Gerald Gradwohl – long bio

Birthday: 15.04.1967, married to Heidi

Children: Saskia, Benjamin, Simon

  • J.M.Hauer music school-classical guitar

  • Jazzguitar study in Vienna – diploma in 1989 w. first class honours

  • Teacher for jazzguitar at the Joseph Haydn Conservatory/Eisenstadt (A) since 1991

  • Teacher for electric guitar at the music school Eisenstadt (1993-98)

  • Head of Jazz department J.H. Conservatory Eisenstadt since 2006.

Bio

With no doubt Gerald Gradwohl is one of the hippest musicians in the Austrian studio and live scene. Growing up with Rock and Hardrock Music, he changed his style when he began to study guitar at the Conservatory Vienna, where he obtained first-class honours.

Not only Austrian Stars from Rock to Jazz (Juci, Iris Camaa, Sandra Pires, Andi Borg, Viktor Gernot, Hallucination Company, Alex Göbel etc..) hire him for studio or live Gigs – but also international Greats like the famous several time grammy-nominated pioneers of instrumental music TANGERINE DREAM enjoy his guitar work extraordinaire. You can listen to his work with Tangerine Dream on the records“Tyranny of Beauty“and „Goblin’s Club“-both chartbreakers on the international instrumental charts.

Besides these sideman jobs he teaches Jazz and electric guitar at the Joseph Haydn Conservatory Eisenstadt/Austria, and records and produces with his own Fusion Trio. 1996 Gerald produced a live record with his band THREEO featuring the great BOB BERG(Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Mike Stern….) on tenor sax. This CD – a real dynamic and virtuoso record – was recorded during a European Tour 1996 and became best Jazz album 1998 in Austria.

With THREEO G.Gradwohl played Festivals and Clubs all over the world(Montreal, London, Wiesen, Leverkusen,….).

  • 2000 GG received an award from the Austrian Government concerning his works in instrumental music.

  • 2001 he founded a project named „the powergrade“ which featured his funky guitar playing and contained rock and technobeats as well-the Cd was released in June 2001 and got great international critics!

  • 2002 he played one of the most important Jazzfestivals in Europe(Jazzfest Wiesen) with this project and toured through Austria and Germany.

  • In November 2002 G.G. records in Santa Fe/USA with some of his favourite musicians : Bob Berg, Gary Willis and Kirk Covington – release in Fall 2003 on Universal Music! With this record he established himself in the international Jazz and Fusion scene . The critics were overwhelming and a tour through Austria, Jazzfestival Wiesen with Kirk Covington(Tribal Tech) on drums was following in in 2003 and 2004.

  • Mexico Tour in 2005 with the Peter Natterer Quartett.

  • Back on stage with TANGERINE DREAM in 2006! GG is featured on the 2006 Tangerine Dream Live DVD –Live at Tempodrom and „Orange Odyssey“(2007).

  • Gerald released „Tritone Barrier“ on ESC Records in Mai 2007! The record features his new dynamic and electrifying Trio(JoJo Lackner-bs, F. Al-Shami dr), but contains also great guest appearances by Scott Henderson, Kirk Covington, Hubert Tubbs and Frank Itt. The GG Trio did a lot of touring in 2007 and 2008, including a Germany Tour and two trips to Romania(one for the legendary Stufstock Festival 2008).

  • Sally Beth Roe – was produced live in the studio and released worldwide in Fall 2009. „If ZZ Top played fusion music, this is what it would sound like. This is jazz-rock boogie of the highest order. No wine drinking for fans of this trio. It’s all about the beer.“(aus www.jazz.com)

  • 2012 Gerald joined the „Dancing Stars Orchestra“ – great live band of the ORF TV show“ Dancing Stars“.

  • The GG Group was revitalized 2012, and the result of their European tour in June was the 2013 release of „Big Land“ with Kirk Covington – dr, Thomas Kugi – sax and Harald Weinkum – bs. GG created a high energetic fusion album – a typical organic conglomerate of Rock, Jazz and Funk that rises from brief composition patterns leading into long improvisational excursions that finally shape the tune.

  • 2014 the Gradwohl/Covington Group toured Europe feat. Kirk Covington – dr, Adam Nitti – bs and Thomas Kugi – sax.

  • 2015 GG started to work with his current line up Jojo Lackner, Harry Tanschek and Thomas Kugi – this leads into the release of the new album „Raw“ in Oct. ’16

  • RAW (2016) is a critically acclaimed masterpiece of Jazz and Rock music and is the first release with his current band.

  • The band is touring regularly and released the latest album „Episode 6“ in April 2021!
    which was claimed “Jazz Album of the month” in the renowned magazine “Gitarre & Bass”

  • The experimental band EKKO III (feat. Jojo Lackner and Walter Sitz) dedicated themselves to improvisation on their debut album "Wired Triad" which is released on Dec 15, 2022!

  • Gerald works on new stuff currently and will release a new solo album with Adam Nitti and Kirk Covington in 2023!

Original projects:

  • CATS & CAMELS „Face To Face“ (1991) – Bellaphon

  • THREEO „Threeo“ (1992) – Ixthuluh

  • THREEO „Racing Time“ (1995) – Bellaphon

  • THREEO Live! …featuring Bob Berg (1998) – Extraplatte

  • THE POWERGRADE „Working Men“ (2001) – g-tone

  • GERALD GRADWOHL „ABQ“ (2003) – Emarcy/Universal

  • GERALD GRADWOHL „Tritone Barrier“ (2007) – ESC

  • GERALD GRADWOHL „Trio Sally Beth Roe“ (2009) – g-tone

  • GERALD GRADWOHL GROUP „ABQ Live & Raw“ (2011 Live Bootleg) – g-tone

  • GERALD GRADWOHL „Big Land“ (2013) – g-tone

  • GERALD GRADWOHL „Raw“ (2016) – g-tone

  • GERALD GRADWOHL GROUP „Episode 6“ (2021) – gtone

  • EKKO III - “Wired Triad” (2022) - gtone