Primary Instrument: Drums
Born in Germany. In NY since Jan07. Freelance musician.
Joe Hertenstein's recent performances include concerts at the Philharmony in Cologne and the Moers Festival in Germany, the Congress Hall in Warsaw, Bush Hall London for BBC, the Opera House in Toronto, the World Trade Center in Dubai, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC, as well as Carnegie Hall, Roulette, Issue Project Room and The Stone in New York City.
In 2005 “All About Jazz NY” magazine praised his performance observing that “Joe Hertenstein's drums seem to be shaping the music from the bottom up”, and in 2011 “Hertenstein practices that loose time-keeping so prevalent in Europe that the ignorant use to claim that an entire continent can’t swing.” In November 2010 the Portuguese label Clean Feed Records released his remarkable debut album as a leader and composer “HNH” featuring Thomas Heberer (tp) and Pascal Niggenkemper (b). In 2009, the German government honored the further development of his trio “HNH” with a composition stipend to fund the recording of their next album “POLYLEMMA” which was released on the Canadian label Red Toucan in June 2011.
For his artistic achievements, Mr. Hertenstein has received numerous awards and grants on both sides of the Atlantic. From 2007-2009, City University of New York, in cooperation with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), granted him a full scholarship and tuition waiver to complete his Master of Arts degree in Jazz Studies at the City University of New York. Prior to his work in New York, Mr. Hertenstein studied music in Munich, Rotterdam, Berlin and Cologne.
In Europe, he won multiple Jazz competitions, such as the Dutch Concours Ceramique Jazzcontest, and the German NRW-Jazzart-Prize.
Mr. Hertenstein has received invitations to perform at a substantial number of festivals, such as the Hoeilaart Jazzfestival Brussels (Belgium), JekerJazz Maastricht (Netherlands), the Leverkusener Jazztage, Moers New Jazz Festival, Triennale 2007 (Germany), Portalegre Jazzfest (Portugal), Warsaw Jazz Summer (Poland) and many more. In 2009, he followed an invitation of the BBC to conduct a live performance with singer and Iranian dissenter Rana Farhan at Bush Hall in London.
Mr. Hertenstein has performed and recorded with many international musicians such as Anthony Coleman, Kenny Werner, Chris Potter, Butch Morris, Juini Booth, Kenny Wollesen, Graham Haynes, Brandon Ross, Tristan Honsinger, Darius Jones, Jon Irabagon, Mat Maneri, Mossa Bildner, James Ilgenfitz, Sara Schoenbeck, Josh Sinton, Ken Filiano, Sean Conly, Todd Neufeld, Achim Tang, Thomas Lehn, Frank Gratkowski, Dieter Manderscheid, Matthias Schubert, Achim Kaufmann, Sebastian Gramss and Terrence Ngassa. He toured Europe in 2004 and 2005 with Canadian blues harp player Carlos del Junco. His work is released on labels such as MoersMusic, Cleanfeed, Red Toucan, 2nd Floor, jazzwerkstatt Berlin, Konnex, and Leo.
In addition to his performances, Mr. Hertenstein taught as a faculty member at the Offene Jazzhausschule Cologne from 2002-2007, he worked as a faculty member for drums and percussion at the Lycee Francais de New York, and currently teaches at the Trinity School in Manhattan and is a teaching artist for the Kupferberg Center of Queens College.
For his album POLYLEMMA, Hertenstein won Belgian music critic Stef Gijssel's 'Happy New Ears Award' for most innovative listening experience of 2011.
Joe Hertenstein’s latest project 'FUTURE DRONE' features German bassist and 'Improviser In Residence' in Moers 2011, Achim Tang, and the winner of the 2008 Thelonious Monk Competition, tenor saxophonist Jon Irabagon. The debut album of 'FUTURE DRONE' was released on jazzwerkstatt Berlin in June 2012.
Hertenstein was a member of Butch Morris' NY ensembles Nublu Orchestra and LUCKY CHENG Orchestra. BBC broadcasted a short documentary on the band on November 13th 2011: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15715308
He performed with Adam Rudolph's GO:OrganicOrchestra and Karl Berger's Improviser's Orchestra.
Awards:
Joe Hertenstein's POLYLEMMA WINS HAPPY NEW YEARS AWARD 2011: http://freejazz-stef.blogspot.com/2011/12/polylemma-wins-happy-new-years-award.html”Enough can’t be said about the toe-tapping swing of Hertenstein and Niggenkemper – the drummer has the subtle complexity of an Ed Blackwell, able to patch infectious rhythms into the most abstract of group improvisations.” — Clifford Allen, HNH 1/2011
“Hertenstein practices that loose time-keeping so prevalent in Europe that the ignorant use to claim that an entire continent can’t swing.” — Andrey Henkin, ALLABOUTJAZZ-NEW YORK 1/2011
“Hertenstein's superb drums spin quickly and effortlessly on “One Ocean at a Time”, providing the glue that holds this complex, ever-shifting piece together. Even at just 46 minutes, this disc is completely successful, ultimately crafty and often surprsing in direction throughout.” - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery, 7/2011
“Part of NYC’s growing diaspora of German musicians, again drummer Joe Hertenstein shows his maturity as a performer and composer.” - Ken Waxman, TheNYCJazzRecord 10/2011
“Everyone plays creatively, but Hertensteinʼs drums are a standout.” - KZSU, Stanford Radio 90.1FM, 8/2011
“The bass clarinet and trumpet alignment casts a contrapuntal, yet festive alignment of tonal swashes and polyrhythmic story lines, nailed down by the leader's multidimensional accompaniment.” - Glenn Astarita, allaboutjazz.com 8/2011
Primary Instrument:
Drums
Willing to teach:
Advanced students only.
Credentials/Background:
Over 15 years of teaching experience, all ages and levels, private and groups.
Clinic/Workshop Information:
Over 15 years of teaching experience, all ages and levels, private and groups.
