Bernd Kistenmacher is a german producer and musician specialised in spherical “kosmische” synthscapes. He started his career in the 80’s with a handful of sonic, epic synthezised electronic efforts taking inspiration from Klaus Schulze and the Berlin electronic school.
His musical releases deliver complex, achieved floating dreamy-like melodies floating throw deep cerebral spaces. Published in 1987, “Wake up in the sun” can be considered among his classic albums.
He also collaborated with the drummer and synthesist Harald Grosskopf (Wallenstein, Klaus Schulze, The Cosmic Jockers…) for the long piece “Stadtgarten Live” (1995) (progarchives.com)
arald Grosskopf (born Harald Großkopf) is a German electronic musician. He played with several Krautrock and progressive rock bands of the 1970s in Germany, and released solo music.
Harald Grosskopf playing with Wallenstein (1972):
Grosskopf was born in Hildesheim on October 23, 1949. He started his career in the 1960s as a drummer in the beat group The Stuntmen, and toward the end of the decade played in a then-unknown Scorpions. He later played drums in Wallenstein and Ashra, as well as for many of Klaus Schulze’s solo albums. In 1980, he issued his debut LP, Synthesist, which became a cult classic of German electronic music. New York’s RVNG international label reissued the album, with remakes by James Ferraro, Oneohtrix and others in February 2011.In 1980 Grosskopf co-founded the Neue Deutsche Welle band Lilli Berlin, and he remained their drummer until 1983 (wikipedia)
The duo of Bernd Kistenmacher and Harold Grosskopf teamed up in the early 1990s and produced “Characters”, a studio album, and “Stadtgarten Live”, a concert recording.
“Stadtgarten Live” clearly show how two musicians with different styles and instrumentation can collaborate to create something in a slightly new direction for both of them. Kistenmacher, well known throughout Europe for his hypnotic sequences and textures has found a great team mate in Grosskopf, an experienced drummer and percussionist with strong roots in electronic and progressive music.
Characters moves all over the map from mid tempo songs layering sequences and melody with dynamic rhythmic elements to more ambient affairs. Regardless, you will stay interested because each composition shows the benefit of two minds bringing some of their best ideas to bear.
It can be argued that many collaboration projects either create something new and remarkable or something pretty much forgettable with little middle ground in between. Characters is an album in the former category in that you really hear the intertwining of two fine minds.
Kistenmacher has never lacked the ability to create entrancing moods throughout his career; Grosskopf’s presence just brings out new flavors that make the music more easily accessible without losing integrity. (cue-records.com)
Personnel:
Harald Grosskopf (drums, percussion)
Bernd Kistenmacher (keyboards, synthesizer)
Tracklist:
01. Nightsounds Part I 45.43
02. Different Feelings 18.26
03. Nightsounds Part II (Excerpt) 15.12
Music: Bernd Kistenmacher
The offical Bernd Kistenmacher website:
The official Harald Grosskopf website:
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