Kai Eckhardt (born 15 June 1961) is a German born musician and composer who plays bass, best known for his work with John McLaughlin, Vital Information, Torsten de Winkel,

Billy Cobham William Emanuel Cobham Jr. (born May 16, 1944) is a Panamanian–American jazz drummer who came to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s with trumpeter Miles Davis and then with the Mahavishnu Orchestra. He was inducted into the '' Mode ...

and Garaj Mahal—a band he co-founded. Educated at the prestigious Berklee College of Music Eckhardt has also collaborated on projects with guitarist Larry Coryell as well as keyboardist

Tom Coster Tom Coster (born August 21, 1941) is an American keyboardist, composer, and longtime backing musician for Carlos Santana. Early years Detroit-born and San Francisco-raised, Coster played piano and accordion as a youth, continuing his studies t ...

. Eckhardt is known for his fast chordal slap-style abilities, and for his unique combination of funk, jazz, and world music.

History

Eckhardt began to play bass guitar at age 15. His first major undertaking came in 1985 when European guitar prodigy Torsten de Winkel asked him to join his recording ensemble with

Michael Brecker Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as a performer and composer, received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in ...

and Alphonse Mouzon, making quite a splash in the European scene, and later his touring band with

Ernie Watts Ernest James Watts (born October 23, 1945) is an American jazz and R&B saxophonist who plays soprano, alto, and tenor saxophone. He has worked with Charlie Haden's Quartet West and toured with the Rolling Stones. On Frank Zappa's album '' ...

and Steve Smith, leading to an invitation to Eckhardt and Torsten to join Smith's US-based group Vital Information. The two German musicians also appeared together in a TV production with

Randy Brecker Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock music, rock, and R&B. Early life Brecker was ...

and Simon Phillips. Meanwhile, he had accepted a scholarship to the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

and began to establish himself in the US, working with the likes of Aydin Esen,

Stanley Clarke Stanley Clarke (born June 30, 1951) is an American bassist, composer and founding member of Return to Forever, one of the first jazz fusion bands. Clarke gave the bass guitar a prominence it lacked in jazz-related music. He is the first jazz-fus ...

, Tiger Okoshi and Bob Moses. In 1988 Kai joined the John Mclaughlin Trio with percussionist

Trilok Gurtu Trilok Gurtu (born 30 October 1951) is an Indian percussionist and composer whose work has blended the music of India with jazz fusion and world music. He has worked with Terje Rypdal, Gary Moore, John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek, Joe Zawinu ...

and John McLaughlin. The trio toured extensively in the years to come and recorded a number of albums, including '' Que Alegria'' in 1992. Afterwards, Eckhardt moved to the San Francisco bay area and turned his attention to composing, while performing with the

International Quartet and with Garaj Mahal. In 2000, he released his first CD as a leader, entitled "Honour Simplicity, Respect the Flow" and featuring Aydın Esen,

Courtney Pine Courtney Pine, (born 18 March 1964) is a British jazz musician, who was the principal founder in the 1980s of the black British band the Jazz Warriors. Although known primarily for his saxophone playing, Pine is a multi-instrumentalist, also ...

, Zakir Hussain and others. In 2008, he appeared on the CD of the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

endorsed Bimbache Jazz y Raices global encounter project and reconnected with Torsten de Winkel, leading to renewed collaborations of the two in Garaj Mahal and later in de Winkel's group Idiot Savants. He is also working with his own new group the Kai Eckhardt Band (which released an album entitled ''Zeitgeist'' in 2014). Eckhardt also runs a mentor-ship program for young musicians.Anil Prasad. ''Kai Eckhardt: Investing in the Fundamentals'' 'Bass Player Magazine' January 2009 Eckhardt 2015

Eckhardt was a co-leader and co-producer of the influential jam band Garaj Mahal. The band played over 1000 shows in the US and Canada between 2000 and 2010. Garaj Mahal released 9 albums during those years and won the independent music awards in the Jam Band category in 2007. In August 2011 Garaj Mahal put an end to touring and there are currently no plans for future shows.

Discography

* Tuba ''Insight'' (Deda Music 2015) * Kai Eckhardt Band - ''Zeitgeist'' (Area 61 Records 2014) * Kai Eckhardt - ''Atomic Bass: Reactive Intervals'' (Truefire 2014) Instructional DVD * George Brooks' Summit ''Spirit and Spice'' (Earth Brother Music 2010) * Rad ''Getting Down is Free'' (7 Bridges recordings 2009) * Bimbache Jazz y Raíces - ''La Condición Humana'' (nyjg/ESC 2008), with Gregoire Maret, Torsten de Winkel, Maria Mérida and others * Tribute to Mahavishnu : ''Visions of an Inner Mounting Apocalypse'' (Tone Center 2005) * Bill Douglas ''Sky'' (Tala Records 2005) * Zigaboo Modeliste "I'm on the Right Track" (JZM 2004) * Kai Eckhardt - ''Honour Simplicity, Respect the Flow'' (2000) with Aydın Esen,

, Zakir Hussain and others * Maria Joao : ''Fabula'' (Verve 1996) * Curandero - ''Aras'' (Silver Wave 1996), with Ty Burhoe, Miguel Espinoza, and Bela Fleck * Aziza Mustafa Zadeh: ''Dance of Fire'' (Columbia 1995) * John McLaughlin - ''Que Alegria'' (Verve Records 1992), with John McLaughlin,

and Dominique DiPiazza * John McLaughlin Trio - ''Live at the Royal Festival Hall'' (JMT 1989),with John McLaughlin,

* Torsten de Winkel - ''Mastertouch'' (EMI 1985), with

, Alphonse Mouzon and others * Steve Smith's Vital Information - ''Fia Fiaga'' (Columbia/Sony 1988), with

Frank Gambale Frank Gambale ( ; born 22 December 1958) is an Australian jazz fusion guitarist. He has released twenty albums over a period of three decades, and is known for his use of the sweep picking and economy picking techniques. Recording career Sol ...

, Torsten de Winkel and others * ''BassTalk'' (HotWire 1989)

With Garaj Mahal

* ''Live Vol. 1'' (2003) * ''Live Vol. 2'' (2003) * ''Live Vol. 3'' (2003) * '' Mondo Garaj'' (2003) * '' Blueberry Cave'' (2005) * ''Woot ''(2008) * '' More Mr. Nice Guy'' (2010) * ''Discovery'' (2010)

References

External links

Kai Eckhardt official website
*

Berklee College of Music alumni Berklee College of Music () is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level ...

Feature article from UK Bass Guitar Magazine Japanese feature about Kai Eckhardt text is JapaneseInterview with Kai EckhardtSan Francisco feature about Kia EckhardtGaraj Mahal website
* Dance of Fire wiki page {{DEFAULTSORT:Eckhardt, Kai 1961 births Berklee College of Music alumni German bass guitarists German male bass guitarists German composers Living people Jazz fusion bass guitarists Blue Coast Records artists Male jazz musicians Vital Information members Garaj Mahal members