about kj
Klaus Janek is a Berlin based composer, contrabassist, researcher. Originally from Bolzano/Italy he moved to Berlin in the mid 90ies. His solo and collaborative work is published on an 5 albums consisting lp edition called almenrauschen and was released during 2019.
Janek is known for his unique musical approach combining the compositional and performative act on his set of contrabass and electronics and his interdisciplinary collaborations in choreography, music theater and spoken words. He intensively seeks for the balance of aesthetics and discourse in his work. His artistic idiom finds concert and festival appearances in EU, US, CAN, J, CH, Russia, China, Malaysia, Brazil and Rwanda but also co creations in movement, theater, sound and radio art, and in album formats. A special curiosity focuses on the influence of tradition and music expressed as time phenomenon. In the search of expanding the music material the reciprocity of drown and melodic fragmentation becomes a key element. Embracing the characteristics the contrabass as an instrument and a function fulfills, Klaus Janek’s music supports the access of the coauthors and audience to a fine tuned and sensitive complex world to perceive.
He is a forming member of [SNDNG STTNS], grapeshade with Ingo Reulecke and Biliana Voutchkova, macchina som allstars with Lukas Matthaei and Milena Kipfmüller, and a member of Ensemble Extrakte directed by Sandeep Bhagwati and Elke Moltrecht and regular collaborator of Meg Stuart/Damaged Goods and matthaei&konsorten. Commissions bring him to compose and perform at Louvre, Berghain, transmediale, Transart, white night (Montreal, Tel Aviv), Impulstanz Wien, Vision Festival NYC and many others. He lectured in various universities worldwide. Residencies brought him to Brazil (Vila Sul), Belgium (Q-02), Israel (Musrara Art School), NYC. He earned a scholarship from Robert Bosch Stiftung and grants from culture exchange office Berlin and culture office, Bolzano. The work Musraropera by [SNDNG STTNS] Milena Kipfmüller & Klaus Janek was awarded with the “Music Theatre Now 2018” price, in 2020 [SNDNG STTNS] recieved the Kulturstiftung des Bundes Reload research stipendium.
He performed with Bill Dixon, Valerio Tricoli, Johannes Bauer, Cristian Vogel, Borah Bergmann, Yan Jun, Clayton Thomas, Brendan Dougherty, Axel Dörner, Michael Vorfeld, Claudio Rocchetti, Robin Hayward, Peter Kowald, Chris Douglas, Butch Morris, Hilary Jeffery, Meg Stuart, Frank Willens, Hauke Heumann, Thierry Niang/Patrice Chereau, Nils „Storm“ Robitzky and many more
>Janek’s playing deserves to be heard. Strongly recommended. – Francois Couture [All Music Guide]
>This elaborate, highly visual piece [Caspar] is a milestone in the doublebass repertoire. Comes with our highest recommendation. – Diarmala Records
It is clear that Klaus Janek is a prime force on the avant-garde double bass scene. – Matt Shimmer [indieville]
