I was brought up classically trainedby pianist Erwin Schmieder ( 3. generation Liszt student , Eugen D`Albert , Alfred Höhn ) , Prof. Gisela Sott, Wolfgang Bloßer , Günther Krieger .
1976 with 13 years I won the state competition in Baden - Württemberg , Germany of the Deutsche Tonkünstler Verband, Radio performances & recordings followed.
Formative for my early Jazz - influenceswas the contact to the drummer Allen Blairman in Heidelberg.
My biggest influences on keyboard playing are my #1 role model and hero George Duke, whose runs , voicings , progressions , arrangements , synth playing ( pitch bending !! ) never cease to inspire me, as well as Joe Sample ( Crusaders ), Bill Shape ( Shakatak ) , Greg Phillinganes , Donald Fagan and many more..
1980 I was a foreign exchange student in Minneapolis, USA for one year and I had my first performance with an Orchestra with the performance or theWarsaw Concerto from Adinsell with the concert band of the Chaska High School in Minnesota, USA .
In 1980 I became member of the band Riff Raff in Heidelberg , Germany.
Guitar: Horst Abel, Bass: Hadi Wagner, Drums: Pit Kania.
We did collective songwriting , various studio recordings & life performances were done as all the other players were very experienced and versatile - I learned a lot about the functioning of a band and the interaction of the instruments in this band .
Around 1985 I formed the duet `Cosa Nostra` together with the singer Barbara Kosariczuc - we performed songs from Brecht/Weil , Jazz Standards & Chansons.
From 1980 to 1990 I was also a regular Bar Pianist in the prestigious Caffee Villa in Heidelberg
During my time at the Heidelberg University from 1987 to 1990I was accompanying and doing correpetition for the University Choir for the f minor mass of Anton Bruckner under choir director and composer Prof. Uwe Lohmann.
A huge influence for my musical upcoming was also to play regularly with american musicians who were part of the 40.000 troops, which were stationed in the Heidelberg /Mannheim area after WW II There were many occasions and clubs where we as locals could mix with these fabulous musicians.
We also frequently visited the many clubs of the US Army Facilities on the weekends as the music that was played there was so infectious , grooving , soulful and different than what was played on radio stations in Germany at the time.
I always had a paper and a pen , to check with the DJ what was the name of the group and the song he just played - and stormed the next Monday to the local record store to order all the songs on my list ..
1993I started my own project `Judge T & the Jury `to realize my own musical ideas .
I first approached Andreas Bayless( Guitar ) to be part of my project - and together we looked for a rhythm section that would be part of the band and eventually found : Frank Backes ( Bass ) and Chick Zigmondy( drums )
To find a suitable singer who would also be creative was not easy .
Through a friend of SherlynWhittiker`s sister, who at the time was serving in the US army in Heidelberg, I got to know Sherlyn . After I had talked to the friend of Sherlyns sister.
They arranged to fly her in from Los Angeles, straight into a recording date into the recording studio. Sherlyn was the 8th singer I tried and I was blown away.., Sherlyn was all I everlooked for. Sherlyn then relocated to Heidelberg for good and the first line up for my project was:
Guitar: Andreas Bayless, Bass : Frank Backes, Drums : Chick Zsigmondy and Vocals : Sherlyn Whittiker
Our first gig in December 1995 was a performance of 6 original songs as part of the Harald Schmidt Show ‚Zungenschlag‘ in the townhall of Heidelberg, which was broadcasted live right away .
In the recording studio I teamed up with the recording engineer , my partner in crime Kalle Knechtwho became an integral part of our journey.
In 1998 I became member of the SDR3 winner band US2U. SDR3 is a major radio station in the south of Germany.
In 2000 I became part of K.J.Dallaway & friendsand performed a steady gig weekly at the music club Billy Blues in Heidelberg from 2000 to 2003. The CD K.J.Dallaway & friends `Live at Billy Blues‘ followed .
In 2003I renamed my project to : t-mc
In 2003the release of my 1st CD : t-mc feat. Sherlyn Whittiker `NO RETURN` finally happened
On NO RETURN are various artists:
· All vocals: Sherlyn Whittiker
· Bass: Alvin Mills
· Drums: Ralf Gustke
· Guitar: Andreas Bayless , Dany Martinez
· Percussion: Dalma Lima
and others
2003 also the release of my 2nd CD : t-mc`NITE ANGEL` took place
On the CD `NITE ANGEL` are collaborations with
· Vocals : Lori Williams , Sydney Youngblood, Helen Taylor,Carl Murray & Sherlyn Whittiker
· Guitar: Jimi Wilkes , Andreas Bayless , Dany Martinez
· Bass: Alvin Mills
· Drums: Ralf Gustke
· Percussion: Dalma Lima
· Saxophone: Nathan Crosse, Ian Fullwood
and others
In 2008 I renamed the project to `MOON BASE `
In 2009 the founder of the Jazz Festival CairoAmro Salahhad discovered the project on My Space – an invitation to the 1st Jazz Festival in the city of Cairo followed .
2012the release of my 3d album `Moon Base ´ - HIGH followed
On HIGH the mastering was done first time by Erik Zobler in Los Angeles. On `HIGH` are features of
· Vocals: Melissa Bell, Lyric L , Helen Taylor , Karl Frierson, Helena Paul , Angie Brown, Menoosha Susungi , Sherlyn Whittiker
· Saxophone: Bill Evans, Keith Anderson,
· Bass: Larry Kimpel, Francis Hylton
and others ..
2014 the release of my 4th album: Thomas Motter`LOST & LOVED`happened, this time under my own name.
On `LOST & LOVED` are collaborations with:
· Vocals: LeNora Jaye, Helen Taylor, Eric Conley, Melissa Bell, Helena Paul, Karl Frierson, Michelle Bradshaw
· Drums: Ralf Gustke, Samuel Franklin,
· Bass: Nathan East, Larry Kimpel, Dominik Krämer
and others
Lost & Loved reached No.3 on the UK Soul charts in June 2014
2017 my 5th albumwas released: Thomas Motter ´SOMEWHERE OUT THERE‘
New on SOMEWHERE OUT THERE is a collab with Victor Bailey on bass amongst others ..
On ` SOMEWHERE OUT THERE ` are collaborations with:
· Vocals: LeNora Jaye, Helena Paul, Angie Brown, Menoosha Susungi, Karl Frierson
· Drums: Ralf Gustke , Rodney Holmes
· Bass: Victor Bailey , Nathan East , Larry Kimpel, Francis Hylton
· Saxophone: Bill Evans, Keith Anderson
2017 an invitation by the German Embassy Lusaka and Theo Bross - musical director of the Lusaka International Community School in Zambia - followed to present and perform my music in various occasions in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
I teamed up together with the singer LeNora Jaye to do this.
An invitation to the Harare International Festival of Arts HIFA in Zimbabwe followed. LeNora and me had two performances @ the HIFA Festival in May.
We also had performances at a concert from the European Union in the arcades , in Lusaka as well as performances in the German embassy in Lusaka and Alliance Francaise Lusaka and as well at the famous Victoria Falls Hotel.
LeNora and me also did 2 clinics in Lusaka in the Lusaka International Community School LICS and at St. Paul School in Lusaka .
2021 my 6th album : Thomas Motter - TIMEwas released .
TIME saw new collabs with Princess Freesia and Ty Causey on voc., and others
On TIME there are collaborations with
· Vocals: LeNora Jaye , Karl Frierson , Ty Causey , Vanessa Holmes , Michelle Bradshaw, Fatma Tazegül,Patrice Ayivi, Daniel Denmark, Jimi Carow , Princess Freesia, a.o.
· Bass: Larry Kimpel, Francis Hylton
· Guitar: Billy Allen , Louis Pinto
· Drums: Ralf Gustke , David Haynes , Larry Dunne
· Percussion: Nene Vasquez
and others
Final remarks:
To share and create music, planting seeds and make them grow is the most beautiful thing I know and for me its not a project I do - it is my life.
I‘am blessed and utmost grateful for the love and dedications of so many incredible outstanding artists and musicians to share and create music , its all these artists who in a given musical vision play and sing their heart out, make the magic happen.
A lot of times my visions for a given song idea is surpassed by the input and creativity of the participating artists and singers.
As I always look for a best possible line up for a given song idea - this ever growing network of musicians and singers who sing and play their heart out is constantly growing - as new ideas pop up .
Im also blessed with a great support team in the studio , most of all Kalle Knecht and Erik Zobler for recording / mixing / mastering.
This journey continues - as im in the middle to finish the next two projects - a Gospel / Instrumental project and also a Funk / Hip Hop Project
So stay tuned to follow the new creations ..One love
Thomas Motter