Reiner Witzel

Biography

Reiner Witzel , born 1967, studied Saxophon at the "Musikhochschule Köln" and the "Manhattan School of Music" in New York with Bob Mintzer , David Liebman , John Purcell , Bill Evans , Dick Oatts and others .

He received a schlarship from the Ministry of Culture NRW  and numerous awards including the promotional award of the city of Duesseldorf .
With his own groups the "Reiner Witzel Group" , "Witzel`s Venue" and "Drei im roten Kreis" he released CD´s featuring guests such as David Sanborn , Lew Soloff and Vernon Reid .
As a sideman he also played on CD´s from Sasha , Fury in the Slaughterhouse , Defunkt and others .

He played concerts with Marla Glen , The Gil Evans Orchestra , Fela Kuti , Vinx , Udo Lindenberg ,  HR-Bigband , Helmut Zerlett Band ( Harald Schmidt Show ) , Tom Gaebel , Cologne Saxophone Quintet , Turlitawa , Alex Sipiagin , Patrice , Bantu and others .
He toured all over the world , including North-and South-America , Africa and Asia .
As a composer for television and theater he worked for the TV-Channels WDR , Eins-Festival , the "Theatre Impossible and the "Musiktheater Köln"
He teaches  as an assistent professor at the Duesseldorf Collage of Music and the Frankfurt College of Music .
Aside his musical activities he also works as a photographer for musicians and artists