Jürgen Friedrich

Jürgen Friedrich is a unique pianist and composer. His activities include solopiano, the acoustic trio Friedrich-Hebert-Moreno, the elektro ensemble "bits & pieces", works for large ensembles and various projects as a sideman. Jürgen Friedrich was born in 1970 in the town of Braunschweig, Germany. He has studied piano and composition with John Taylor (2), Joachim Ullrich and Bill Dobbins at the University of Music and Dance Cologne. In 1997 he was the first European to win the USA's prestigious Gil Evans Award for Jazz Composition offered by the IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators); he was heard by the legendary producer Creed Taylor and signed a contract with CTI Records, releasing his debut album, "Summerflood,", which featured Kenny Wheeler as special guest of Friedrich's quartet (completed by bassist Volker Heinze, drummer Darren Beckett and sax player Claudius Valk.) During the past two decades, he has also played with Michael Brecker, Sunday Night Orchestra, Ithamara Koorax, Gabriel Perez and the Trio Friedrich Hebert Moreno. More awards followed, including twice wining the Julius Hemphill Composition Award given by the Jazz Composer's Alliance, an organization that was grounded in the USA in 1985. Friedrich is also in charge of master studies in composition and arrangement at the Mannheim University of Music and the Performing Arts. Since 2006 he has taught in Mannheim as a professor. He is currently signed to the Pirouet label.