Michael Schiefel

Location:
Berlin, DE
Type:
Artist / Band / Musician
Genre:
Jazz / Experimental / Electronica
Site(s):
Label:
ACT, Traumton Records
Type:
Indie
Strictly vocal



In the beginning there was courage. Michael Schiefel wanted to sing; yet

he did not feel moved to travel down the jazz tradition's well-trodden paths.

Sure, he would need to acquire a solid training in vocal technique, which

he did as a student at Germany's top-notch University of the Arts (UdK) in

Berlin. He would need to pay his dues, which he did during Berlin's cultural

awakening, playing with small bands in the city's clubs in the early nineties.

The rest of it though, was open, was his to shape. Schiefel began to experiment,

listening to Bobby McFerrin, who showed him that an artist doesn't necessarily

need a band to convince an audience. And he discovered a technical toy, a

loop-machine that enabled him to reproduce his voice live in real time. The

soloist developed into an orchestra, linear melodies grew into playful three-dimensional

vocal architecture. A sonic window of opportunity here, some musical stairs

and a hidden emergency exit there; something that would be a way out, back

to the root of it all, his singing.

This was the state of affairs in the mid nineties. Schiefel dared to dive

in at the deep end, and started a solo career with "Invisible Loop" (1998)

and "I Don't Belong" (2000). Reviewers and audiences were similarly

thrilled. They admired his ability to transform himself musically, to change

into different characters. They praised his timbre, the precision in his

intonation, stylistic flexibility, and were fascinated by his very personal

celebration of creativity, and a wealth of ideas that seemed without par

in his country. "A star is born" one broadsheet proclaimed, and

this summarized the mood in the scene. Schiefel himself was a lot more matter

of fact; he felt he still had a lot to learn, despite his success. Furthermore,

the Berlin scene was beginning to sparkle, and was producing more and more

interesting projects. Thus the soloist was soon joined by the team player

who explored his funky roots with jazzIndeed, celebrated intellectual inspiration

with Thärichens Tentett, cultivated the ballad in his own trio formation,

and played classical modern jazz with David Friedman.

What had been a well-kept secret became common knowledge, even part of the

establishment. In 2001 Schiefel became a professor at the "Franz Liszt

Conservatory Of Music" in Weimar. The just turned thirty-one year old

was suddenly in a position to pass on the results of his creative process

to his students. With "Gay" (2003) he featured his trio on an album

of love songs. Two years later, he and the quintet jazzIndeed dedicated themselves

to the repertoire of New German Wave with "Blaue Augen" (ACT 9651-2).

As his calendar started filling up more and more, the Goethe-Institute sent

him around the world as a cultural ambassador. Not least due to his vocal

and interpretative talent, Thärichens Tentett developed into an in-demand

festival act. In the meantime, he continued writing, working on and trying

out his solo repertoire.

Technology finally provided further momentum. An update of his beloved loop-machine

was released, providing new possibilities of acoustic collage. New repertoire

had accumulated, and thus Michael Schiefel went into the studio once more

to continue his vocal research with "Don't Touch My Animals". Some

of the songs are German, some English; they recount stories of love and the

tangle of relationships, fabricate surreal sketches of city life or reflect

ironically on Germany's inherent contradictions. All the beats, sounds and

melodies are vocal, and come together to construct a brilliant patchwork

of pop/jazz moods and rhythms.

RALF DOMBROWSKI.



Boys don't cry



Michael Schiefel | MySpace Music Videos



Soundscape



Michael Schiefel | MySpace Music Videos



Walking



Michael Schiefel | MySpace Music Videos



Animals



Michael Schiefel | MySpace Music Videos



Out now: New Solo CD



Michael Schiefel

My Home Is My Tent

Traumton 4539-2



 



Out now: New Solo Single



Michael Schiefel

Boys Don't Cry

Traumton 4546-2



 



New CD with Thärichens Tentett



Thärichens Tentett

Farewell Songs

Traumton 4528-2



 



CDsSchiefel



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