Uwe Plath - saxophone, band leader
Erasmus Wegmann - tenor saxophone
Ondrej Stveracek - tenor saxophone
Julia Haase - alto saxophone
Johannes Moritz - alto saxophone
Philip Lütz - first alto saxophone
Michael Kunze - baritone saxophone
Katherine Esther Lautenbach - baritone saxophone
Heiko Schenke - tenor saxophone
Martin Burgard - trombone
Benjamin ter Braak - trombone
Almut Kimme - trombone
Christoph Piasetzki - trombone
Dominik Pfau - first trumpet
Florian Menzel - trumpet
Ute Kritzler - trumpet
Wolfgang Menzel - trumpet
Matthias Bergmann - flugelhorn, trumpet
Matthias Reck - trumpet
Pablo Held - piano
Gerrit Rösler - piano
Sebastian Kruse - bass
Uwe Geitner - drums
Dian Priwati - vocal soloist
Frank Scheele - vocal soloist

Conductor: Uwe Plath

Uwe Plath - saxophone, band leader

Matthias Bergmann - flugelhorn, trumpet

Frank Scheele - vocaln soloist

Gerrit Rösler - piano

GLEN BUSCHMANN JAZZ ACADEMY is a unique institution within the music scene of the Rurh-Valley. It was established to provide young talents with the opportunity to play Big Band Jazz on a professional level. Renowned international musicians and instructors have worked with the Band and broadened its repertoire. The students have proven their abilities by giving numerous concerts in Germany and throughout Europe. The award winning talents, featured as soloists, are proof of the Jazz Academy's high standard of education. The Band is conducted by saxophonist UWE PLATH, who had the idea of founding the Band in October 2000. He is the head of the Wind Instruments Department at the Academy and teaches Saxophone, Jazz Improvisation and Music Theory. Uwe Plath's outstanding experience as a performer, conductor and composer has largely contributed to the Band's success. He studied Jazz at the Hilversum Conservatory in the Netherlands, and won a scholarship at the University of Berklee in the U.S.A. He has played with the European Jazz Orchestra, the PalMal Jazz Orchestra, Mel Lewis and Milan Svoboda. His ensembles have won several European Contests. The different sections of the Band are instructed by professional instrumentalists working and living in the area. The saxophone section is led by conductor Uwe Plath. In addition to him, baritone saxophone player Markus Berthelt regularly joins the Band and passes his experience and knowledge on to the students. Markus Barthelt is a member of the Bob Brookmayer Big Band, the WDR Big Band and German Jazz Orchestra. He has recently released a CD with the Barthlet - Hesse Quintet. The trumpet section is instructed by MATTHIAS BERGMANN, who is also the teacher of the Trumpet Class of the Academy. Mattias Bergmann is featured as a virtuoso flugelhorn and trumpet player on recordings of the Peter Herbolyheimer Big Band and Paul Kuhn ensemble. The trombone section is led by Achim Hartmann. It is due to his commitment that the number of talented young trombone players in the area has increased. Some graduates from his classes are currently professional musicians. He is also a member of the WDR Big Band Cologne and a successful studio musician and arranger. The rhythm section is taught by several teachers of the Academy. Ingo Senst, a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, teaches Acoustic and Electric Bass. Hans Wanning teaches Piano and has recently released an album of Latin-American music with the group Rosani Reis. Drums and Percussion are under the supervision of Roland Höppner. A recently installed vocal section has added a new face to the Band's repertoire. The British singer George Major, who recorded for the Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical Starlight Express, and FRANK SCHEELE, have made impressive recordings with the Big Band and proven its ability to support a vocalist. The female touch is added by Dian Pratiwi from Indonesia. The quality of the Jazz Academy's education has produced such promising talents as that of thirteen-year-old trumpeter Florian Mentyel. Florian won first prize at the NRW Youth Jazz Competition in 2002. Pablo, a 15-year-old pianist, also participated in the NRW Youth Jazz Competition and won first prize in 2003. Tenor saxophone player Ondrej Stveracek won the European Jazz-Contest Warsaw in 2002 at the age of 23. In addition to concerts and recordings with international jazz players, workshops have also contributed to the Band's experience. New York guitarist Freddy Bryant with his ensemble gave a Latino music workshop in 2001 and Bob Balsley from Chicago gave a clinic on Jazz Improvisation in 2002. But the most important part is played by the Teacher/Students Exchange/Program between the Jazz Academy and the JJK Conservatory in Prague in the Czech Republic, as well as the partnership with the International Jazz School in Rostov-upon- Don in Russia. The two schools have been successfully working with the Jazz Academy Dortmund for 3 years. One of the many climaxes in the Academy's international relationships was the invitation by the German Ambassador to Prague in May 2003 and the participation in the "German/Czech Future Fund Program 2004". The repertoire of the Glenn Buschmann Jazz Academy Big Band includes a broad variety of styles. Modern arrangements by Thad Jones, Don Sebersky and Frank Mantooth are paired with traditional works by Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Everything from swing to funk, from bebop to free jazz is included in the Band's song book. In June 2003 the Big Band recorded in a sold out festival theatre in Recklinghhausen. The arrangements that the Big Band played were especially written for the Band. Selected recordings form this concert and several live recordings from the years 2002 and 2003 will be released on a live album at the end of 2003. At the moment, the Glenn Buschmann Jazz Academy is working on a compilation of all its different ensembles.