Stefan Herkenrath

I love jazz because...it is the most sophisticated music, that is as well down to earth, constantly evolving, a rhythmical wonder of complexity, that enables even the less talented to dance effortless to the oddest meter - Jazz simply´s got to be loved and appreciated. As a musician I´ve been studying Jazz for about 50 years, just to be able to forget anything about theorie and become a part of a bigger entity that creates, if succesful, musical beauty . It´s difficult to describe, but I hope u get my drift. I was first exposed to jazz...by a book of my father, who was a musician and a teacher. I fell in love with Jazz as a reader, who fell in love with Jazz as a listener, who fell in love with Jazz as a musician. I met [musician name]... As far as I´m in love with Jazz since more than 50 years, I met a lot of musicians - even have been lucky enough to play with some. The best show I ever attended was...Weather Report in Düsseldorf 1975, Jaco blew my mind . The first jazz record I bought was...actualy the first record I ever bought was a jazz record: Ascenseur pour léchafaud by Miles Davis; on the B-Side was a recording of Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers My advice to new listeners...keep an open ear!