Ralf Illenberger

Music Man, Astrologer, Cloud Man, Producer, Guitar Virtuoso, Composer, Arranger, Traveler, Lover, Photographer, Sound Engineer, Philosopher.

Born in Stuttgart Germany, Ralf Illenberger started to perform in 1977. His first album Waves (with fellow Guitarist Martin Kolbe) was released in 1978 and was nominated for the German Record Awards. Critics called them, “The Best German Guitar Duo.”
Illenberger released seven European recordings during the next nine years, exploring styles that ranged from new-classical to avant-garde to progressive jazz. Through Germany's Goethe Institute, Illenberger, and Kolbe played more than a thousand concerts during the '80's in over forty countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
In 1987, he formed the band Circle. Their eponymous album was released by Narada in 1988 and was a top-10, year-end pick in Pulse! magazine. Circle's follow up album was Heart & Beat (1990). Its title song became a major radio hit and captured the No. 1 spot on three major airplay charts: R&R's NAC, Gavin's Adult Alternative and MAC's PAC. The album held R & R's No.1 NAD spot for four consecutive weeks.

In 1993, Soleil received four stars in Downbeat. Some other accolades include: "One of 1993's masterworks on guitar." —Gavin, "One of the best examples of the New Age genre." —Chicago Tribune
In 1994 Illenberger released a collaboration with multi instrumentalist Buedi Siebert. SERENADE is a beautiful and quiet album.
Since 1991, Illenberger has worked closely with former Paul Winter singer, Susan Osborn—touring Japan five times and recording several albums with her (Susan Osborn won the Japanese Granny in 1992 and is currently on the Pony Canyon label). Illenberger arranged music on her recent release The Pearl, which they performed live on Japanese TV in 1996.
Since 1995, Ralf has been working in his studio in Sedona, Arizona. There he recorded Sedona and Still Waters (with David Friesen), which was voted “audiophile recording of the month” by Stereoplay magazine in May 1997. With The Gateway, Illenberger has created a timeless masterpiece, crafted like a magnificent landscape.
In the same year Ralf recorded with German folk legend Hannes Wader and world known bass player Eberhard Weber an album with original Schubert songs An Dich hab ich gedacht. Illenberger also arranged the piano music for guitar.
In 1999 Illenberger released “THE KISS”- an over 40 minute long musical journey in one long song – already a “classic”.
In 2001 Ralf produced APRIL , a rock pop album with a very talented german singer.
In the fall of 2003, Ralf produced the CD ‘Whack Tracks with Craig Ramsell for the Boomwhacker Company. Boomwhackers are colorful percussion tubes made of plastic and are tuned by length to musical notes.
2004 -On his latest upcoming CD EMERGE, Master player Ralf Illenberger shows his wide range of musical expressions with the acoustic guitar. Richly orchestrated tunes with haunting melodies, intricate rhythms and unusual sounds, “Emerge” is a unique musical experience. Illenberger gets support from Buedi Siebert on saxes, flutes, clarinet and marimbas and from Zirque Bonner on acoustic and electric bass.
In 2005 Ralf Illenberger started working with female singer Lenedra Carroll . Lenedra worked with her daughter Jewel for 10 years as her manager and is also a successful writer. Their CD “Beyond Words” is a wonderfully crafted collection of songs which were composed during the recording – Lenedra vocalizes in unknown “languages” with the haunting music of Ralf Illenbergers guitar arrangements.This CD was a wonderful spontaneious event – nothing was written ahead of time. No preparation was done other than to try not to get in the way of what flowed through us as we improvised. The songs are here as they came to us, with almost no alteration. The ’lyrics’ are not words as much as momentary communications wedded to extemporaneous melodies. Later, additional guitar parts and vocals were added sparingly and from the same inner space. There is healing here, there is peace, there is joy and laughter, there is power. It is the inarticulate language of spirit and a musical blending of souls – a feast of song. In summer of 2005 they both went to Japan and performed at a festival on Mount Fuji for a memorial of the dropping of the Hiroshima Bomb 60 years earlier.
In 2006 Ralf Illenberger worked as a producer and arranger in his Sedona Thunder Mountain Studio for two new young artists: KIANA is a powerhouse singer from Hawaii and she writes very catchy pop songs. Check it out! SIMON SPIRE is a young talent from New Zealand; his just finished CD “All or Nothing” is a collection of original Rock/Pop songs, very unique.
"Since I've been living in the Sedona Red Rock region my relationship to Nature and Spirit has become more important. I am very interested to explore more and more the magical and mystical side of music, the technical aspects are secondary, music has the ability to be a gateway to other worlds, I want to create music that appeals not only to the ear, but also mostly to the heart and soul.
~Currently Ralf is working at his latest project ‘In the Temple of RA’ A collection of new songs and instrumentals in his very unique style.