Michael Wollny
b. 1978, Schweinfurt, Germany. A gifted pianist, Wollny has attracted considerable attention in his homeland during his still relatively short career. Influenced by darkly brooding concepts not only from music but also from literature, film and painting, his composing and playing have benefited from deep and careful study of the work of musicians, writers, filmmakers and painters. These have included musicians Richie Beirach, Björk, Jarvis Cocker, Peter Fulda, Keith Jarrett, Joachim Kühn, Chris Morris, Walter Quintus, Steve Reich and John Taylor, filmmakers Dario Argento, Luis Buñuel, David Cronenberg, Werner Herzog, David Lynch, Chris Marker and Alain Resnais and painter Charlotte McGowan-Griffin. For example, Wollny chose on his 2007 recording Hexentanz to build musical analogies to gothic novels. Seeking and finding dark undertones to the themes he develops, his brooding music is not always immediately understood but requires unrestricted thought and emotional openness from his audiences. Wollny brings into his compositions and performances an acute awareness of classical music past and present, as well as the full range of jazz piano.
Wollny performs solo and also as leader of a trio with Eva Kruse (bass) and Eric Schaefer (drums). This trio, named [em], has attracted considerable attention in Germany and has also led to critical praise in Italy, Scandinavia, the UK and Eire. Among compositions played by [em] are ‘Another Mr Lizard’, ‘Bells’ and ‘Takashi’ by Wollny, ‘Schneefall’ and ‘Brizzle’ by Kruse, and ‘Phlegma Phighter’, ‘Gorilla Biscuits’ and ‘Funebre’ by Schaefer. Wollny has also played in groups led by trombonist Bob Brookmeyer and has recorded in duo with veteran German free jazz saxophonist Heinz Sauer, with whom, in addition to original works, he plays music by composers as diverse as Björk, Billy Strayhorn, Thelonious Monk and Gil Evans.
In 2007, Wollny won the Jazzpreis der Nürnberger Nachrichten and [em] was named as Most Promising International Newcomer Of The Year at the Ronnie Scott Jazz Awards. The trio was recorded live at the Vortex, London, in May 2007.
© TiVo
Discography
30 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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4 Wheel Drive
Nils Landgren, Michael Wollny, Lars Danielsson, Wolfgang Haffner
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Mar 15, 2019
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
4 Wheel Drive II
Nils Landgren, Michael Wollny, Lars Danielsson, Wolfgang Haffner
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Sep 29, 2023
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
Nachtfahrten
Michael Wollny with Eric Schaefer & Christian Weber
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Oct 9, 2015
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
Weltentraum
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Jan 31, 2014
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
Oslo
Michael Wollny, Christian Weber, Eric Schaefer, The Norwegian Wind Ensemble
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Mar 23, 2018
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
Ghosts
Michael Wollny, Tim Lefebvre, Eric Schaefer
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Sep 30, 2022
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
4 Wheel Drive Live
Nils Landgren, Michael Wollny, Wolfgang Haffner, Lars Danielsson
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Mar 15, 2019
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
Eternal Beauty
Nils Landgren, Michael Wollny, Lars Danielsson, Rasmus Khilberg, Johan Norberg
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Jan 31, 2014
Available in24-Bit/88 kHz Stereo -
Tandem
Michael Wollny & Vincent Peirani
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Sep 23, 2016
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
Mondenkind
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Sep 25, 2020
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
XXXX
Michael Wollny, Emile Parisien Quartet, Tim Lefebvre, Christian Lillinger
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Apr 30, 2021
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
Wartburg (Live)
Michael Wollny, Christian Weber, Eric Schaefer
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Mar 23, 2018
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
Heinrich Heine - Traumbilder
Christian Brückner, Michael Wollny
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Oct 29, 2021
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
Klangspuren (Live in Hamburg)
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Feb 26, 2016
Available in24-Bit/48 kHz Stereo -
Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic I
Leszek Możdżer, Iiro Rantala, Michael Wollny
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Mar 22, 2013
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic VII: Piano Night (Live)
Leszek Możdżer, Iiro Rantala, Michael Wollny, Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on May 5, 2017
Available in24-Bit/48 kHz Stereo -
Weltentraum Live (Philharmonie Berlin)
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Oct 31, 2014
Available in24-Bit/48 kHz Stereo -
Weltentraum Concert Edition: Live at the Unterfahrt
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Feb 25, 2014
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
(Em) Live
Michael Wollny, Eva Kruse, Eric Schaefer
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Sep 24, 2010
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Wasted & Wanted
Michael Wollny, Eva Kruse, Eric Schaefer
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on Feb 24, 2012
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo