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Plattner

Max Plattner, born in Innsbruck in 1994, is a Vienna-based drummer, composer, and producer. He has made a name for himself through his creative versatility and innovative musical work, which is at the interface of jazz, improvised music, new music, and electronic influences.

He received a sound musical education at a young age and has been awarded numerous prizes and scholarships. In 2012, he won the "Young Masters Scholarship" at the Outreach Festival in Schwaz, followed by the "Marianne Mendt Award" in 2013. From 2013 onward, he studied jazz drums at the ABPU in Linz, specializing in media composition and computer music. During his studies, he was taught by renowned drummers such as Herbert Pirker and Jeff Boudreaux and graduated with distinction in 2020.

In 2016, he won the Austria-wide "Falco.prize" with the formation "pm love explosion". In 2021, the album "II" by the Max Plattner Trio was awarded the TonArt Tirol Jazz Prize as "Album of the Year". In 2024, his interdisciplinary album "Ploy" was nominated for the Austrian Jazz Award in the "Album of the Year" category, and he was selected by the Saalfelden Jazz Festival for the international project "Melting Pot."

Plattner is a sought-after musician on the international jazz scene. He has shared the stage with renowned musicians such as Animali Notturni, the Insomnia Brass Band, David Helbock, Andrea Motis, Guido Spannochi, Steph Kondert, and Karl Ritter Kombojaner. His performances have graced prestigious festivals like the Südtirol Jazzfestival Alto Adige, Jazzfest Berlin, Jazztopad Wroclaw, Bozcaada Jazz Festival, and many more.

His discography is clear evidence of his stylistic diversity and innovative approach as a musician and producer.Noteworthy releases include the "Beta EP" (2018), "Beats & Ballads" (2019), "II" (2020) with the Max Plattner Trio, and "Ploy" (2023), an intermedia concept album he created with the Chinese graphic artist Wang Wo. He also works regularly as a producer and sound designer, including for film projects such as "O.B.E." (2022).

His musical work is highly praised by critics: "He has a unique voice on his instrument and convinces with his artistic vision and authenticity." (Ljubiša Tošić, Der Standard). JazzTrail NYC describes him as an artist with "a flair for song structures that combine melody, improvisation and groove."

Max Plattner is unquestionably one of the most exciting and innovative voices on the Austrian jazz scene, constantly pushing boundaries with his innovative projects.

Awards

2012: Young Masters Scholarship, Outreach music academy
2013: Marianne Mendt Förderpreis
2016: Falco Preis (with p.m. love explosion)
2021: Max Plattner Trio's "II" won album of the year of Austrian jazz sociaty "TonArt Tirol"
2024: nominated for Austrian Jazz Award "album of the year" (PLOY)
2025: nominated for Austrian Jazz Award "newcomer of the year"

Tags

“He has a unique voice on his instrument and convinces with his artistic vision and authenticity.” – Ljubiša Tošić, derStandard

“One of the young shooting stars of Austrian jazz, drummer Max Plattner, leading a trio which included Fabian Rucker … and Marco Stagni. They very much seem to be reinventing the music for 2025.” – Oliver Weindling, UK Jazz News

"The realization of his creative ideas succeeds in every moment" - Alexander Kochman, mica

“He has a unique voice on his instrument and convinces with his artistic vision and authenticity.” – Ljubiša Tošić, derStandard

“One of the young shooting stars of Austrian jazz, drummer Max Plattner, leading a trio which included Fabian Rucker … and Marco Stagni. They very much seem to be reinventing the music for 2025.” – Oliver Weindling, UK Jazz News

"The realization of his creative ideas succeeds in every moment" - Alexander Kochman, mica

"The young Austrian drummer/composer Max Plattner has a knack for song structures that combine pleasant melodies, improvisation and groove. - Filipe Freitas, JazzTrail NYC

"He has a unique voice on his instrument and is convincing with his artistic vision and authenticity. He is extremely active at the forefront of young local jazz." - Ljubiša Tošić, The Standard

"More digestible, but above all more exciting, was "Melting Pot" at Nexus, a project of the European Jazz Festival Consortium, which brings together its representatives here, so to speak. With violinist Julia Stein, trombonist Guro Kvale, pianist and keyboarder Pak Yan Lau, bassist Sofia Eftychidou and - so much gendering is a must - drummer Max Plattner, this was a finely tuned inter-European ensemble of discoveries". - Oliver Hochkeppel, jazzzeitung.de

"Even if you are cheered up again and again by light swings and cheerful-sounding melodies, including the single "Il Nano Masticatore", it is the heavy, intense numbers like "Root of Pie" that linger long after listening. - Adam Zehentner, Backbeat Magazine on the album "II

"Musical one-dimensionality and sticking to classical standards are definitely not his thing. Instead, Max Plattner draws inspiration from a wide variety of musical directions. The art, which he masters excellently, is to create a very unique sound out of the hotchpotch of different things". - Michael Ternai, mica about the album "PLOY"

"The Euregio Collective Night offered three concerts: the trio of the Austrian drummer Max Plattner, with a Fabian Rucker with a dense and captivating phrasing on the alto saxophone, the Wild Brush Quartet and the quartet "Animali Nottunri" of the double bass player Marco Stagn from Bolzano, in which Plattner once again demonstrated the sensitive versatility of his playing". - Giuseppe Segala, Allaboutjazz

“Improvisation and yet with a lot of plan and concreteness. Virtuosic and experimental and yet very accessible.” - Patrick Meewald about “PLOY”

ELMO NERO is beautifully exploring what's possible in a guitar trio setting, finding many ways to express honesty, joy and beauty in this classic format. - Gilad Hekselman about the album "Elmo Nero"

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