Wolgang Koehler

German jazz pianist and composer Wolfgang Köhler was born on a farm near Kassel in 1960.

He started taking classical piano lessons at the age of 8, and later became interested in Jazz.

From 1978 to ’81, Köhler was member of the band „Just friends“ that toured Germany, Austria and Switzerland, including several festival performances and recordings. The band´s musical director, Allan Praskin (alto sax) was a major influence on him. In 1980, Wolfgang Köhler moved to Berlin to study at the HdK Berlin, and privately with piano master Walter Norris.

Building a national as well as international recognition, Köhler collaborated with among many others: Herb Geller, Benny Bailey, John Marshall, Judy Niemack, Till Brönner, the RIAS Big Band, Jiggs Whigham, the NDR Big Band, Ack van Rooyen, The Berliner Philharmoniker. He also worked as arranger for several musical shows (for ex. for Marianne Rosenberg, Gitte Haenning, Tim Fischer), and composer (film music, classical compositions (Schott Publishing), Songbook (with lyrics by Mike Segal) published in 2021 at FM score, and since 1999 Köhler has a professorship for Jazz Piano at the Jazz Institute Berlin (JIB).

Selected Discography:

-Just Friends “Just Jazz” Mannheim 1979
-Mark Nightingale + RIAS Big Band “Destiny” ,Mons Rec. 1996
-Wolfgang Köhler Quintett “Faces” (feat. Till Brönner tp) A Records 1998
-Benny Bailey Quartett “Firm Roots” 1998
-RIAS Big Band “German Folk Songs … Our Way” Mons Rec. 2000
-RIAS Big Band “Weill” arr. by J.A.Keller Mons Rec.2001
-RIAS Big Band “Bach Brandt New” arr. von Helmut Brandt, Mons Rec. 2001
-Rolf von Nordenskjöld Orchestra, feat. Ack van Rooyen, Hendrick Meurkens “Live in Berlin”, Klangräume 2003
-Allan Praskin – Wolfgang Köhler Quartet “Around Jazz”( feat. Christian Ramond b, Felix Astor dr), Konnex Rec. 2003
-Christian Schodos “Weil ich Dich liebe muß ich lügen”, Songs von Werner Richard Heymann mit Trio und Streichquartett (arr. + cond.: W. Köhler), Duo Phon Records 2004
-Rolf von Nordenskjöld Orchestra “Sketchbook” (u.a. mit Komp. und Arr. v. W.Köhler), Jazzhaus 2005
-Jiggs Whigham-Wolfgang Köhler Duo „Two Too“ Summit Rec. 2006
– Duo Divan (Tahsin Incirci viol., W.Köhler piano) Kalan Müzik, Turkey 2007
– Martin Kern Quartett „Visions“(feat. Ed Schuller und Kenny Martin), yvp music 2007
-Marianne Rosenberg Solo “I´m a woman”(arr.+ cond.: W. Köhler), lola rec. 2008
– Herb Geller – Wolfgang Köhler Duo „Moon Mist“, phonector 2009
-Wolfgang Köhler Solo piano CD „Tribute“ ,phonector 2013
-Rolf von Nordenskjöld Orchestra „Einspielzeit im Niemandsland“ (u.a. Arr. von W.Köhler) BIT 2016
-Sebastian Stert „Mein Zimmer bei Nacht“ (arr.: W. Köhler), Duo Phon Records 2016
– Judy Niemack – Wolfgang Köhler Duo „Sing Your Song“, Contemplate Rec., 2019
– Erik Leuthäuser (with Wolfgang Köhler): „In the land of Irene Krall and Allan Broadbent“, Mons Rec., 2020
– Berlin Jazz Orchestra feat. Marc Secara (Arr.: Jack Cooper) „Songs of Berlin“ , GAM Records 2021
– Erik Leuthäuser (with Wolfgang Köhler): „In the land of Kent Carlson“, Mons Rec. 2021

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