Karl Ratzer Trio
Biography Karl Ratzer Trio
Karl Ratzer
Born in Vienna, Austria, as a child to KZ survivors, Karl Ratzer teaches himself the guitar autodidactically. His first stage appearances are at the age of eleven – what follows are forming years in which Ratzer ascends to one of the most well-known rock guitarists in the German-speaking world. Initially the guitar of the Teenbeats and The Slaves, Ratzer founds his own formation The Charles Ryder Corporation in 1967. Then follow C-Department (1969–71) and Gipsy Love (1971–72).
1972 to 1980 are spent in the States, where Ratzer collaborates and publishes with jazz calibers the likes of Joe Chambers, Jeremy Steig, Dan Wall, Bob Mintzer, Gary Anderson, Claudio Roditi, Sal Nistico, Steve Grossmann, Ray Mantilla und Eddie Gomez. Main stations are New York, Chicago and Atlanta. It was Chet Baker who in the course of a Europe tour, reintroduced Ratzer to the continent.
Back in Vienna, countless collaborations with acclaimed Jazz musicians follow – among them Fritz Pauer, Hans Koller, Art Farmer, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Lee Konitz, Clark Terry, Franz Kogelmann, Hans Salomon und Johnny Griffin. Ratzer works with Chaka Khan and Viennese folk legends Karl Hodina und Tommy Hojsa. Ratzer was musical director and one of four founding members of the jazz club Camarillo (1988–89). From 1999 to 2003, he taught jazz guitar as a guest professor on the University for Music and Performing Arts in Graz, and transferred t0 the Vienna Music Institute as professor in 2004.
Since 2010, Karl Ratzer emerges primarily in various compositions with Ed Neumeister (trombone), Johannes Enders (tenor saxophone), Peter Herbert (bass), Howard Curtis (drums), Andreas Werth (organ) and Margarethe Herbert’s eXtracello.
Awards:
On Jan 23rd, 2002, Ratzer’s musical accomplishments are awarded the Medal of Honor of the Federal Capital Vienna. In 2017, the CD My Time is nominated for the Amadeus Austrian Music Award in the category Jazz / World / Blues. On Jan 25th, 2022, the Republic of Austria confers Ratzer with the title Professor. On Jul 7th, 2022, Ratzer receives the Gold Medal of Merit of the State of Vienna. At the Amadeus Austrian Music Award 2023, Karl Ratzer’s lifetime achievements are honored with an Amadeus.
