Home » Member Page

sebastian schunke

About Me

„...But all said and done, the Sebastian Schunke Group stole the show“ That´s Shanghai; Shanghai, China 2007

„...Schunke keeps growing. He's an extraordinary composer, arranger and performer.“ latinjazznet.com; Toronto, Canada 2008

“...that guy Sebastian Schunke is a very, very fine pianist-composer, he is very good!” Paquito d´ Rivera, 9 time Grammy Award Winner, USA, 2009

Since more than 8 years the Sebastian Schunke Group forms an energetic part of the international Jazz Scene. Sebastian Schunke is one of the young leading Jazz composers and pianists – world wide, based in Berlin. With his group he always creates a fresh and totally new sound, unifying the modern Berlin Jazz with African and Latin American elements. Sebastian Schunke brings together international renown Jazz musicians coming from different cultures: Paquito de Rivera, Antonio Sanchez, Dafnis Prieto, John Benitez, Yosvany Terry, Richie Flores or Pernell Saturnino were part of his group and contributed to his unique sound. With 4 international acclaimed CDs and several tours to Asia, Latin America, Europe and the US – the Sebastian Schunke Group has achieved a strong name in the Jazz community: representing a unique hip experimental world Jazz - totally new and unpredictable. An incredible Live-experience! Sebastian will perform his music with great Musicians living in Berlin an New York.

Sebastian Schunke – piano (Berlin) Dan Freeman – sax (Australia/Berlin) Diego Pinera – drums (Uruguay/Berlin) Marcel Krömker – bass (berlin) Pernell Saturnino – percussion (New York)

Biography

Sebastian Schunke was born in 1973 and began learning classical piano when he was six. His main influences in the early stages were Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin and Debussy. At the age of 12 he began studying Latin jazz as well, being influenced initially by Eddie Palmieri and later by Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chick Corea and Danilo Perez.

In 1996 aged 22 Sebastian Schunke made the move to New York, It was a special challenge for Schunke as an European to not only come to grips with the rhythmics of Latin America but also to avoid following them in a traditional manner and instead to let them transform into a new groove in irregular measures, while at the same time colouring them with the influence of his European roots, so enabling, along with native New Yorkers and European and Latin American musicians, something new and original to emerge. Sebastian dived into the New York Latin Jazz scene and studied with Garry Dial, Manhattan School of Music, Sonny Bravo, Hilton Ruiz and Alan Gampel. His compositions caught the attention of renowned musicians like John Benitez, Antonio Sanchez, Richie Flores, Dafnis Prieto, Yosvany Terry and Peter Brainin, with whom he recorded his debut CD “Symbiosis” (Timba /Edel 2002).

In 2000 Sebastian moved to Berlin, where he finished his Jazz studies at the Conservatory of Music “Hanns Eisler”. Electronic and singing Elements as well as strings getting embodied in the musical concept and lead to the recording of the second CD “Mouvement“ in 2004 (Timba/Edel) with a large orchestral ensemble. In 2007 he released the CD “Sebastian Schunke meets Olvido” – Vida Pura (Timba/Edel). On this two recordings Sebastian brings together international renown Latin Jazz musicians living in Berlin, Paris, New York and Cuba. They unify the intense energy from their home cultures to create a complete new song concept in a Latin Jazz environment. In 2008 Sebastian went back to New York recording his new CD “Back in New York” with 9 time Grammy Award Winner Paquito d´Rivera and an All Star Band with John Benitez, Antonio Sanchez, Pernell Saturnino and Anders Nilsson – leading the music to a new hip expression.

Since 2002 the Sebastian Schunke Group tours the world unifying world renown jazz performing artists from all over the world. He performed with his projects on several international Festivals and Clubs in Colombia, Venezuela, China, Laos, Chile, Latvia, Malta, Turkey, Luxemburg, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the USA. In 2004 he accompanied the German President Köhler to Africa as the official German Cultural Embassador. In 2004, 2006 and 2008 Sebastian won the Berlin Jazz Award. Sebastian is the first European Musician who has developped his own international acclaimed EuroLatin Stile. His compositions are changing he keeps his music fresh, so coming from his own Latin Stile he nowadays leads the music to a hip experimental world jazz – totally new and unpredictable.

CDs Sebastian Schunke Group

Sebastian Schunke Euro Latin Progression „Symbiosis“ (Timba 2003) Sebastian Schunke Orchestral Expression „Mouvement“ (Timba 2005) Sebastian Schunke meets Olvido „Vida Pura“ (Timba 2007) Sebastian Schunke featuring Paquito „Back in New York“ (Connector 2008)

Festival Appearance as a Bandleader (selection)

Jazz al Parque, Bogotá, Colombia (2003), International Jazz Festival Manizales, Colombia (2003, 2006), International Jazz Festival Calí, Columbia (2007), Jazz Festival Bucaramanga, Colombia (2003, 2008) International Piano Festival Bucaramanga (2006), International Piano Festival Barrancamerbeja, (2006); Jazz Festival Caracas (2003), Goethe-Institut Caracas (2003, 2006), German Embassy, Bogotá, Colombia (2006), Universidad Nacional Bogotá,(2003); Italian Culture Institut Etiopia, Africa (2004), French Culture Institut, Benin, Africa (2004), German Consulate Benin, Africa: Concert for the German President (2004), Xinghai Concert Hall, Guangzhou, China (2005, 2008), German Consulate, Guangzhou, China (2005, 2006, 2007), JZ Club, Shanghai (2005, 2006), True Colors Jazz Club, Shenzhen (2005, 2006), German Consulate, Shanghai (2006, 2007), Blue Nites Festival, Berlin (2005), Kemptener Jazzfrühling, Germany (2003), APC-Summer Festival, Kempten (2005), Symphonie Hall, Istanbul, Turkey (2003), European Week Cartagena, Colombia (2007, 2008), Masala Weltbeat Festival, Hannover (2005), German Embassy Vientiane, Laos (2008); Concerthall Vientiane, Laos (2008); Concerthall Valletta, Malta (2008); Jazzfestival Wiehl, Germany (2008); Shezhen Concert Hall, China (2008); ExpoAlemania, Bogota, Colombia (2008); North Sea Around Town Festival, Rotterdam (2009); Thelonious Jazz Club, Chile (2009); LillaHotel Barren, Stockholm (2009); Rigas Ritmi Jazzfestival, Latvia (2010).

Jazz studies and studies in composition

Manhattan School of Music, New York; Conservatory of Music “Hanns Eisler”, Berlin; Garry Dial, Sonny Bravo, Michael Abene; Hilton Ruiz, Alan Gampel, Prof. Köhler; Prof. Jiggs Whigham, Kurt Klose, Brunhilde Kolb.