television channel. From 2005 to 2007, the show was performed 2 times per week for ARD, Germany's national television channel.

Critical reception

''Die Zeit'' critic Konrad Heidkamp called him "the master of German trumpet," ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' said "outstandingly gifted," the ''Rowohlt Jazz Lexikon'' credits him with having "developed a unique trumpet style," and colleague

named him "our new trumpet genius."

Teaching

From 1993 to 1997, Heberer lectured at the music conservatory Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Frankfurt-Main, Germany. He has conducted numerous workshops with the ICP Orchestra (among others, the 2007 Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music in Alberta, Canada) as well as for the Goethe-Institut in South America, Asia and Africa. He compiled a summary on trumpet techniques called Trumpet Mechanics. Other teaching positions include the jazz workshop at Akademie Remscheid in Germany and the Maine Jazz Camp at the University of Maine in Farmington.

Concepts

In addition to using regular staff paper for his compositions, Heberer has developed a notation code that he calls "Cookbook." It is an instant composition method, which allows for a high amount of freedom on the musicians' side while allowing significant structural tools on the composer's side as well. It does so by implementing the idea of instant memory shaped according to a specific set of rules.

Awards and recognition

* SWR-Jazzpreis, 1990 * Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, Vierteljahresliste, 1990, for "Chicago Breakdown: The Music of Jelly Roll Morton" with Dieter Manderscheid * Jazz-Art Preis in 2002, for "What a Wonderful World" with Dieter Manderscheid * Winner of ''DownBeat'' Critics TDWR Poll Award in 2002, for Instant Composers Pool (ICP) Orchestra * Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, Jahrespreis 2004, for the Aki Takase Band "Plays Fats Waller" * Finalist in ''DownBeat'' 58th Annual Critics Poll 2010, for Instant Composers Pool (ICP) Orchestra * Winner of the Happy New Ears award 2011 for "Polylemma," an album by the Joe Hertenstein Quartet on Red Toucan