GERD BAIER and PHILIPP GUTBROD are an experimental jazz duo – playing piano and drums, respectively – who, together and separately, have graced the stages of major jazz venues and festivals all over Europe and the U.S. GERD BAIER and PHILIPP GUTBROD’s partnership goes back to 1998, having first played side-by-side as members of the critically acclaimed jazz combo NortHsidE QuaRteT.
GERD BAIER's future as a pianist became obvious when, at age 3, he began to take up the instrument on his own. A veteran composer and performer, as well as an expressive, daring and atmospheric pianist, Baier has performed at Germany’s most important jazz venues -including Berlin’s A-Trane, Dresden’s Tonne, Frankfurt’s Jazzkeller, and the prestigious jazzclub in Burghausen – and has lent his talents to several German and international theater projects, touring extensivly throughout Europe (among other cities, St. Petersburg, Amsterdam, and Vienna). He also served a lengthy stint as a board member of the Jazz Club of Heidelberg.
Both a technically gifted and imaginative drummer, PHILIPP GUTBROD’s drumming is an on-going exploration of the melodic and sonic possibilities of the kit. Gutbrod has performed internationally - including weekly gigs at jazz clubs in Paris, concerts in Germany, Switzerland, England, and the USA, as well as collaborations with German theater, and percussion studies in India. Upon moving to New York from Berlin in 2005, he quickly found success in both the city’s jazz and rock scenes. It’s with Baier that Gutbrod’s style and range comes to full flourish.
In 2007, GERD BAIER and PHILIPP GUTBROD completed Perpetuum, an 8-song full-length release, and their debut recording as a duo. Featuring original compositions by both members, GERD BAIER and PHILIPP GUTBROD use their melodic themes as "points of departure" for bold and free improvisations, an approach they take both on stage and in the studio. Perpetuum, recorded in Germany by the award-winning sound engineer Winnie Leyh, captures the flair and feel of their live performances. Music from this album as well as their open-air live performance in Regensburg was broadcast on German radio during an hour-long feature dedicated to the duo (Bayern 4 Klassik, November 9, 2007).
Perpetuum has been released in Germany on MKW Records (1707).
For BOOKING INFO please contact: Steve
Email: [email protected]