Interpreting good solid, soulful jazz and blues in a perceptive and intuitive manner is a goal which Thilo Kreitmeier has set for himself. His repertoire includes a wide range of mainstream, blues and soul with only a few avant-gardist elements. His technical and stylistic prerequisites enable him to play the whole scope of jazz, mastering its variations and making it understandable even to less knowledgeable jazz enthusiasts.
Being a strong admirer of such leading instrumentalists and composers as Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Eddie Harris, King Curtis, Stanley Turrentine and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, he attempts to interpret their music by playing and incorporating it into his performances, which he creatively rounds off with his own compositions and arrangements.
Kreitmeier is a muscial jack-of-all-trades. with a powerful roaring saxophone, who has to show experience in about every genres of popular music, and that with well sounding references like Albert C. Humphrey, Angela Brown, Ludwig Seuss, Al Jones, Charly Antolini, Jenny Evans, Al Porcino Big Band, Dusko Goykovich, Lousiana Red, Harald Rüschenbaum and many more.
(R. Palmer, SZ 2017)
The native- born „Schwabinger“ Kreitmeier is an international as well as regional rooted major player. The nearly 50 year old worked together with almost the complete „who is who“ of the european jazz- and blues scene and also was able to amaze the audience with different styles and formations.
(T. Lochte 2017)
Thilo Kreitmeier has dedicated himself along with his band to the kind of swinging, grooving jazz, whose innovative style is a blend of the modern and traditional and has endured since the mid-40`s. On the one hand it builds on tradition, while integrating and advancing contemporary developments.
(Altmühlbote)
Classically melodic themes are built upon a solid fundament of full sound.
(Münchner Merkur)
Jazz interpreted precisely and perceptively…
(Süddeutsche Zeitung)
Besides Gunter Hampel one of the highlights of the Jazzline Festival was the Thilo Kreitmeier & Group who gave their best in a perfectly staged performance of traditional soul & blues jazz.
(Augsburger Zeitung)
There is no uncertainty and no doubt: this is mainstream at its richest, perfect saxophone encompassing all nuances.
(Abendzeitung)
Brilliant saxophone that simply has a lot of drive, peps up standards … It electrifies.
(Süddeutsche Zeitung)
Thilo’s love for Jazz music and his propensity for the blues has made itself felt in his work together with such well-known artists and Bands like: Al Jones Blues Band, George Greene, Louisiana Red, he appreciates his collaboration with Al Porcino Big Band, Dusko Goykovich, ... You can also hear him with the Symphony Orchestra of Bayerischer Rundfunk, Christian Willisohn, Charlie Antolini, Evelyn Huber, Ludwig Seuss Band, Hannes Beckman, Harald Rüschenbaum, Jenny Evans & Rudi Martini, Christoph Pauli, Herb Geller, Gerry Hayes, David Gazarov, Lino Mauritiio Band, Orchester Hugo Strasser...
Born 1967 in Munich, Germany, he grew up in a musical environment. During his childhood he was introduced to the recorder and Orff instruments designed for children. At the age of 8 he began to produce his first melodies employing his father’s discarded clarinet. Later he received classical training at the hands of an experienced clarinetist and attended a secondary school which offered music as a major subject. At the same time, he was exposed to jazz music visiting famous munich jazzclubs like the Domicile, Allotria and saw some well-known jazz greats of the period such as Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, Dusko Goykovich, Roman Schwaller, Stan Getz, The Jazz Crusaders and Miles Davis, just to name a few. To listen to their music constituted an intuitive experience for him.
At the age of 16, upon the occasion of one of his first public recitals, he selected Mozart’s clarinet concert in A major accompanied by piano. Under the direction of the musicteacherin school, a jazz combo " BELA BÜCHL JAZZBAND " mainly dedicated to playing Dixieland and Swing, in which he participated as a clarinetist, was formed. This was to mark a temporary transition away from his education in classical music. Various performances in the local music scene and at private shows ensued, followed by invitations to play in Austria and Italy as well as the opportunity to make some first recordings.
Upon completing his secondary school education in 1987, he commenced his studies in Business Administration while he pursued training as a saxophonist at the MAZS ( Münchener Ausbildungszentrum für Saxophon) under the direction of Enrique Kropik where he also received instruction by established musicians such as Evan Tate, Axel Kühn, Jürgen Seefelder and Thomas Zoller. His interest in Jazz had now been irrevocably aroused.
1990 he then formed a quintet (dr., b., p., guit., ts.) by the name of “THE JAZZ COLOURS". With this band Thilo played performances at jazz shows, in regional and local munich clubs, smaller performances on radio and TV. Also subsequent contacts to diverse music groups specializing in Soul, Blues, Funk, Reggae... were established. After concluding his studies in Business Administration in 1994 and finishing the MAZM, he was faced with the decision of selecting his future career. Thilo`s love to music and the search for the selmer tenorsax of his dreams result in traveling to the jazz metropolis of New York. Given his deep love of music and influenced by several sojourns to New York and the USA he decided to devote himself wholly to music.
After several undertakings, in 1995 a new band, the “THILO KREITMEIER & GROUP” was formed. With this Band Thilo played on festivals and in affiliated munich and regional clubs (Nachtcafe, Bayerischer Hof, Unterfahrt, Allotria…). This group also afforded him the opportunity to record his first CD: Thilo Kreitmeier & Group, JAZZPERIENCE” (1996, Woopee Records)
In his first CD he combined his own arrangements and compositions with the atmosphere of a jam session. Thilo was lucky to have some of the best local musicians in the band, like Rocky Knauer, Heinz Frommeyer, Guido May... Excerpts of this first CD ranked within the top 4 among over 200 participants during the nationally held Hennessy Blue Note Jazz Search in 1996 and was often heard on the legendary munich jazz- radiostation Jazzwelle Plus.
Also Thilo started work as a teacher giving lessons in several music schools. The drummer George Greene invited Thilo to join his " Hotline Band " where Thilo got the chance to work alongside and learn from fantastic musicians like Eddie Taylor, Gottfried Seidl, Andrey Lewis, Angela Brown, William Paul, Chuck Henderson...
Especially as a regular member of the Al Jones Blues Band, Williams Wetsox, Ludwig Seuss Band (pianist of the famous Spider Murphy Gang) and Living Blues Legend Lousiana Red ( grew up in Muddy Waters`band ), Thilo discovered his affinity for the Blues toured in hole Germany, Switzerland, Italy playing in all kinds of etablisments, Jazzclubs and Festivals -until now wandering the different ways of the Blues...
Also in the Al Porcino Big Band he participated as a tenorist and played on side of musicians like saxophonist Herb Geller, pianist Walter Lang, Hermann Breuer, Henning Sieverts, Guido May, Gerd Fink, Franz Weyerer... just to name a few of the great players of Al´s Band. Thilo is very proud that he reached to be first call of the first - hot :) tenor- chair in that excellent Big Band.
In 1996 he made some new recordings at Christian Willisohn’s “Art By Heart Studio” and had such well-known musicians in the group as Rocky Knauer & Manolo Diaz on bass, Michael Keul (who he first heard with Red Holloway) on drums, Heinz Frommeyer and Peter Tuscher on trumpet. In 1997 these recordings were released by Thorsten Scheffner`s label Organic Music whom he met at a recording session with the Italian organist Alberto Marsico. “Thilo Kreitmeier & Group, MO`BETTER BLUES" ( 1997, Orgm 9706 ) Al Porcino wrote in the notes for the CD: “…I would like to say how refreshing it is to hear this group playing genuine jazz, that means with melody, harmony and rhythm! I also find it astonishing and inspiring that at his age Thilo is able to incorporate these elements into his performances.”
1999 Thilo recorded another album for Organic Music entitled: “Thilo Kreitmeier and Group - SOUL CALL” ( 1999, Orgm 9711 ). The idea behind these recordings was to bring more blues elements and straight beats into jazz music. Thilo incorporates Soul, Blues and Latin elements into his arrangements and compositions, trying to change the rhythm more into a R&B mode. He integrates percussion, electric bass, organ and Fender Rhodes into the group, thus achieving a grooving beat – a deeper, colourful sound. Here you can also hear Thilo playing flute on Ben Tuckes`s " Comin Home Baby ".
Influenced by the collaboration with Al Jones, Lousiana Red, George Grenne Thilo listens and attends more and more the original Blues of Lightnin Hopkins, discovers the guitar of Freddie King, Albert King, B.B. King, Earl King and the music of Stax greats like Booker T. After a period of serios illness and strongly influenced by the blues, Thilo decided to do some new recordings again, trying to change the music again more effectively into Soul and Blues.
2000 he published a new album called : “CHANGES, saxophonic Soul & Blues” (2001, Orgm 9725 ).
These recordings came out like real soul! Thilos own compositions like " Flying High " sound like real Soulballads almost like the old Joe Tex song “I Never Do You Wrong” of which he did a nice instrumental cover version. Thilo features Alberto Marsico on Hammond B3, has John Brunton on the guitar and Rich Laughlin, Butch Kellem in the horn section. On “Blues for Charlie” Thilo uses a Variton on tenor. The album closes with “The Wedding” by Abdullah Ibrahim. Here you can hear Thilo on alto in duet with Albert on the organ.
This album is continued in the CD that Thilo did later with guitarist Christoph Böhm: Bebof Delux & Thilo Kreitmeier " THE ABRAXAS SESSIONS " ( privat, 2005 )
In 2000, Thilo was awarded the “SCENE 2000 AWARD” by the BR and the local newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung for his work.
In Times of political, economical and culture Changes Thilo decides to concentrate on old traditions. 2005 he recordes the album " STANDARDS & FAVORITES" ( 2005, Orgm 9744 )
On this album he only has two originals. Main Thilo uses popular songmaterial of composers of the latin- and west- american culture and history. The country song " Born to lose " as well as " O Sole Mio " or evergreens like " Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime " he playes wth a beautyful and tasty tenorsound, creating interesting colours and a new flavor.
In 2006 the local radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk recorded the Thilo Kreitmeier & Band at one of his concerts in Munich. 2007 these recordings are published by Organic Music: "Thilo Kreitmeier & Band - LIVE " ( 2007, Orgm 9747 ). Here you can here Thilo playing tenor- altosax, clarinet, flute directly recorded without cuts or any other electronical and technical help.
2009 Together with organist Matthias Bublath and Drummer Peter Kraus- who Thilo knows from the Al Jones Blues Band- and gitarrist Titus Vollmer Thilo did recordings at Organic Music 2006. This project sounds like the classic Organ- Trios of the 60ties - but the guys mainly play their own compositions- Thilo is on Tenor and flute- the band is groovin on shuffle-, beat- latin-and soul numbers in a traditonel but modern way... that`s Fourganic! " FOURGANIC " ( 2009, Downhill Records )
Titus Vollmer: guitar, Peter "Oscar" Kraus: drums, Matthias Bublath: hammond B3 Organ, Thilo Kreitmeier: tenorsax & flute
The album "ORIGINALS - Made On Wood " came out in 2012, containing an exclusive selection of only original compositions from Thilo`s pen.
Since 2012 Thilo Kreitmeier has been giving concerts at the famous munich residence. Especially the brasilian Summer Night Concerts, on which Thilo plays Samba and Bossa Nova classics from the 60`ties, enjoy great popularity: „ Samba & Bossa Nova - Homage to Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto“.
Excerpts of live- recordings made on these concerts Thilo releases on CD published 2017 by the music label Organic Music 2017:„ MAS QUE NADA - Thilo Kreitmeier plays Samba & Bossa Nova“ ( ORGM 9771 )
The CD layout is reminiscent of the famous Coleman Hawkins album Desafinado - trying to be a tribute again,
MAS QUE NADA or „Whatever“ : With their music, Thilo and his band are trying to transport a relaxed attitude of life in a dreamful romantic way ...
