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Nicole Johaenntgen

Passionate Saxophonist crossing borders and connecting nations

About Me

Nicole Johänntgen (born in Fischbach, south Germany) is a german jazzmusician (alt-/ sopransaxophon) and composer. At the age of six she started up with classical piano and a few years later she discovered her passion for the saxophon.

Dave Liebman: „Nicole has something very special in her playing – a big and generous heart. She plays like her life depends on it and draws anyone within´ range into the center of her music. An exceptional energy!“

Her first stage experiences she gathered in her fathers’ „Joe Fuchs Band,“ aged thirteen. Furthermore she enchanted the audience in different Jazz-Combos, like „saarländisches Jugendorchester.“

By founding the band „NICOLE JO“, the young musician broke through. Since then, „NICOLE JO“ released six CDs. The Latest one is called „Colours“ (Rel. Nov. 2014).

Nicole Johänntgen studied jazzsaxophon, compositon and arrangement in Mannheim until 2006. The most important mentor was Dave Liebman. Besides she took a lesson by Phil Woods.

Since 2005 Johänntgen lives ins Zürich (CH) as a musician, composer, teacher and ambassador.

In Oktober 2010 she leaded a Masterclass at Washington University in Saint Louis (USA). Furthermore she worked as a Tutor during the „woman’s music week“ in Hessen, Germany.

From Juli 2011 – August 2013 she had her own radio show „Die rote Sieben“ at Radio LoRa in Zürich.

In 2013 she founded the project SOFIA – Support Of Female Improvising Artists. The pionier project forwards the musicians in improvisation and direct marketing in today’s difficult music business. During the project the musicians released two CDs. (www.sofia-musicnetwork.com)

As a ambassador Nicole Johänntgen has been away on business in Sweden, Norway, Iceland, China, Thailand, Indonesia and the U.S.A.

Currently she is on a CD-release tour with her Swiss Band NJQ (Nicole Johänntgen Quartet), which was founded in 2014. The new album is called „Moncaup“ and has a personal connection to Johänntgen’s family roots in the same named southern french village. The CD is a crossover from jazz over blues up to rocking elements. Lively, emotionally, energetic.

More Information: www.nicolejohaenntgen.com

Lew Soloff (trumpet/Blood Sweet & Tears): „Nicole is a truly spirited and vibrant player who has a true and pure artistic integrity. Obviously music means everything to her and this tranlates to me and surely to many more people.”



International Projects: „International Association for Schools of Jazz” (IASJ, USA), „Sisters in Jazz” (IAJE, USA), „European Swinging Youth Jazz Orchestra” (DK/D/IT), Rembrandt Frerichs Quartet (NL) Malcolm Braff´s African Roots Respect feat. Nils Landgren Support-Act für Bill Evans Jazz Gunung Jazzfestival Indonesien Reykjavik Jazzfestival Island China Tour IOIC

Awards: Japan International Trier Jazz Award 1. Price of the European Yamaha Sax Contest in Berlin 1. Preis of the „Concours de jeunes soliste de jazz“ in Fribourg CH 1. Preis of the Jazz Solists Contest in Monaco “13ème Concours International de Solistes de Jazz”