Bernd Lhotzky

Biography
Articles

Bernd Lhotzky became known as a jazz pianist. His musical focus was initially on Harlem Stride piano in the tradition of James P. Johnson, Willie "The Lion" Smith, and Fats Waller. His playing in this style is documented on numerous albums, including duets with Dick Hyman.

Today, his work focuses on his own compositions and concert programs. His solo album, Rag Bag, spans more than a hundred years of jazz history. For As An Unperfect Actor , he set Shakespearean sonnets to music, incorporating art song, folk music, jazz, chanson, and pop. With his musical adaptation of Otfried Preußler's Krabat, he created an acoustic illustration of the novel.

He is currently working on the suite A Trip to Hoboken for flute and piano, a commissioned composition for the Haydn Festival Brühl based on motifs by Joseph Haydn.

As a soloist and ensemble leader, Bernd Lhotzky has performed at international festivals and in concert halls in Europe, North America and Asia, including the Berlin Philharmonie, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and the 92nd Street Y in New York.

His recordings have been awarded the Grand Prix du Disque du Hot Club de France, the Prix de l'Académie du Jazz and the German Record Critics' Award.

In the summer of 2026, ACT will release the album Jazz Goes Baroque , a live recording from the Berlin Philharmonie.

Mulo Francel: Crossing Life Lines

Read "Crossing Life Lines" reviewed by Geno Thackara

by Geno Thackara
October 11, 2020

Mulo Francel clearly believes in life imitating art. The endlessly versatile saxophonist is happy to demonstrate here how music reflects the wider world, but more importantly, Crossing Life Lines offers a determined reminder of how it can go both ways. The concept is simple yet expansive: while touring through parts of Europe that had been in conflict during the second World War, and aware of the ways different powers still try to turn nations against each other 75 years after ...

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Album Review

Bernd Lhotzky and Chris Hopkins: Tandem

by Mike Neely
October 1, 2006

Making a successful piano duet recording is a challenge. In addition to the performance, there is the issue of the recording process: getting the mix right and capturing both instruments with clarity. This is not an easy thing to do, as the evidence of many poorly recorded piano duets will attest. In addition, there's the task of pacing, which is a considerable challenge with the sound of two pianos. Such duet recordings often have a frenetic dueling pianos feel, which ...