Sebastian Gramss

ebastian Gramss (Cologne, Germany) is a German double bass virtuoso and composer of jazz and contemporary music. In 2013 he received the ECHO Jazz national instrumentalist of the year award for the bass. He studied double bass and composition at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and at the Cologne University of Music. Since 1988 he is mostly active in the field of jazz, improvised and contemporary music as a composer, soloist and a member of numerous bands. He has released more than 20 CDs under his name. These include those from the band Underkarl, as well as from the trios Slowfox (with Hayden Chisholm & Philip Zoubek) and Fossile 3 (with Rudi Mahall & Etienne Nillesen). His activities include his solo works (Atopie), a long term bass duo series (started with Stefano Scodanibbio in 2008, and continued in 2013 with Barre Phillips, Tetsu Saitoh, and in 2014 with Mark Dresser), the Cologne-based quartet BASZ, an international quintet (Barre Phillips ́s Crossbows), up to his international 11 piece international double bass ensemble Thinking of ..., and the Bassmasse orchestra with 50 bass players. He has composed for radio drama, movies and theatre and – among others – for choreographer Pina Bausch. In 2007 he created the Spacebass (basso d’amore), a modified 4 string double bass with the addition of 12 sympathetic strings. He teaches at the Cologne University of Music and University of Osnabrück, and gives master classes around the world. Extensive touring with his music has led him to clubs and festivals all over the world.

Tags