Erik Leuthäuser is an award-winning young German singer using his native language and electronics to create his own concept of music somewhere between modern jazz and experimental pop. Based on his experiences as a young gay man in a big city such as Berlin the only way to be is honest and dedicated: In life and in music.

In May 2018 he released his second studio record Wünschen on the prestigious record label MPS (Edel). Produced by American bass player Greg Cohen featuring Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar) and Joey Baron (drums). Followed by two live records in duo with pianist Wolfgang Köhler and the repertoire of Irene Kral & Alan Broadbent as well as the songbook of american composer Kent Carlson (Mons Records).

Erik lives in Berlin where he studied vocal jazz e.g. with Judy Niemack. The singer released his debut album In the Land of Oo-Bla-Dee on Mons Records in November 2015. It includes bebop with German vocalese lyrics and was nominated for a critics prize of the German record industry called Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik. Erik won several prizes at international vocal jazz competitions: First prizes at Riga Jazz Stage 2016, Big Sky 2016 in Moskau and the Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Jazz Competition 2018 in Washington DC. 2nd prizes at the world renowned and prestigious Shure Montreux Jazz Voice Competition 2016 (as well as audience prize) and at the Voicingers 2017 Contest for Singing Musicians in Poland. Furthermore Erik was one of the Top 5 vocalists at the international Made in NY Jazz Competition. He sang background for Quincy Jones, George Benson, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Jacob Collier. The young musician was also a member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Germany (BuJazzO) between 2014-2016. He has been part of an a capella group called Wortart Ensemble (Unit Records), which set modern German poetry to music. And he has been the singer of the Philipp Rumsch Ensemble (Denovali Records), which mixes minimal music, electronic music, pop and classical music and combines it with improvisation. Since 2017 Erik improvises with New York based Latvian singer Arta Jēkabsone (Unit Records).

Click to enlarge:

More information:

https://erik-leuthaeuser.de/