Kai
Eckhardt
was born on June 15, 1961 in Mainz, Germany. Being the son of
a German mother and a Liberian father, he was raised in Germany
and West Africa.
He
began to study the bass guitar at age 15 and went on to establish
himself as a well known and respected musician.
Kai
left Germany in 1983 to attend Berklee
College of Music in Boston. While still in school, he became
a member of the Bob Moses Group and Tigers Baku. At the
same time, Boston served as a home base for the launching of various
international tours. It was during this period that his special
talent first received international recognition. Kai was the bassist
for: Steve Smiths Vital Information, Alphonse Mouzon, Randy
Brecker and Stanley Clarke.
In
1987, Kai graduated from Berklee with honors and was offered a
teaching position at the college. In the same year, Gary Burton
recommended him to guitarist John Mc Laughlin.
Kai
joined the John Mc Laughlin Trio, which featured percussionist
Trilok Gurtu, in December of 1988. The Trio toured extensively
throughout the world and recorded two albums. The acclaimed Live
at the Royal Festival Hall, recorded 1989 in London, documented
a new direction in Mc Laughlins music. This recording has
been described by many as historic for its outstanding musicianship
and unique stylistic blend.
Between 1990 and 1993, Kai s focus shifted towards composition.
After a period of study, he began to write for a variety of different
musical settings. Some of his work as a composer and arranger
is currently being performed by the vocal ensemble SoVoSo,
formerly known as Bobby McFerrinss Voicestra.
In
1994, the government of the United States granted Kai the status
of a U.S. resident, based on his extraordinary abilities as an
artist. He then went on to work with Billy Cobhams International
Quartet, Touring the U.S. and Canada.
Meanwhile,
Kais career as a recording artist and live performer has
continued to develop in a multicultural direction. The Aziza
Mustafa Zadeh recording project brought together the folk
music of eastern Europe with jazz. This 1995 release for Sony
Germany features Kai along with Al Di Meola, Bill Evans and Omar
Hakim. The production was followed by a successful tour, and the
album reached the #1 position in the German jazz charts .
In
the summer of 1995, Kai performed in Europe with the New York
based band Steps Ahead and received a jazz award from Sony records.
The year 1996 began with the Vibe Tribe tour of Germany, which
included Patrice Rushen, Larry Williams and Teri Lynne Carrington.
In the same year, Kai recorded Native Dreamer with
Brazilian percussionist Dudu Tucci.
Kai
is also featured on Maria Joaos latest album entitled Fabula
with the help of Ralph Towner, Mario Laginha and Manu Katche.
Another
1996 project combines Spanish, Indian and North American music.
The Colorado based band Curandero recorded their second album
with Kai E. and Bela Fleck.
In
1997 Kai conducted a series of masterclasses at Berklee College
of Music in Boston, the Bass Collective in New York City and the
Anton Bruckner Conservatory in Austria. At an earlier date he
also held a masterclass with Journey drummer Steve Smith at the
Musicians Institute of Technology in Los Angeles.
Shortly
after he joined the band Glimpse,
lead by percussionist and three time Downbeat poll winner Trilok
Gurtu. Over a period of two years he performed with this ensemble
worldwide. This formation produced two albums, one in 1998 and
one in 1999.
In
November 1999 he completed the recording of his debut album for
the British Naim label. Featured
artists are Zakir Hussain and Courtney Pine. The release date
is anticipated for June 2000.
The
year 2000 signals a shift in Kais approach to art. He has
begun to engage in a series of educational and performance oriented
experiments, following his emerging vision. Goal of this new direction
is the re-establishment of art as a tool for transformation.
Kai
is currently Touring with the Band Garajmahal
featuring Fareed Haque, Eric Levy and Alan Hertz. In March of
2001 he played a series of concerts with Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain,
featuring the music of saxophonist George Brooks, joined by Mandolin
player Mike Marshall.
To
this day, Kai has produced three works within the modern approach
to education. ESP, the
Experimental Seminar Project, AnT,
the seminar Art in Technology, and the multimedia performance
piece A modern Fairy Tale. More information about
these projects can be made available upon request.
Selected
Discography
(See album covers, 52 in all)
| Artist |
Album |
Year |
Label |
| Alphonse
Mouzon |
The
sky is the limit |
1986 |
VeraBra |
| Torsten
de Winkel |
Mastertouch |
1986 |
VeraBra |
| Steve
Smiths Vital Information |
Fiafiaga |
1988 |
Columbia |
| Mike
Gibbs |
Big
Music |
1988 |
Virgin |
| Bass
Talk |
1,2
& 3 |
1989-1993 |
Hot
Wire |
| Tom
Coster |
From
me to you |
1990 |
Headfirst |
| John
Mc Laughlin Trio |
Live
at the Royal Festival Hall |
1990 |
JMT |
| John
Mc Laughlin Trio |
Que
Alegria |
1992 |
Verve |
| Warren
Hill |
Devotion |
1993 |
BMG |
| Clarence
Clemmons |
Peacemaker |
1995 |
Zoo |
| Paul
Hanson |
Astro
Boy Blues |
1995 |
Midi |
| Aziza
Mustafa Zadeh with Al di Meola |
Dance
of Fire |
1995 |
Sony |
| Richard
S. & the Vibe Tribe |
Cool
Shoes |
1995 |
Lipstick |
| Spencer
Brewer and Paul Mc Candless |
Torches
on the lake |
1996 |
Access |
| Dudu
Tucci |
Native
Dreamer |
1996 |
Weltwunder |
| Maria
Joao |
Fabula |
1996 |
PolyGram |
| Curandero
(feat. Bela Fleck) |
Aras |
1996 |
Silverwave |
| Trilok
Gurtu |
Kathak |
1998 |
Escapade |
| Sovoso |
Truth
and other tales |
1998 |
P.A.C. |
| Vibe
Tribe |
foreign
affairs |
1998 |
Lipstick |
| Gregory
James and Kai Eckhardt |
The
Search |
1998 |
Rogue
Records |
| Gregory
James |
Reincarnation |
2001 |
Rogue
Records |
| Anyu
with Bob Moses |
Anyu |
1998 |
Bamboo
Records |
| Billy
Cobham |
Missisisppi
knights |
1998 |
Wenlock
Records |
| Trilok
Gurtu |
African
Fantasy |
2000 |
ESC |
| Kit
Walker |
Freehouse |
2000 |
Independent |
| Kai
Eckhardt |
Honour
Simplicity, Respect the Flow |
2000 |
Naim
Label |
| Larry
Coryell and Steve Marcus |
Count's
Jamband |
2000 |
Tone
Center |
| George
Brooks/Zakir Hussain |
Summit |
2002 |
Moment
Records |
| James
Robinson |
Colours |
2003 |
Independant |
| Jason
McGuire |
Distancias |
2002 |
Covadoga
Music |
| Garaj
Mahal Live |
Vol. 1,2, & 3 |
2003 |
Harmonized
Records |
| Garaj
Mahal |
Mondo
Garaj |
2003 |
Harmonized
Records |
| Zigaboo Modeliste |
I'm in the right track |
2004 |
JZM Records |
| A Tribute to Weather Report |
Mysterious Voyages |
2005 |
ESC Records |
| Mahavishnu Tribute |
Visions of an inner mounting Apocalypse |
2005 |
Tone Center |
| Bill Douglass |
Sky |
2005 |
Tala Records |
| Garaj Mahal |
Blueberry Cave |
2005 |
Harmonized Records |
Check out my endorsements >>
Feature Articles & Interviews
about Kai Eckhardt have appeared in the following publications:
Jazziz
-- USA
Downbeat
-- USA
Bassplayer
-- USA
Bassfrontiers
-- USA
Gitarre
und Bass -- Germany
Der
Bass Bote -- Germany
Jazz
Podium -- Germany
Fachblatt
-- Germany
Guitar
& Bass -- France
Bombay
Times -- Inida
Jazz times -- Turkey
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