Karl Ratzer

Jazz musician Karl Ratzer, who sings, composes, and plays guitar, entered the world in Vienna yet launched his musical journey during the 1960s by performing in Austrian funk and rock ensembles. Relocating to the United States in 1972, he soon collaborated with the ensemble widely recognized as Rufus & Chaka Khan. In 1977 he assembled a group that included Dan Wall, Jeremy Steig, Ray Mantilla, Eddie Gomez, and Joe Chambers. Throughout his career Ratzer has partnered with an eclectic roster of funk, pop, jazz, and blues figures such as Art Farmer, Chet Baker, James Moody, Bob Berg, Steve Grossman, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and numerous additional artists. His first album, In Search of the Ghost, appeared in 1978 on the Vanguard label and earned glowing critical notices, as did the follow-up, Street Talk, issued the next year on the same imprint. Additional sessions have been released on the CMP, ENJA, and RST imprints. Saturn Returning, Ratzer’s inaugural ENJA release in 1997, featured the pieces “Silent Rain,” “Just What You Need,” and “Main Squeeze” and earned him Austria’s Best Jazz Artist of the Year honor. He also documented Moon Dancer for ENJA alongside pianist Oliver Kent, drummer Lukas Knöfler, percussionist Ricardo Mateus, bassist Heinz Jäger, and accordionist Karl Hodina.