NIELS KLEIN

Niels Klein, born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1978, studied the saxophone (with Frank Gratkowski and Cladio Puntin) and composing/arrangement at the University of Music in Cologne, Germany. As a soloist and composer, Klein was awarded numerous prizes, including the »Jazz Baltica Promotion Prize« with the Firomanum Ensemble. Since 2006, together with Oliver Leicht and Matthias Schriefl, Klein has been organising the Jazz-Orama concert series at the Cologne Artheater. In 2008, as a composer and conductor, he was the leader of the European Jazz Orchestra during an extensive tour across Europe, giving concerts at e.g. the main hall of the WDR studios and at the Moers Festival 2008. He was an original member of the »The Heavytones«, the house band of the TV Total television programme. Niels Klein is the leader of various orchestras such as the Federal Youth Jazz Orchestra »BUJAZZO« and the NDR Big Band.