WDR Big Band

WDR Big Band is the big band of Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) in Cologne, Germany.

Origins
After World War II, the Kölner Rundfunk-Tanzorchester (Cologne Radio Dance Orchestra) was active from 1947 at the Cologne radio station of Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk (NWDR). The orchestra was renamed Kölner Tanz- und Unterhaltungsorchester (KTUO, Dance and Entertainment Orchestra of Cologne) in the same year, 1947.

On January 1, 1956, NWDR was divided into Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR, Hamburg) and WDR in Cologne which assumed the orchestra.

Orchestra Kurt Edelhagen
When WDR developed an interest in jazz, in 1957, Kurt Edelhagen was commissioned to set up a jazz big band in parallel to KTUO. He gathered staff from various European countries for the new Orchestra Kurt Edelhagen, an independent band. For 15 years, it successfully played, broadcast and recorded in Cologne. In 1972, Edelhagen's annual work contract with WDR was terminated by the broadcaster which meant the end of his big band.

WDR Dance Orchestra and Big Band
All the time, the KTUO, true to its name, continued to present "Dance and Entertainment" music. In 1967, Werner Müller took over the orchestra, renamed it WDR Tanzorchester Werner Müller and played in parallel to the Edelhagen Band on WDR until these were dismantled in 1972. 1980, this Tanzorchester was renamed WDR Big Band. Later, from 1985 to 1994, Jerry van Rooyen was the musical director. Richmond wrote about this era: "Under the direction of van Rooyen, the band made perhaps its biggest strides musically, and enjoyed visibility on an international level."

In the present
In 2016, Bob Mintzer was engaged as chief conductor, and Vince Mendoza was introduced as the band's new "Composer in Residence".

WDR Big Band frequently invites jazz musicians to joint projects. It performs in concerts in WDR's home region North Rhine Westphalia, Germany and worldwide. Many of the concerts become part of WDR's program on air and in social media (e.g. Facebook and YouTube).

WDR Big Band also takes part in the school concert program "WDR macht Schule" ("WDR catches on") which, in 2022, included a concert with four juvenile musicians of Sant Andreu Jazz Band from Barcelona and their director Joan Chamorro. Before, in 2021, Andrea Motis (tr, voc), an alumna of this Spanish youth band, visited WDR Big Band to record Colors and Shadows.

WDR Big Band has released WDR Big Band Play Along App for Android and iOS, allowing musicians to play virtually with the Band.

WDR Big Band has received several awards.

Musicians
As of 2024, the band's lineup consists of: Saxophones: Karolina Strassmayer (as), Johan Hörlén (as), Paul Heller (ts), Ben Fitzpatrick (ts), Jens Neufang (bs) Trumpets: Andy Haderer, Rob Bruynen, Wim Both, Ruud Breuls Trombones: Ludwig Nuss, Mattis Cederberg, Raphael Klemm, Andy Hunter Rhythm section: Billy Test (keys), Hans Dekker (d), John Goldsby (b)

In 2004, Strassmayer was the first woman to join the orchestra. From 2014 to 2019, the orchestra also included a female trombone player, Shannon Barnett.

Awards
WDR Big Band has six times been nomínated for a Grammy award and won or contributed to four Grammy awards.

At the 49th Grammy Awards of 2006, the band's album "Some Skunk Funk", recorded at the Leverkusener Jazztage 2003, directed by Mendoza and featuring Will Lee, Randy and Michael Brecker, was awarded ‘’Best album by a large jazz ensemble’’. In parallel, Michael Brecker posthumously received the Grammy for ‘’Best Jazz Instrumental Solo’’ for the same song.

2008, at the 50th Grammy Awards celebration, the joint production between WDR Big Band and the singer Patti Austin, "Avant Gershwin", was voted "Best Jazz Vocal Album" of the year. WDR Big Band with Mendoza won another Grammy in the category "Best Instrumental Arrangement" for the arrangement of "In a Silent Way", composed by Joe Zawinul. The recording is part of the live double album Brown Street, released in 2006.

In January 2021, WDR Big Band received the "2020 Innovation Award" by the German Orchestra Foundation for the "WDR Big Band Play Along App".

2021, their production Live at the Philharmonie, Cologne, conducted by Bill Laurance, won the Deutscher Jazzpreis (German Jazz Award) in the category "Rundfunkproduktion des Jahres" (broadcast production of the year)

Discography (selection)
See and individual sources


 * 2022
 * Center Stage, Steve Gadd and WDR Big Band (nominated for a Grammy Award 2023)
 * Colors and Shadows, Andrea Motis and WDR Big Band


 * 2020
 * Blue Soul, Dave Stryker with Bob Mintzer and WDR Big Band
 * Storytellers, Luciana Souza and WDR Big Band Cologne
 * 2019
 * Live at the Philharmonie, Cologne, Bill Laurance and WDR Big Band (Deutscher Jazzpreis)
 * 2018
 * Always Forward, Marshall Gilkes and WDR Big Band
 * 2017
 * Homecoming, Vince Mendoza and WDR Big Band
 * 2015
 * Big Band Boom, Metro and WDR Big Band Cologne
 * Köln, Marshall Gilkes and WDR Big Band Cologne
 * My Personal Songbook, Ron Carter and WDR Big Band Cologne


 * 2011
 * Mit großem Besteck, Pe Werner and WDR Big Band
 * 2009:
 * Vans Joint, Bill Evans, Dave Weckl, Mark Egan and WDR Big Band Cologne (Live)


 * 2007:
 * Avant Gershwin, Patti Austin and WDR Big Band Cologne (Grammy Award)


 * 2006:
 * Brown Street, Joe Zawinul and WDR Big Band Cologne (Live in Vienna) (Grammy Award)
 * Winterwunderwelt, Götz Alsmann and WDR Big Band Cologne
 * 2005:
 * Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix with Hiram Bullock and Billy Cobham (BHM, 2005)
 * Some Skunk Funk, Will Lee, Randy and Michael Brecker and WDR Big Band Cologne (2x Grammy Award)
 * 2004:
 * Midnight Jam, Joe Zawinul (Live at Zawinul's 70th birthday party at the Leverkusener Jazztage)
 * NiedeckenKoeln, Wolfgang Niedecken and WDR Big Band Cologne


 * 2003:
 * tango y postango, Néstor Marconi, Ernst Reijseger, Mark Walker and the WDR Big Band Cologne
 * 2002:


 * Colours of Siam, Thorsten Wollmann
 * Dedalo, Gianluigi Trovesi
 * 2000:


 * Kurt Weill – American Songs, Caterina Valente
 * WDR Bigband, Jan Klare/Eckard Koltermann


 * 1998:


 * Your Song, Jerry van Rooyen


 * 1996:
 * Swing & Balladen, Jerry van Rooyen


 * 1992:
 * Carambolage, Joachim Kühn
 * Traces of Trane, Peter Herborn


 * 1989:
 * East Coast Blowout, Jim McNeely
 * The Third Stone, Jiggs Whigham


 * 1984:
 * Harlem Story, Peter Herbolzheimer