Biography
Born in 1978 in Schweinfurt, Germany, pianist Wollny quickly drew widespread notice across his native country despite the brevity of his career to date. Concepts marked by dark intensity, drawn equally from literature, film and painting as from music, have shaped both his writing and his performances, which in turn reflect prolonged immersion in the output of figures such as 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. On the 2007 album Hexentanz he constructed explicit musical parallels to gothic novels, locating shadowy resonances beneath each chosen theme. The resulting work seldom yields its meanings at first hearing, instead demanding listeners approach it with complete intellectual and emotional receptivity. Classical repertoire from earlier centuries to the present day, alongside every facet of jazz piano tradition, informs his writing and playing with equal acuity.
Wollny appears both unaccompanied and as leader of the trio [em], completed by bassist Eva Kruse and drummer Eric Schaefer. The group has earned strong domestic recognition while also receiving favorable critical response in Italy, Scandinavia, the UK and Eire. Repertoire associated with [em] encompasses Wollny’s ‘Another Mr Lizard’, ‘Bells’ and ‘Takashi’, Kruse’s ‘Schneefall’ and ‘Brizzle’, and Schaefer’s ‘Phlegma Phighter’, ‘Gorilla Biscuits’ and ‘Funebre’. Additional affiliations include work with trombonist Bob Brookmeyer’s ensembles and a duo partnership with veteran German free-jazz saxophonist Heinz Sauer, in which they interpret both original pieces and compositions by Björk, Billy Strayhorn, Thelonious Monk and Gil Evans.
In 2007 Wollny received the Jazzpreis der Nürnberger Nachrichten, while [em] was designated Most Promising International Newcomer Of The Year at the Ronnie Scott Jazz Awards; a live recording of the trio at London’s Vortex dates from May of that year.
Wollny appears both unaccompanied and as leader of the trio [em], completed by bassist Eva Kruse and drummer Eric Schaefer. The group has earned strong domestic recognition while also receiving favorable critical response in Italy, Scandinavia, the UK and Eire. Repertoire associated with [em] encompasses Wollny’s ‘Another Mr Lizard’, ‘Bells’ and ‘Takashi’, Kruse’s ‘Schneefall’ and ‘Brizzle’, and Schaefer’s ‘Phlegma Phighter’, ‘Gorilla Biscuits’ and ‘Funebre’. Additional affiliations include work with trombonist Bob Brookmeyer’s ensembles and a duo partnership with veteran German free-jazz saxophonist Heinz Sauer, in which they interpret both original pieces and compositions by Björk, Billy Strayhorn, Thelonious Monk and Gil Evans.
In 2007 Wollny received the Jazzpreis der Nürnberger Nachrichten, while [em] was designated Most Promising International Newcomer Of The Year at the Ronnie Scott Jazz Awards; a live recording of the trio at London’s Vortex dates from May of that year.
Albums
Singles
Live
