Jan Luley - finest Jazz and Blues
Pianist and vocalist Jan Luley is one of the most authentic European artists in New Orleans piano styles, classic jazz, Boogie Woogie and Gospel.
Jan Luley is long recognized as a connoisseur of the historical development of early jazz, culture and lifestyle, Creole cuisine and other topics related to the birthplace of jazz. He has visited New Orleans on innumerable occasions since 1996, learned from and played with the musicians there, and is closely linked to the music scene. In 2011 he received an award from the Mayor of New Orleans at that time, Mitchell Landrieu, in recognition of services to the city's musical tradition and its musicians.
The MUSIC
New Orleans has always been a melting pot for a wide variety of nations. Here, different cultures are brought together in a very unique and special way. A mixture that finds it’s roots in the
blues, that has been embraced by Creole music and that has played a role in shaping the genres swing and rock ’n’ roll.
Singer and pianist Jan Luley has fully committed himself to this musical heritage. His love of Creole music and the piano styles of New Orleans is infectious; his music is like a gift, steeped in
irrepressible energy, a subtle but witty playfulness and deep emotions, which he expresses through the keyboard in beautiful sounds.
Jan Luley plays the music from the early days of jazz with virtuosity, expansiveness and a deep feeling for the blues. His own compositions merge with songs from the birthplace of jazz into a
single lush, lively repertoire. He plays timeless music on the highest pianistic level that is at the same time an obeisance to the musical tradition of New Orleans in a refreshingly up-to-date
transposition.
Biographical Notes
Jan Luley studied Jazz in the Netherlands and has given over 2000 concerts in various international formations in countries across Europe, Africa and in the United States of America. In 2018 he
celebrated his 35th stage anniversary. His music can be heard on more than 20 CD recordings, most of them released on his own label Luleymusic records.
Since many years he organizes annual trips for tourists to the “Crescent City“ – a term used due to the city’s curved shape along the Mississippi river - to pass on his love for this city and its
music.
Besides his musical carrer Jan Luley works as promoter, artistic director and consultant for festivals and concert series, alongside his occupation over many years, both at home and abroad, as
instructor at blues and jazz workshops. After his study of jazz piano he proceeded with postgraduate studies of culture management in Hamburg. Later he accomplished a distance-learning course in
graphic design. Jan Luley also works as photographer and runs the marketing and design agency LULEY‘S togehter with his wife.
Press Quotes
"Jan Luley is an allrounder in jazz. His fingers never stop producing new ideas, the riskiest of rhythms from the old jazz of New Orleans are superimposed onto one another, the blue notes are always in just the right place, every cadence is harmonized differently, and the melodies are developed from motifs so sensuously that you never lose the thread of the songs and yet are continually surprised by the new licks and sophisticated phrases." (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 2018)
"His involvement with the jazz of a hundred years ago did not turn into a museum visit, it was an exciting confrontation with historical examples. The decisive factor for the result is always the instrumental quality of the musician. Luley is a master of diversity on the piano, from powerful block chords through delicate runs to crazy tempos."
(Badische Neueste Nachrichten, 2015)
"Now we have players who have gone beyond mere boogie to dig into New Orleans R&B styles, and Jan Luley is one of the best."
(Offbeat Magazine, New Orleans 2013)
"With crashing chords and surging bass notes, the man in the cowboy hat unleashes a veritable storm and celebrates the ecstatic in the music with his tempestuously swirling harmonies. The music
of Jelly Roll Morton or James Booker is alluded to, and you recognize Caribbean or Creole influences, not to mention a leaning towards the melancholy of the tango. Luley's baritone voice is
powerful and pleasantly robust—a completely harmonious overall package. "
(Reutlinger General-Anzeiger, 2012)
„...the thundering riffs Jan Luley pounds out of the grand piano, the solos: inherently consistent and superbly constructed like architecture, all the exuberant joy of playing.“ (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, March 2010)
“He skilfully introduces his vocal as a quasi third hand to his piano playing. His talent extends to that of master of MC. He presents the tunes with anecdotes and amusing comments, whereby the
audience is given an entertaining lesson on the old styles of jazz and its composers.“
(Jazzpodium, September 2010)
“...he demonstrated with his inexhaustible stock of rhythmic variations and nimble-fingered passages that he is one of the most virtuoso boogie pianists in a country that is truly blessed with
great boogie players. Anyone who followed his entire solo performance will have been offered a lesson in live jazz history as a bonus.“
(Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, June 2010)
“...the thundering riffs Jan Luley pounds out of the grand piano, the solos: inherently consistent and superbly constructed like architecture, all the exuberant joy of playing.“
(Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, March 2010)
“Perfection in piano playing: wild, exciting and virtuoso. And even more: vocals and presentation that are as charmingly communicative as they are illuminating.“
(Hinterländer Anzeiger, October 2009)
“The way the charming, good-humoured pianist Jan Luley grooves and riffs is exhilerating. He repeatedly juggles his way into the melody with the greatest of ease, concentrated and yet carefree, changes from one random direction to another with an amused smile, smoothly reviving the spirit of New Orleans.“
(Heidenheimer Neue Presse, June 2008)
„The rolling bass notes from the left hand, the playful melodic figures from the right, the Creole rhythm and rousing tempo all resulted in storms of applause.“
(Jazzpodium, January 2004)
“The solos of the young pianist Jan Luley were among the highlights. He continually inspired ovations with his very personal, warm sound, his astounding attack, his clusters of notes and the way
he individualized them.“
(Die Rheinpfalz, July 2003)
“Jan Luley’s solo piano feature was a highlight.... He surreptitiously accommodated modern harmonies and availed himself of the tonal colours of more recent jazz styles. One was overwhelmed by
the composure with which he played, his unerring timing and the lack of any technical limitations when putting his musical ideas into practice.“
(NGZ, November 2003)
Artistic collaborations with
Angela Brown (USA/D) • Axel Zwingenberger (D) • Big Al Carson (USA) • Big Jay McNeely (USA) • Bill Ramsey (USA/D) • Bob Seeley (USA) • Brenda Boykin (USA/D) • Carrie Smith (USA) • Charlie
Fardella (USA) • Chris Hopkins (D) • Chuck Wilson (USA) • Cleo (D) • Clifford Solomon (USA) • Craig Klein (USA) • Dan Barrett (USA) • Dan Levinson (USA) • Davell Crawford (USA) • David Frenkel
(BY) • Eddie Erickson (USA) • Eden Brent (USA) • Evan Christopher (USA) • Franz Jackson (USA) • Gene “Mighty Flea” Conners (USA) • Harriet Lewis (USA) • Heinz Sauer (D) • Herb Hardesty (USA) •
Ilja Richter (D) • Joan Faulkner (USA/D) • Joe Fonda (USA) • Joe Krown (USA) • Joe Wulf (D) • John Allred (USA) • John Boutté (USA) • John Defferary (UK) • Judy Carmichael (USA) • Lady
Linda Lacen (USA) • Leroy Jones (USA) • Lillian Boutté (USA) • Little Willie Littlefield (USA/NL) • Louisiana Red (USA/D) • Louis Ford (USA) • Love Newkirk (USA/D) • Lucien Barbarin (USA) • Matt
Perrine (USA) • Mike Whellans (UK) • Miles Griffith (USA) • Ole “Fessor” Lindgren (DK) • Olivier Franc (F) • Randy Reinhardt (USA) • Randy Sandke (USA) • Red Holloway (USA) • Reimer von Essen (D)
• Rick Trolsen (USA) • Ricky Nye (USA) • Rod Mason (UK/D) • Roderick Paulin (USA) • Tanya Boutté (USA) • Thomas l’Etienne (D/USA) • Torsten Zwingenberger (D) • Trevor Richards (UK/USA/D) • Tyree
Glenn jr. (USA/D) • Vince Weber (D) • Wendell Brunious (USA) • Winard Harper (USA) • Wycliffe Gordon (USA)
and many more who should have been mentioned here as well...
thank you all for your music and inspiration
Countries, Festivals And Locations
COUNTRIES
Germany • Netherlands • France • Spain • Italy • USA • Tunisia • Marocco • Luxembourg • Belgium • Switzerland • Austria • Finland • Denmark • Czech Republic • Croatia • Hungary • Ireland • Poland
• Russia
FESTIVALS
JazzAscona/CH • Jazzfestival Enkhuizen/NL • Taragona Jazzfestival/ES • Festival Vache de Blues/FR • Dixieland Festival Dresden/DE • Jazzrally Düsseldorf/DE • Bluesfestival Breslau/PL •
Jazzfestival Gronau/DE • Lenker Jazztage, Lenk/CH • Jazzfestival Illawa/PL • New Orleans Festival Wendelstein/DE • Jazzfestival Femo/DK • Blues Festival Rijeka/HR • Jazzfestival Luxemburg/LU •
Jazzfestival Cork/IE • Jazz Festival On Sea (Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea) • Budapest Jazz Festival/HU • Aarhus Jazz Festival/DK • Wetzlarer Festspiele/DE • Boogie Festival Cambrai/FR •
Rheingau Musikfestival/DE • Münchener Pianistenfestival/DE • Int. Zingster Klaviertage/DE • and many more
LOCATIONS
Old Opera House Frankfurt/DE • Salle de Triangle, Huningue/FR • Philharmony Köln/DE • Congress Center Hamburg/DE • Philharmony München/DE • Schiller Theatre Berlin/DE • Storyville Jazzclub,
Helsinki/FI • Centre Congres á Metz/FR • Jazzland, Vienna/AT • Commerzbank Arena Frankfurt/DE • Tonhalle, Düsseldorf/DE • KKL Concert Hall, Luzern/CH • Steigenberger Hotel, Duisburg/DE •
Audiforum, Ingolstadt/DE • castle church Bad Homburg/DE • Coselpalais Dresden/DE • Elmau Castle/DE • and many more
Discography
Louisiana Café, Jan Luley Trio feat. Gene „Mighty Flea“ Conners, LMR00607, 1997
Rosetta, HOT SWING COMPANY feat. Jan Luley, 1998
I Feel The Spirit, Jan Harrington & friends, Nagel-Heyer Rec., 1998
100 Years Louis Armstrong, Barrelhouse JB, PSAM 0001, 2000
New Orleans Joys, Barrelhouse Jazzband, FMS 2091, 2001
50 - BARRELHOUSE NOW! Barrelhouse Jazzband, FMS 2094, 2003
Talking Solo, Jan Luley, Guthoff Music 30083, 2003
Wings Of Blues, Angela Brown & Jan Luley, LMR00104, 2004
New Harlem Shout, Barrelhouse Jazzband, FMS2095, 2004
Barrelhouse Jazzband Live – 10. Dixieland Jubilee, CACD8258, 2006
La Lune Sur La Rue Bourbon (Maxi-CD), J. Luley feat. Reimer von Essen, LMR00406, 2006
Portrait, Barrelhouse Jazzband, LMR00707, 2007
God Has Smiled On Me, J. Luley/Angela Brown/Barrelhouse Jazzband, LMR00808, 2008
Jazz Meets Klassik, David Frenkel & Jan Luley, LMR01008, 2008
Piano Tales, Jan Luley Solo + Trio, LMR01310, 2010
Blues Gumbo, Jan Luley, LMR01513, 2013
Boonoonoonous, Jan Luley & Thomas l‘Etienne, LMR01613, 2014
Air Force One, Jan Luley & Torsten Zwingenberger, LMR01715, 2015
See Ya Later, Jan Luley Trio feat. Brenda Boykin, LMR01816, 2016
Let Them Talk, Cleo & Jan Luley Trio feat. Rick Trolsen und Joe Wulf, LMR02017, 2017
VIDEO & SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
YouTube channel
