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Jazzanova

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Jazzanova is a German DJ and producer collective from Berlin. The group was founded in 1995 by Alexander Barck, Claas Brieler, Jürgen von Knoblauch, Roskow Kretschmann, Stefan Leisering and Axel Reinemer. The DJs are Von Knoblauch, Barck and Brieler, and the producer trio consists of Reinemer, Leisering and Kretschmann. Their music is characterised by nu jazz, chill-out and Latin jazz, with influences from electro, house and soul. In 1997 they founded the record label Sonar Kollektiv.

Music and breakthrough

The collective became known as remixers, for among others Incognito, 4Hero, MJ Cole, Ian Pooley and Masters at Work. It also has a side project, Extended Spirit. The second studio album, Of All the Things, appeared in October 2008. In May 2012 Funkhaus Studio Sessions followed, with Paul Randolph as singer, and in 2018 the group announced the album The Pool. They collaborated a great deal with other musicians.

Influence

Jazzanova showed that DJs and producers could build a musical world of their own with jazz, soul and dance music. The group used the freedom of the club to combine pieces of jazz records with electronic beats, and its own label gave room to other artists from that scene. In Germany the collective became a name within nu jazz, and its remix work also brought the music to the audience of British acid jazz, of which Incognito is an important name.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a Jazzanova remix and notice the beat beneath the jazz melody: which sounds come from an old record, and which are electronic?

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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Categories: Artists