My musical Story
First of all Listen to some (live) music:
"eigenwillige und mitreißende Indie-Jazz-Eigenkkompositionen" Süddeutsche Zeitung
"[...] ein sinnliches Elektropop-Album mit jazzigem Einschlag.“ Jazzthing
1) Where I come from: Jazz Standards
From my 5th birthday until 19 I had the chance to make musical experiences in a broad range: playing the accordion for 10 years (Traditional Music), clarinet (Classical), piano (Pop), drums (Heavy Metal).
Then I went to study Jazz Saxophone at the University of Music Graz, Austria. There I got a propper musical foundation in the language in Jazz.
My role models at this time where mainly Johnny Hodges, Cannonball Adderly, Lee Konitz, Paul Desmond and John Coltrane.
But also from the newer generation like Kenny Garrett, Branford Marsalis etc.
2) Getting more crazy and sophisticated in New York City
Based on my musical output I got different scholarships from the University and won Austrians main jazz award "Hans Koller Prize" 3 times.
This gave me the opportunity to go abroad to study composition in Stockholm and study with a lot of the masters of the New York Jazz Scene. Already the first trip led into a CD Recording 'The New York Sessions' which ended up in NYC becoming my second home for 5 years.
To study with masters like Branford Marsalis are highlights.
3) Back in Europe with the Austrian Quartet reflecting on NYC
and Stockholm where I have lived
Back in Europe I was reflecting my new international musical impressions with my Austrian Quartet.
This band was nominated for an International Exchange Programme. So we were touring in places like the forbidden City Hall in Beijing, China.
4) Playing 250 concerts in USA, Africa, Australia and Europe with
the first hang and bass clarinet duo in the world called Living Room
At one point I started to explore the Bass Clarinet more and more and wanted to play full concerts only with this instrument to grow faster.
Nearly at the same time my long term musical partner, Manu Delago, had the same vision with the freshly invented Swiss percussion instrument named Hang.
So we founded Living Room, the first Hang and Bass Clarinet Duo in the world.
This band become viral with Youtube and we played over 250 concerts worldwide.
For example the WomAdelaide in Australia and the Bush Fire Festival in Swaziland - both having around 20.000 people in the audience.
5) Playing concerts and recording CDs with Big Bands like
Jazz Big Band Graz and the Vienna Art Orchestra
As a sideman I love to play in Big Bands.
Especially with this these two special ones.
The Vienna Art Orchestra:
Austria's most famous band
with fantastic players
Jazz Big Band Graz:
Having the musical vision to really create an unique band sound - inspired by electronical club sounds and spheric pop music
6) Finding a new way of producing with the latest album Songs I Like
by sampling the saxophone and creating electronic effects and drum patterns
‚Songs I Like’ presents some carefully chosen originals, and arrangements of my ‚musical youth memories’ which are put in a total new context. Sampled Sounds of smallest details of the Bass Clarinet are the base of the electronically programmed beats, which are co-produced by drummer Gregor Hilbe. The sound scape and ambience come from the other instruments like hurdy gurdy, accordion and cello – a charming combination of Jazz, World Music and Electronic Music.
The CD and LP ‘Songs I Like’ shows a highly authentic and personal insight of my playful work.
REVIEWS:
'Der Tiroler Saxophonist und Labelbetreiber Christoph Pepe Auer zählt ohne Zweifel zu den hoffnungsvollsten Vertretern der heimischen Jazzszene.' (MICA)
"...zudem zeigt der Solist Charakter: Klarinettist Christoph Pepe Auer spielt mit Atem- und Klappengeräuschen, formt zirkulierende Motive, die mit dem Einsatz des Beats endgültig in den orientalischen Raum abzudriften scheinen." (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)
„[…]unerhörte Saxophon- und Bassklarinettensonds […] dazu Celloklänge, Klavierlinien und pulsierende Beats und eine kratzige Drehleier. Ein faszinierendes Hörerlebnis ist das.“ BR Klassik
"eigenwillige und mitreißende Indie-Jazz-Eigenkkompositionen" Süddeutsche Zeitung
„[...] einer der interessantesten österreichischen Jazzer der Generation 30+" Concerto
"[die Bassklarinette] schleicht sich ins Gehör - mal meditativ zirkulierend mal als Melodieinstrument mit prägnantem Ansatz, dann wieder als voluminöser Taktgeber. Wer dieser wunderschönen, jedoch durchaus nicht unkomplizierten Musik nachzusteigen vermag, dürfte auch kein Problem haben, den Tonträger kratzerfrei aus dem kunstvollen Origamicover zu fingern. Tipp: ganz aufklappen, die Pappe. Und die Ohren." Kulturnews
"Drehleier, Ziehharmonika und Bassklarinette sind [...] keine gängigen Jazzinstrumente. Aber im Zusammenklang mit Drums, Cello und Keyboard bekommen diese balkanlastigen Klänge eine eigenwillige Faszination. Keine Musik also, die an jeder Straßenecke zu hören ist. Die vier Musiker um den Tiroler Klarinettisten Pepe Auer und die Zuhörer verlieren bald die Distanz zu einander. Und diese persönliche Intimität lässt den besonderen Reiz, die Zutraulichkeit dieser prickelnd-andersartigen Klänge erfühlen. Pepe Auer reizt seine Bassklarinette facettenreich aus, und schafft mit seiner Band zusammen fesselnde Weltmusik." Donaukurier
"[...] ein sinnliches Elektropop-Album mit jazzigem Einschlag.“ Jazzthing
