Stefan Rademacher

As a child, he plays self-taught drums and guitar. At the age of twelve he receives first lessons on the accordion, later on the bass guitar.

After graduation from high school and and civilian service he studies medicine in Düsseldorf (1982 to 1986) and acupuncture in Sri Lanka (1986).

Parallel to the study, contacts develope into the professional music scene. Participation in an intensive jazz course in Banff, Canada, including master classes with Dave Holland is a turning point in the professional career. From now on he devotes himself entirely to music.

Important first milestones are the Axel Fischbacher Group (award winner Deutsche Phonoakademie 1983) and the Christoph Spendel Group. Here he also collaborates with musicians of the international jazz scene, including Michel Urbaniak, Annie Whitehead, Eddie Harris and Pete York. In 1988, Stefan Rademacher receives the German Record Critics Prize with the formation Norbert Gottschalk & Friends.

By the Swiss TV production »Jazz In Concert« with Lee Ritenour, Don Grusin and Tom Brechtlein (1989) and participation in the CD »BASSTORIUS« (1993), a dedication of international bassists to Jaco Pastorius, he attracts first attention beyond German borders.

Stefan Rademacher becomes a sought-after session musician. In live and studio productions he works with artists such as Chaka Khan, Lenny Castro, Joey Heridia, Idris Muhammad, David Friedman, Ack van Royen, Bobby Shew and Tom Coster. He is a guest soloist with the WDR Big Band and the Symphonic Orchestra of Bochum.

From 1994 to 2007 he is a member of the Billy Cobham Band. Here he works with musicians such as Randy Brecker, Gary Husband, George Duke, Hiram Bullock, Dean Brown, Tim Garland, David Samuels and the London Jazz Orchestra. Tours lead through the whole world. Rademacher plays on five CDs and two DVD productions to which he contributes several original compositions.

Parallely, in 1997 he founds the concert series »jazzattack« in Krefeld together with the guitarist Axel Fischbacher. In ever-changing line ups, musicians of the national and international jazz scene are invited to common concerts. With more than 300 concerts, »jazzattack« has established itself as an important center of the current jazz scene in the Rhineland.

A constant focus in Stefan Rademacher's professional life is his teaching activity. He gives master classes and teaches private students. Since 1995 he is teaching at the Bern University of the Arts, from 2003 to 2018 he holds an additional teaching position at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Duesseldorf and since 2009 also at the Folkwang University Essen.

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