Biography
German post-bop pianist Uli Lenz merges the tonal richness and rhythmic drive of traditional jazz—drawing from predecessors such as Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, and Earl Hines—with contrapuntal improvisation honed through his early classical studies. Born in 1955 in Frankfurt, Germany, to a household where both parents performed on piano and organ, Lenz received his initial instruction in classical repertoire and spontaneous playing from his father beginning at age four, though his grandmother first sparked his interest in jazz through late-night radio broadcasts. While enrolled at the Frankfurt Conservatory throughout the 1970s, he pursued formal training on piano and cello yet devoted his spare time to jazz performances in varied settings, ranging from dance classes and piano bars to strip clubs, whether working alone or leading his own ensemble. This period of concentrated practice refined both his technical command and artistic voice, prompting him, after earning his degree, to relocate to Italy in search of fresh musical environments and collaborative opportunities. Returning to Germany in 1980—this time settling in Berlin—he established contacts that enabled European tours with various ensembles and cultivated recognition as a soloist, beginning with an unaccompanied festival appearance in 1985 and subsequent travels across Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean the next year. That same year he cut his debut solo piano recording, Midnight Candy, for Enja. Crossing the Atlantic for the first time in 1987, Lenz made his New York City debut, only to suffer a hand injury soon afterward that necessitated tendon transplant surgery and a year of rehabilitation. Although forced to revise certain fingering methods, he regained full command of his abilities and emerged with sharpened musical focus, documenting the 1988 album Live at Sweet Basil for Enja in New York alongside bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Joe Chambers. His first appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival came in 1989, with the resulting trio performance issued in 1991 as the double-CD set Live at the Montreux Music Festival. Throughout the 1990s Lenz remained a regular presence on international festival stages while collaborating on recordings with saxophonist Johannes Barthelmes (Konzert de Verlorenen Söhne in 1992 and Trane's Tree in 1993), vocalist Patricia Nomakosazana Dhlamini (Trouble in Paradise, 1993), and the team of bassist Ed Schuller with drummer Victor Jones (Echoes of Mandela, 1997), in addition to issuing the solo album Love Channel in 1995. In 1997 he assembled a trio with bassist Pepe Berns and drummer Thomas Alkier that supported his European engagements. Despite his accumulated recording and performance history, Lenz still lacked worldwide distribution for his catalog and, with U.S. appearances limited to New York, had yet to register significantly with American audiences. Signing with New York’s Arkadia Jazz label in 1999, he began sessions with bassist Ira Coleman and drummer Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez; the resulting album, Rainmaker’s Dream, appeared in 2001 and included guest contributions from saxophonist T.K. Blue, earning strong acclaim within the U.S. jazz community.
Albums
