Kraan is a German band based in
Ulm and formed in 1970. It had several minor hits through the 1970s and 1980s. After a break of ten years, the group reunited in 2000. Their early style can be described as
Krautrock
Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock that developed in Germany in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It originated among artists who blended elements of psychedelic rock, avant-garde composition, and electron ...
that turned later to
fusion, combining elements of both
rock and
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
.
The band was named Kraan, after considering the name Jack Steam. The name means faucet in Dutch, a fact they were apparently unaware of at the time; it has no meaning in German, but they liked it because it was easy to remember.
Allmusic: Kraan Biography by Richard Foss
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Members
Current line-up
* Peter Wolbrandt – guitar (1970–present)
*Hellmut Hattler
Hellmut Hattler (born 12 April 1952 in Ulm, West Germany) is a German jazz and rock bassist and composer.
Hattler took much of his early influences from Jimi Hendrix. As a child, he received violin lessons, and in the 1960s, he played guitar. ...
– bass guitar (1970–present)
*Jan Fride – drums (1970–1978, 1984–present)
Former members
*Ingo Bischof ( de) – keyboards (1975–2007; died 2019)
*Johannes Pappert – alto saxophone (1970–1976)
* Udo Dahmen – drums (1977–1980)
*Joo Kraus ( de) – keyboards, trumpet (1987–1992)
* Gerry Brown – drums, lead vocals (1979–1983)
*Tomy Goldschmidt – drums (1977)
*Eef Albers – guitar (1982–1983)
*Marc McMillen – keyboards, vocals (1982–1983)
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
*1972 '' Kraan''
*1973 '' Wintrup''
*1974 '' Andy Nogger''
*1975 '' Let It Out''
*1977 '' Wiederhören''
*1978 '' Flyday''
*1982 '' Nachtfahrt''
*1983 ''X''
*1989 '' Dancing In The Shade''
*1991 ''Soul of Stone''
*2003 ''Through''
*2007 ''Psychedelic man''
*2010 ''Diamonds''
*2020 ''Sandglass''
*2023 ''Zoup''
Live albums
*1975 '' Kraan Live'' (2lp)
*1980 '' Tournee''
*1988 ''Kraan Live 88''
*2001 ''Live 2001''
*2018 ''The Trio Years''
*2019 ''The Trio Years - Zugabe''
*2020 ''Finkenbach Festival 2005''
Compilations
*1976 ''Starportrait'' (2lp)
*1983 ''2 Platten (Best of Kraan)'' (2lp)
*1998 ''The Famous Years Compiled''
*2001 ''Berliner Ring'' (Demos and live recordings)
External links
*
*
Prog Archives: Kraan discography and reviewsJazz Music Archives: Kraan discography and reviews
References
{{Authority control
Musical groups established in 1970
German jazz-rock groups
Krautrock musical groups
German jazz fusion ensembles
German progressive rock groups
German experimental musical groups
Inside Out Music artists