Biography         (click here to get a PDF file to download)

Alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, flute, composition
Born in Hamburg, 1963.

Started playing the saxophone at 16 and, following a period at the Hamburg Conservatory (Hamburger Musikhochschule), moved in 1985 to study at the Cologne Conservatory of Music with Heiner Wiberny, graduating in 1990.

Further studies with Charlie Mariano, Sal Nistico and Steve Lacy.

Frank Gratkowski has been working as a soloist in various international formations (Grubenklang Orchester, Klaus Koenig Orchester, Musikfabrik NRW, Tony Oxley Celebration Orchestra, Bentje Braam, BikBentBraam, All Ears, Zeitkratzer, WDR Big band, etc.). Since 1990 he has been giving solo performances throughout Europe, Canada and USA. With his first solo program, he was a 1991 prizewinner in the Musik Kreativ contest. The release of the solo CD "Artikulationen" followed the same year and a new one "Arikulationen II" in 2002.

Since 1992 he has been working in a duo with the pianist Georg Graewe (CD "VicissEtudes"). The duo is often extended through the participation of different additional musicians, such as drummer Paul Lovens (CD "Quicksand") and bassist John Lindberg (CD "Arrears").

In 1995 he founded the "Frank Gratkowski Trio" with Dieter Manderscheid (Germany), bass, and Gerry Hemingway (USA), drums, (CDs "Gestalten" and "The Flume Factor" ). In 2000 the trio has been extended to a quartet by Dutch trombonist Wolter Wierbos (CDs "Kollaps", "Spectral Reflections" and "Facio"). Since 2003 also appearing as a Double Quartet plus Tobi Delius, Herb Robertson, Wilbert DeJoode and Michael Vatcher. In 2005 he got the SWR Jazzprize.

In 1999 the duo with the Italian trombonist Sebastiano Tramontana has been formed and since 2001 Frank Gratkowski has been performing with a trio including Wilbert De Jode (NL) on bass and Achim Kaufmann (D) on piano (CDs "Kwast" and "Unearth").

Frank Gratkowski played on nearly every German and on numerous international Jazz Festivals including Vancouver, Toronto, Chicago, New York, Seattle, Quebec, Les Mans, Muelhuus, Groeningen, Nickelsdorf, Barcelona, Lithuania, Warsaw, Zagreb, Prague, Bratislava, Sofia, Bucharest, Odessa and Roma.

He has been teaching saxophone and ensembles at the Cologne, Berlin and Arnhem Conservatory of Music and is giving workshops all around the world as well.

Furthermore he has performed with Robert Dick, Phil Wachsmann, Radu Malfatti, Herb Robertson, Marcio Mattos, Eugenio Colombo, Peter Kowald, Ray Anderson, Michael Moore, Ken Vandermark, Greg Osby, Kenny Wheeler, Louis Sclavis, John Betsch, Jane Ira Bloom, Connie and Hannes Bauer, Xu Fengxia, James Newton, Muhal Richard Abrams, John Lindberg, Michael Formaneck, Ernst Reijseger, Fred van Hove, Theo Jörgensmann, Phil Minton, Peter Brötzmann, Mark Dresser, Mark Feldman, Hamid Drake, Michiel Braam, Han Bennink, Mal Waldron, Misha Mengelberg a.m.o.

CDs (selection)

-Stadtgarten Series Vol.1, 3, 5, 7

Jazzhausmusik

-Klaus König "Times of Devastation"

Enja Records

-Franck Band "Liebeslieder", "Looser", "Dufte"

Jazzhausmusik

-Joachim Ullrich "Faces of Duke"

Jazzhausmusik

-Klaus König "Hommage a Douglas Adams"

Enja Records

-Frank Gratkowski "Artikulationen"

2nd Floor Edition

-Klaus König "The Song of Songs", "Time Fragments"

Enja Records

-Gratkowski - Graewe "VicissEtudes"

random acoustics

-Pata Orchester "the secret act of painting"

pata musik

-Georg Graewes GrubenklangOrchester "Flavours, Fragments"

ITM Rec

-Earl Howard "Pele's Tears"

random acoustics

-Ekkehard Jost Nonett "Out of Jost's Songbook"

Fish Music

-DRAFT "Travelling Birds"

Jazzhausmusik

-Michael Moore "tunes for horn guys"

RAMBOY Rec.

-Tony Oxley "The Enchanted Messenger"

Soul Note

-Frank Gratkowski Trio "Gestalten"

Jazzhausmusik

-Georg Graewe Quartet "Melodie und Rhythmus"

Okkadisk

-Frank Gratkowski Trio "The Flume Factor"

random acoustics

-Bentje Braam "playing the second cool book"

BV HAAST

-Loft Exil 3 "Live at Moers Festival 98"

2nd Floor Edition

-Gratkowski / Graewe / Lovens "Quicksand"

Miniscus Rec.

-Simon Nabatov Quartet "Nature Morte"

Leo Records

-Frank Gratkowski Quartet "Kollaps"

Red Toucan Rec.

-Gratkowski, Graewe, Lindberg "Arrears"

Red Toucan Rec.

-Gratkowski, Van Hove, Oxley "GratHovOx"

Nuscope Rec.

-Frank Gratkowski "Artikulationen II"

2nd Floor Edition

-Frank Gratkowski Quartet "Spectral Reflections"

Leo Records

-Gratkowski / Bryerton / Smith "The Voice Imitator (Live in San Francisco)"

balance point acoustics

-Kaufmann/ Gratkowksi/ DeJoode "Kwast"

Konnex Rec.

-Frank Gratkowski Quartet "Facio"

Leo Records

-Frank Gratkowski Poject "Loft Exile V"

Leo Records

-Kaufmann/ Gratkowksi/ DeJoode "Unearth"

Nuscope Records

-Gerry Hemingway Quintet "Double Blues Crossing"

Between the Lines