The band Swim Two Birds is surely one of the most outstanding discoveries in the German scene this decade. Traditionally critics and audiences except New York to exhibit the latest metropolitan hipness in avant-garde-music…
Swim Two Birds have drawn their own conclusions: their sound is explosive, risky, rebellious. A critic once named their music: “No Wave Jazz Punk Noise Funk Call It Anything” … and he was right.
Achim Faerber shared the theatre stages and studios for radioplays with great artists like Sophie Rois, Sybille Cannonica, Lesly Malton, Lilith Stangenberg, Kathrin Angerer, Nadeshda Brennecke, Melika Foriutan, Meret Becker, Anne Ratte-Polle, Anna Maria Mühe, Marisa Wilcke, Jule Böwe, Alice Dwyer, Jens Harzer, Berhard Schütz, Ulrich Matthes, Dirk von Lowtzow, Iris Berben, Ulrich Pleitgen, Nele Rosetz, Gemma Ray, Kay Bartholomäus Schulze, Blake Worrell, Cobra Killer, Christiane Gut, Oliver Stritzel, Hans-Jochen Wagner, Christian Wittmann,Ronald Zehrfeld, Ursina Lardi, Tatja Seibt, Lars Rudolph, Albrecht Schuch, Johannes Flachmeyer,Magdalena Gröllmann, Marc Hosemann,Ulrich Noethen……
AUTOMAT
Phillip Boa & The Voodooclub
Project Pitchfork
Wolfsheim
Peter Heppner
Tito & Tarantula
Die Krupps
De/Vision
Greenhaus UK
Thomas Cohen
Joanna Gemma Auguri
GLEN
Blixa Bargeld
Paul Eisen
The Golden Vampire Experience
Mark Burgess (The Chameleons)
The Sun And The Moon
Eisbrecher
Sandy Dillon & Ray Majors
Skip McDonald (Little Axe)
Vera Di Lecce
Rogall & The Electric Circus Sideshow
Earl Zinger & DJ Rogall
Ben Lukas Boysen
Danny Dziuk
Joachim Witt
Brockmann/Bargmann
Martin Dean
The Electric Family
Prag
Martyn Heyne
Tom Krimi
Josef Hien
Raphael Tschernuth
Katharina Franck
Butzbacher und Brommelmeier + Orchestre Bonifaz
Das Wilde Fest
Hoover
Oddjob
Haujobb
DSTR
Architect
Black Swan Lane
Ruin
Pia Lund
Swim Two Birds
Virulent Violins
The Pachinko Fake
Carnival Of Dreams
Prince Of The Blood
Alien Fire
Surplus Stock
Cliff Barnes & The Fear Of Winning
Nylon
Alder Ego
Monkeeman
Tex Morton
Carsten Klatte
Lacasa Del Cid
Xandria
Wunder
Zeromancer
The Perc Meets The Hidden Gentleman
Artland Country Club
In 2 Deep
Very Inc.
Wittmann/Zeitblom
Diane Lemonbaby & Bela B.
Staatstheater Oldenburg
Berliner Ensemble
HKW Berlin
Volksbühne Berlin
KuBa Bremen-Nord
Moks Theater Bremen
Die Leute, die mich fragen ob ich für sie Gitarre spielen kann, wollen, ob live oder für Aufnahmen, in der Regel speziell mein Spiel.
Was das genau ist, läßt sich mit Buchstaben nur schwer wiedergeben, ist aber mittlerweile auf diversen Tonträgern nachhörbar.
Professionelle MusikhörerInnen sagten / schrieben z. B. : ….ungeheuer einfühlsam / schonungslos aggressiv / …Ausnahmegitarrist / …wütende Soundattacken /…
…..ich würde es so versuchen : Zwischen der Hochgeschwindigkeitssequenz und dem glücklichen Auffinden des einen Tones der die Geschichte eines Stückes verständlich macht ist eine Menge Platz ———— den ich auch gerne mal mit unhörbaren Tönen ausfülle………..man muß ja nicht immer alles vorkauen.
Hier ein Auszug:
Die letzten Tage der Menschheit ( Goethe Theater / U-Boot Bunker Valentin )…. Git
Fehlfarben ( Live + Studio) …..Git
Dieter Serfa´s Ear Tranceport …..Git & Dr.
Helmut Debus Wohen ?……. Bass & Git
Rumble on the Beach Purple Rain…… Git
Witt ( Live )….. Git & voc
The Perc meets the hidden gentleman ……git & Dr. & Electronix ( Live und div. Cds)
Electric Family…… Git & Electr.
The MINT…… Git
Barbara Gosza…… Dr
The White Rose Transmission…… Dr. & Electr. & Harmonica
Sadato……. Git
Swim two Birds……… git & Voc ( Live )
LP Bunt ! Rabotti Band (SW / EfA)
EP – Look ! The other Side The Pachinko Fusion ( Fuego/ RTD )
LP – “The Pachinko Fake” The Pachinko Fake (Strange Ways / EfA)
LP/CD ” Yo Kundam ” The Pachinko Fake ( SW / EfA )
CD ” Por la vida ” The Pachinko Fake ( SW / Indigo )
CD ” Kumquat Combat ” The Dharma Drums ( SW / Indigo )
Maxi ” Push me before I fall ” The Pachinko Fake ( SW / AMV )
Maxi ” Alien Paradise ” Aliens from Earth ( Loudculture / MfS )
Maxi ” Klingclone ” Aliens from Earth ( Tunnel / Uptown )
CD „Claustrophobia and other joys“ The Pachinko Fake ( Sireena / Fenn )
The Dry Halleys — True Slave, Crash-Landing Chemistry
The Convent — Mocha for the Lions
Swim two Birds — Apsion, The Bloody Thumb Cookbook
Fehlfarben — Die Platte des himmlischen Friedens
Barbara Gosza — Love it is
The Pachinko Fake — all
Sadato — Dill
Dharma Drums — Kumquat Combat
Almost everything from The Pachinko Fake
Most of Dharma Drums
The Escape for Witt (on Bayreuth 2)
Trailer for Quincy & Columbo (RTL)
Music for the documentary Competition under white sails / Cutty Sark (NDR / 3 Sat)
M. for the documentary Peter d. Große by Uli Scholz (NDR / 3 Sat)
“I hardly miss tea at all” film essay by Fabian Becker (NDR)
Various productions for the open-air theater
Lubricat group
The last days of humanity (RB / ARTE)
Opera / choreographic theater with singing “UNDO”
Music for various video films and TV trailers
Music for the cinema trailer Mix / The city in your pocket and Filmbüro / Young Collection
Martin Klingeberg
Trumpet, tenorhorn, vocals, composition
Born 1961 in Braunschweig, West-Germany, as the seventh child of the Seventh-Day–Adventist preacher Johannes Klingeberg and his wife Helene. Early musical education, flute-, piano- and guitarlessons, trumpet since 1973.
1981 Baccalaureat, then civilservice at the Red Cross, followed by the education as a carpenter, short studies in pedagogics at the university.
1986 musicstudent at the „Hermann-Zilcher-Conservatory“, first classical music and pedagogics , later jazz.
1992 successful final examination.
1988-1996 co-owner of a club and a beergarden in Würzburg/Germany, besides numerous musical activities („D-I-Project, „Swim-Two-Birds“, „Seven Minds“ „Collaborators“ and more).Work as a teacher of a private jazzschool.
,1996 move to Berlin, working as a teacher and as a free musician in numerous projects from soloperformances up to bigbandwork, several works for television and film and as a studiomusician.
1998 teacher at the „Jazz-School-Berlin“.
2000 two theatreproductions at the „Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz“, “Herr Kolpert” and “Supermarket”, directed by Thomas Ostermeier, another theatre coproduction in Basel and Frankfurt, “Helden des 20. Jahrhunderts”, and
2003 engagement at the „Berliner Ensemble“, a production with Robert Wilson and Herbert Grönemeyer. In 2005 another production at the Schaubühne Berlin, „Die Dummheit“ by Rafael Spregelburd ( working as composer, bassplayer and singer) and another production with Robert Wilson, Shakespeare`s „Wintermärchen“.
2007 the next work with Robert Wilson,the „THREE PENNY OPERA“,
which played in Berlin,Poland, Norway, Paris, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, New York, Hongkong, Perth and so on.
2012 „DANTONS DEATH“ (Georg Büchner), directed by Claus Peymann, work as musical director, composer and musician.
2013 Composer and Musician (tenorhorn, guitar, vocals, slide-guitar) for “Hans im Glück”, written by Berthold Brecht, under direction of Sebastian Sommer, at the Berliner Ensemble.
August 2014 first appearance ever as an actor, playing Bela Lugosi and Donald McCoy in the theatreadaptation of the film “Ed Wood” by Tim Burton, besides playing trumpet and singing.
Short after that Peter Miklusz, who also directed the theatre piece, hired me for his short film “Maulwurfkuchen”.
In February 2016 Premiere of
“VICTOR oder DIE KINDER AN DER MACHT” under direction of Nicolas Charaux, where I played on stage, composed all the music and created the sounddesign (with ableton live).2017 I worked with Philip Tiedemann for his piece “Herzstück” as composer, musical director and musician.
In spring 2018 I returned to the “Schaubühne” for “Italienische Nacht” (Horvath), directed by Thomas Ostermeier.
In August 2018 I worked on “Der Gute Mensch von Sezuan” at the Potsdam Theatre, directed by Malte Kreutzfeldt, as musical director, composer and musician.
Actual theatre work is “Brechts Gespenster” at the Berliner Ensemble, premiere 2022-09-21, with Suse Wächter and Matthias Trippner.
March 2023 premiere of “Das Fest”, an adaptation of the dogma film for theater at the Hans-Otto-Theater Potsdam, directed by Bettina Jahnke, where I am musical director and musician and composed the music for a quartet.
Actual collaboration with Oderbruch Museum Altranft “Tagpfauenauge im Februar”, a text- and sound installation with Kay Dietrich.
Lots of bandprojects :„Shank“,„TheBOOst“,„BABY BONK“,„BenBecker und die ZERO TOLERANCE BAND“,„NasserKilada`s Groove of the Nile“,„NADA“ (Vokalprojekt),„SevenMinds“,„MUSIKA“ „The Pachinko Fake“,„Swim-Two-Birds“,„Materia“,„Andy Winter Band“,„Jazzclub2000“,„TAAL TANTRA“,„TANGOCRASH“,“RANIN“, „EBO TAYLOR AND AFROBEAT ACADEMY“,“UliGumpertWorkshopband“, “C.v.d.Goltz and Friends” ,”ALPHA ALPHA” , “phonON 3” and others.
Recent project is my pocket brass band PHON-O-RAMA, with Johannes Lauer on trombone, Martial Frenzel on drums and Orlando de Boeykens on tuba, recordings have been made and will be mixed and released soon.
Tours and Festivals in Brasil, India, Poland,France, Argentina, Italy, Austria, Greece, Belgium, Norway, Israel, Marocco, USA, China, Russia, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Turkey and so on…..
Worked with John Tchicai, Conny Bauer, Uwe Kropinski, Rudi Mahall, Jan Roder, Uschi Brüning, Baby Sommer, Andreas Willers, John Schröder, Martin Zenker, Uli Gumpert, Potsch Potschka (Spliff), Jean Louis Rassinfosse (10 years the bassplayer of Chet Baker),Tanmoy Bose(Tablaplayer of Ravi Shankar), Kalle Kalima and many others.
Discographie:
1990: „Landesjugendjazzorchester Bayern“, „You better know it“, bei Balance-Music
1991: „Swim-Two-Birds“, „Not Serious“ bei STB-Records
1991: „Ron Spielman Band“, „Skin and Wire“, bei Powersound- Records
1991: „Roberto Magris and the D-I-Project“, „Music of Today“ (Italien)
1992: „Swim Two Birds“, „Apsion“ bei Call-It-Anything (VeraBra Records)
1993: „Eugen de Ryck and the Funkomatic Hippies“, „Take You Higher“ bei Schneeballrec.
1994: „Dharma Drums“, „Kumquat Combat“, bei Strangeways
1994: „Swim Two Birds“, „The Bloody Thumb Cookbook“, bei Call-It-anything
1994: „Ron Spielman Band“, „Solution“, bei PowersoundRecords
1998: „Torsten Zwingenberger“, „Drivin`you crazy“, bei RecyclingRec
1999: „Seven Minds“, „BONK“, bei RecyclingRec,
1999: „Potsch Potschka“, „Sahara“, bei BSC-Music
1999: Udo Jürgens, bei Ariola
2000: „Dead Bodies in the Box“, „Kolpert“ (Soundtrack zum gleichnamigen Theaterstück)
2001: „Ben Becker und die Zero Tolerance Band“, „Wir heben ab“, bei BMG
2001: „Shank“, „Soundtrack“, bei United-One-Records
2001: „Nada“, „Panta Rei“, bei NaxosRecords
2002: „Andy Winter Group“, „Delicate Move“ (feat. Hiram Bullock), bei ZYXmusic
2002: „Nasser Kilada“, „Samah“, bei BSCmusic
2003: „Wir sind Helden“, „Aurelie“ (Single), bei ReklamationRecords
2003: „Cosmic Dogs“, „Contact“ (Schweiz)
2004: „Taaltantra“ (Indien)
2004: „Shank“, „DO“ produziert von Burnt Friedmann, bei Nonplace Records
2005: „Baby Bonk….sagt die Wahrheit“, bei Konnex Records
2005: „Wir sind Helden“, „Von Hier An Blind“ bei Reklamation Records
2008: „UBU REX SAXONIA“ Hörspiel mit Musik von „BABY BONK“,
Hörspieledition Words and Music,
2008: „ULRICH GUMPERT WORKSHOPBAND“, „SUITES“, BEI JAZZWERKSTATT
2008: BABY BONK, „MAMA“, bei NRW-Records
2010: GEEZER, “Deepwater Blackout”, bei Souls United
2012: TANGO CRASH , „ACCIDENTE DE TANGO“, bei Galileo
2012: BLOFISH , bei Laika
2014: Ranin
2014: Ulrich Gumpert Workshop Band plays Mingus
2015: K.I.Z. (Goldene CD)
2016: CvdG Projekt, “Paradise”, bei Trouble In The East Records
2017: phonON 3 “CYBORG”
2020: Brüning und Betancor, ICH MEIN DICH, bei Kurtmusik
2023: CvdG Projekt “Limbo”
Peter Apel has been working as a freelance composer and musician since 1980 and lives in Bremen. Early artistic stations: ….the formation ELECTRIC JAZZ GROUP OSTERTOR, ….the ethno-jazz trio COSMIC FUN, ….the composition of the music for the “Meditation of the Four Directions” by the Moroccan Sufi master Jabrane Sebnat, …..the avant-garde jazz formation SCHIEMANN GROUP (LP Stollenblues/Thein), with various festival appearances and radio recordings, including at the Int. New Jazz Festival Moers, …..the realization of his symphonic work “17.23h” by the 40-member KROSS ORCHESTRA founded by Peter Apel (premiered Breminale 1987), …..the pop and jazz musical fusion PELA (7’inch with the title “I’ve got you under my skin”), …..the hardcore electronic band THE DRY HALLEYS (LP/CD “Crash Landing Chemistry”/Dark Star/Freibank/efa-Vertrieb), …..the fake jazz septet SWIM TWO BIRDS (CDs “The Bloody Thumb Cookbook 1994”, “Apsion 1992”, “Not Serious” 1990), …..the jazz trio PETER APEL KOMBO, with tours in East and West Germany (MC “Don’t pay that bill” edition collage/STB-records), …..ENSEMBLE RAUM 19, which has performed various festivals and made radio/TV recordings as a jazz quartet and large formation (including the Nuremberg Jazz Festival, Interjazz Leningrad (presented by Vladimir Feyertag), Breminale, Vilnius Jazz Festival Lithuania, Würzburg Jazz Festival).
In 1991, the choral music collage HANSEATIKA was premiered in collaboration with the choir director and composer Hartmut Emig and the newly structured KROSS ORCHESTER as well as the choirs HART BACKBORD, BEGU-CHOR, GESANGSVEREIN ARBERGEN.
1992 Founding of the poetry/music duo ABROMEIT/APEL. Numerous solo concerts with various thematic focuses. Composition of the ballet music for the dance piece “Don’t call me, I call you” by Carmen Rita Maria.
1993 Founding of the Free Music & Lyric trio SOBOTTA/APEL/ENGELSMANN. Composition of the music for the dance piece “See You” by Carmen Rita Maria. Peter Apel composed/produced the music for the early evening series ARCHITEKTOUR for Bremen television. Sound installations on the subject of HUMAN-MACHINE (Kulturwerkstatt Westend, Bremen, autumn 93). Further solo concerts with his own works, with a tendency to cross genres in the direction of environment and with new electronic instruments such as the LASER HARP.
1994 joint work “Russian Roulette” with the painter and video artist Marikke Heinz-Hoek (Kunst-Chaos-Kunst-Festival). Audio image installation “deiche brechen nie nur irgendeinen” (premiere in KW Westend, Bremen). Installation “Einflüsterung” (Junges Theater, Bremen) as well as solo performances and concerts.
1995 Premiere of the oratorio “WAR END-END WAR” (Emig/Apel) for choir and small ensemble in Bremen town hall. Composition/production of the music for the school musical “Westendstory”. Soundtrack for the video installation “18./19.8.1944” by Marikke Heinz- Hoek (FilmFest Bremen ’95).
1996 Composer for the production “Leben wie die Schweine” (Schauspielhaus/Bremer Theater) and for the dance improvisation “Artaud” (Kontorhaus).
1997 Tour/studio guitarist for CRIBB 199, Perc’s ELECTRIC FAMILY, BETTERMEN, TELSTARS. Various performances with his composition “Eiserne Zeit” (for concert harp, guitar, electronics and tape), including in the Bremen town hall. Founding of the concert series WHO’S UNCLE MO? .
1998 Commissioned composition “Apel meets Eisler” on the occasion of the Hanns Eisler Days in Bremen (premiere) and live radio broadcast from the Junges Theater. Artistic director of the jazz revue “Moments Total Live” (Radio Bremen recording). Founded the internet information and event service MOMUSIC in cooperation with bassist and arranger Thomas Milowski. Concerts with the band of saxophonist Bernd Schlott.
1999 on tour/in concert with The Perc’s ELECTRIC FAMILY, saxophonist Frank Mead (UK), dulcimer player Remo Crivelli (CH), vocalist Sandhya Sanjana (India) and drummer Jörn Schipper. Founded various project bands. Successfully organized the anniversary party for the three-year non-stop existence of the cult Wednesday concert series WHO’S UNCLE MO? under the title “Mobiläum”.
2000 Artistic director of the jazz & lyric project “Wallking on Eggshells” (lyrics by Herbert Simmons, speaker Michael Pundt, saxophone Frank Delle) commissioned by Atlantik-Verlag (series: Soul Fiction). Founding of the concert series SOBOTNIK-EVENTS for the Bremen club “Oblomow”. On tour with Kojo Samuels and his West African band “Mister E.K.S.”. Concerts with the project “Apel sings Brecht” with the cellist Anka Hirsch. Electronic music between avant-garde and drum’n bass with the project ELECTRIC GROOVES INDUSTRIES (RB 2 live recording/MIBnightjazzfestival 01). Live film music for the historical science fiction film “Aelita” (Kino 46, Bremen).
2001 Successful re-location (February ’01) of the concert series WHO’S UNCLE MO? in the Bremen club “Studio auf den Höfen” (involuntary discontinuation of the series in October ’01 due to the gastronomic conversion of this unique live…
this CV is not complete
Peter Apel died suddenly in June 2024
RIP rock’n’roll never dies!
Ralf Benesch
Guitarist, saxophonist and composer
born in 1962 in Nürtingen
started playing guitar at the age of 12. First radio appearance with SDR in 1976.
Participated as an ensemble member in the Darmstadt Days for New Music in the summer of 1978.
Concert tour through Thailand and the Philippines and workshops as a lecturer (1982).
Studied at the music academies in Bremen and Hanover.
In the 80s, numerous band projects, e.g. the large anarcho-punk formation Baalbek, the Kroß Orchestra (realization of collective compositions with Jens Ahlers, Thomas Mävers and Peter Apel), Die Kosmischen Bademeister (New Wave) etc.
1989 and 1991 tours through Finland and Latvia as a concert guitarist.
Since 1989, member of the jazz formation Swim Two Birds, appearances with STB at the international jazz festivals in Leverkusen, Brindisi (Italy), Wiesen (Austria). Tours through Brazil, Bulgaria, Romania and Finland at the invitation of the Goethe Institute.
1992 Founding of the Music Recycling Trio (jazz experiments)
1994 Arranger and interpreter with Trio Beaux Rivages (20th century classics) with Andree Schmid (clarinet) and Dirk Lüking (double bass).
Compartment 6: Music performance in Bremen Central Station.
1995 JazzGegenGeld with Mark Scheibe.
Annual appearances as a soloist at the International Literature Festival “Poetry on the Road”.
Several engagements from 2003 as a guest musician (guitar and banjo) in musical and opera productions with the orchestras of the Bremerhaven City Theater, the Oldenburg State Theater and the Goethe Theater Bremen.
In August 2006, guest at the MutterOrchester under the direction of Michael Gross, on the occasion of the Brecht Gala in the Berliner Ensemble with Milva, the Kessler twins and Katharina Thalbach.
Autumn 2006, performance of the Canto General by Mikis Theodorakis and Pablo Neruda with the Oldenburger Chor Bundschuh in Santiago de Chile and Temuco at the invitation of the Mapuche Parliament.
April 2008, concert with “Das Wilde Fest” at JazzAhead Bremen.
2009 performances with the folk-jazz-rock crossover project KOHARAPAYL in Yerevan and at the Beirut Jazz Festival.
Autumn 2010, European tour with Rolando Villazón and the Bolivar Soloists.
February 2013, recordings for Deutsche Grammophon with Pacho Flores (trumpet) and
the Konzerthausorchester Berlin.
April 2013, recordings for Deutsche Grammophon with Avi Avital (mandolin),
“Between Worlds”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Our friend and long-time fellow musician died in April 2019.
The stylistically versatile musician Ralf Benesch died unexpectedly on April 11th at the age of 57 after a serious illness. The guitarist and saxophonist was active in many areas of Bremen’s cultural scene: He felt just as at home in unbridled, wild jazz projects such as the band Swim Two Birds or Benesch’s own formation Das Wilde Fest, as well as in countless groups of the Bremen Musicians’ Initiative, as he did as a guitarist in relaxed, grooving bossa nova groups (Miss Groovanova).
He was also interested in electronic music and the avant-garde. For many years, Benesch was also responsible for the sensitive and sometimes tongue-in-cheek intermezzi at the Poetry on the Road literature festival. Last but not least, Ralf Benesch has played and composed theater music at various theaters, including the theater version of Joseph Moncure March’s long poem “Das wilde Fest,” which fascinated him so much that he named his quartet after it. Ralf Benesch has always been interested in the combination of music and literature. He worked with the poet Artur Becker on Swim Two Birds and their follow-up band Les Rabiates, and in the duo Dos Ulises he devoted himself to setting modern Spanish and German poetry to music. Ralf Benesch was born in 1962 in Nürtingen, Württemberg. He began playing the guitar as a teenager before deciding to study music at universities in Bremen and Hanover. In Bremen he worked as a freelance musician and music teacher. Now a versatile and creative musician is missing from the Bremen scene.
