February 2023
Concert Celebrates Bill Elgart’s 80th Birthday
Common Ground at Stadthaus Ulm 19 February @ 19:00
To celebrate the 80th birthday of Bill Elgart, the renowned American-born drummer, music professor, and a resident of Ulm since 1986, a birthday concert featuring Common Ground will be held 19 February 2023 at Stadthaus Ulm, starting at 19:00. The quartet includes tenor sax player Sebastian Gille, pianist Achim Kaufmann, bassist Matthias Nowak, and drummer Bill Elgart. Ticket reservations and further information for this Jazz in Ulm program can be found at info@verein-fuer-moderne-musik.de or by calling 0731 610 750.
A FEW RECENT Concert PICs, Handbills & Videos
December 2017
The Art of Improvisation
The Art of Improvisation festival with bassist Barre Phillips, drummer Bill Elgart, pianist Dieter Glawischnig, violinst Aleksander Kilkowski, percussionist Matthias Kaul, trumpeter Stephan Meinberg, clarinet and sax player Vlatko Kučan, and Impromptu.Works.Ensemble on 9 December at Resonanzraum St. Pauli on Feldstraße 66 in Hamburg, Germany
Tickets are available at www.vlatkokucan.de/impromptu. More information, including the details of the four-part concert program and background on each player, is available (in German) HERE.
November 2017
Common Ground
The Common Ground, a quartet composed of drummer Bill Elgart, tenor saxophonist Sebastian Gille, pianist Achim Kaufmann, and bassist Matthias Akeo Nowak, performing 3 November at Theater Rüsselsheim in Germany
Kaufmann – Landfermann – Elgart
The Kaufmann – Landfermann – Elgart trio, with pianist Achim Kaufmann, bassist Robert Landfermann, and drummer Bill Elgart, performing 4 November at JazzGutunterwegs in Brelingen, Germany
September 2017
Dizzy Krisch Quartett
The Dizzy Krisch Quartett, with vibraphonist Dizzy Krisch, bassist Karoline Höfler, drummer Bill Elgart, and vocalist Lauren Newton, performing on Friday 29 September at 20:30 at Jazz Club Session 88 in Schorndorf, Germany
A live version of “Green,” composed by Dizzy Krisch, was shot by Koho Mori on 28 December 2016:
Eberhard Göler – Stefan Göler – Bill Elgart
The 17th annual Kulturnacht in Ulm and Neu-Ulm offers Stummfilm und Livemusik on Sunday 16 September from 21:00 to midnight at Haus der Museumsgesellschaft in Ulm, Germany. The screening of classic American comedies and live music is part of the summer cultural festival held each year in Ulm.
The silent film comedies feature Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle and others accompanied by Eberhard Göler on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and banjo, Stefan Göler on viola and bass, and Bill Elgart on drums.
July 2017
Peter Fulda Quartett featuring Nils Wogram
The Peter Fulda Quartett featuring Nils Wogram, with Peter Fulda on piano, Henning Sieverts on bass, Bill Elgart on drums, and Nils Wogram on trombone, performing Peter Fulda’s “Still Life” 26 July at Bayrischer Rundfunk-Studio Franken in Nürnberg, Germany.
March 2017
Krisch – Höfler – Elgart
Krisch – Höfler – Elgart, with vibraphonist Dizzy Krisch, bassist Karoline Höfler, and drummer Bill Elgart, performing on 8 March at 20:30 at the Bix in Stuttgart, Germany
February 2017
Metal, Wood and Wire – Extended
Metal, Wood, and Wire – Extended, with Ardhi Engl on guitar, hand-crafted experimental instruments, loops, and more, Geoff Goodman on electric guitar, banjo, and loops, Sebi Tramontana on trombone, and Bill Elgart on drums and percussion, performing 18 February at Schewere Reiter Halle on Dachauer Str. 144 in München, Germany
Excerpts from the live performance are on YouTube:
January 2017
Krisch – Höfler – Elgart
Krisch – Höfler – Elgart, with vibraphonist Dizzy Krisch, bassist Karoline Höfler, and drummer Bill Elgart, performing “Hard Stuff” on 14 January at Jazzfestival Ini-Art in Saarbrüken, Germany
October 2016-January 2017
Krisch – Höfler – Elgart featuring Lauren Newton
Krisch – Höfler – Elgart featuring Lauren Newton, with vibraphonist Dizzy Krisch, bassist Karoline Höfler, drummer Bill Elgart, and guest vocalist Lauren Newton, performing “Lonely Woman” on 28 December 2016 at the Dieselstrasse in Esslingen am Neckar; on 5 January 2017 at Jazzclub Armer Konrad in Weinstadt; on 19 November at Jazzclub Heidelberg; 18 November at SWR Gebäude Cafeteria, Mathia-Kochweg 7 in Tübingen; and 29 October at Jazztage der iG Jazz Stuttgart at the Laboratorium in Stuttgart, among other dates around Germany.
December 2016
Dorn – Elgart – Lucaciu
Dorn – Elgart – Lucaciu featuring Jonas Dorn on guitar and synthesizer, Bill Elgart on drums, and Robert Lucaciu on bass on 27 December 2016 at Jazzkeller Sauschdall in Ulm, Germany
December 2016
Christian Hassenstein Trio
The Christian Hassenstein Trio featuring guitarist Christian Hassenstein, bassist Sven Schuster, and drummer Bill Elgart 9 December 2016 at the Jazzschmiede in Düsseldorf, Germany
August 2016
Gianni Lenoci – Giovanni Maier – Bill Elgart
“Celebrating Paul Bley” concert featuring Gianni Lenoci, Giovanni Maier, and Bill Elgart at Chiostro di Palazzo San Martino in Monopoli, Italy 9 August 2016
The playlist:
- Turnaround (O. Coleman)
- Vashkar (P. Bley)
- Lover Man (R. Ramirez, J. Sherman & J. Davis)
- Moor (G. Peacock)
- Monk’s Dream (T. Monk)
- Ida Lupino (C. Bley)
- Law Years (O. Coleman)
- Mr. Joy (A. Peacock)
Encore:
- You Don’t Know What Love Is (D. Raye & G. De Paul)
A video of the full performance has been uploaded to YouTube, courtesy of Alessandro Lenoci:
June 2016
Peter Fulda Trio featuring Nils Wogram
The Peter Fulda Trio, with Felix Wiegand on bass, Bill Elgart on drums, Fulda on piano, and guest Nils Wogram on trombone, performing on 9 June 2016 at Festival My Very Sound in Nürnberg, Germany.
Michael Fingerhut’s live recording of Peter Fulda’s “The Disgrace,” the third part of Still Life, with video by Volker Heuken, is on YouTube:
January 2016
Hubert Winter – Rudi Engel – Bill Elgart – Werner Küspert
At the beginning of the year, reedman Hubert Winter, drummer Bill Elgart, bassist Rudi Engel, and guitarist Werner Küspert performed live at a screening of F. W. Murnau’s classic horror film Nosferatu.
The German Expressionist masterpiece was shown at a cinema in the country it debuted in 1922.
An excerpt from Hubert Winter, Bill Elgart, Rudi Engel, and Werner Küspert’s performance is on YouTube:
November 2013
Krisch – Höfler – Elgart
Krisch – Höfler – Elgart live at the Laboratorium in Stuttgart, Germany on 2 November 2013 featuring Dizzy Krisch on vibraphone, Karoline Höfler on bass, and Bill Elgart on drums.
Part 1
Part 2
May 2013
Baars – Kneer – Elgart
Baars – Kneer – Elgart live at Kaleidophon in Ulrichsberg, Austria on 5 May 2013.
Featuring Ab Baars on tenor saxophone, clarinet, and shakuhachi, Meinrad Kneer on bass, and Bill Elgart on drums:
July 2012
Baars – Kneer – Elgart
Baars – Kneer – Elgart live at Konfrontationen 2012 in Nickelsdorf, Austria on 22 July 2012 featuring Ab Baars on tenor saxophone, Meinrad Kneer on bass, and Bill Elgart on drums:
June 2012
Bill Elgart and Friedrich Glorian
Bill Elgart and Friedrich Glorian performing Vernetzt, music for the strado compagnia dance performance, at Lange Nacht der Museen and Edwin Scharff Museum in Germany in June 2012 featuring Bill Elgart on percussion and Friedrich Glorian on guzheng, ITstrument, and live electronics:
2008
Nufa – Bill Elgart – Udo Eberl
Nufa, Bill Elgart, and Udo Eberl performing Wufftata at Sauschdall in Ulm, Germany in 2008:
February 2006
Geoff Goodman Quintet
Geoff Goodman Quintet performing Frisch überfallen and Anesthesia, Stage One live at Café Ideal in Fulda, Germany on 8 February 2006 featuring Bill Elgart on drums, Goodman on guitar, Rudi Mahal on bass clarinet, Henning Sieverts on bass, and Felix Wahnschaffe on alto saxophone:
Frisch überfallen
Anesthesia, Stage One
March 1992
Kenny Wheeler Quartet
Kenny Wheeler Quartet performing at Kempraten, Switzerland on 30 March 1992 featuring Wayne Darling on bass, Bill Elgart on drums, Peter O’Mara on guitar, and Kenny Wheeler on flugelhorn:
Bill's Blue Note 