PLATTNER &
PLATTNERS
JAZZ CORPORATION
Helmut Plattner, born 1940,
is one of the founding fathers of the Jazz scene in his native Niederösterreich, the largest of
As a trumpeter, bandleader, arranger, and sometimes
piano & reed player, he shaped many bands in the Krems
region–among them the Courthouse Jazzband and
the legendary Studio Combo–, but he also made his mark in the jazz scene
of the Austrian capital, where he was a welcome guest in Vienna’s foremost
traditional bands: the Barrelhouse Jazzband,
the Blue Note Six, the Red Hot Pods and the Storyville
Jazzband, to name just a few.
Not satisfied with this achievements alone, during the
1960’s he had–obviously not without the help of his wife Erika, who happened to
have played the guitar in the Studio Combo, but meanwhile had switched
her focus to Classical Music–fathered and raised three children, all of whom
turned out to have a proclivity to music, in particular to jazz. The next step
predictably was to incorporate his offspring into musical projects, and
eventually to unleash the
ultimate Austrian family band: the first of
international renown since the Trapp family of ‘Sound Of Music’ fame,
and certainly the first ever in Austrian jazz: Plattner
& Plattners Jazz Corporation.
The original edition of
that ensemble comprised the domestic front line of Helmut Plattner
(trumpet), the younger son Bernhard (trombone) and the
elder son Christian (clarinet & alto saxophone). In the rhythm section
there were two old friends from Krems: Gereon Wolter (banjo & piano)
and Peter Bauer (double bass); and Leslaw Tenczar on drums. At least in the formative years, the
stylistic emphasis remained on Traditional Jazz of all varieties–Dixieland, New
Orleans & Chicago Jazz, intermingled with brief excursions into Swing &
Bebop.
Appearances first at private parties, then in
Several occupational changes (Peter Bauer being called
to the University of Cologne, Germany, to hold a teaching post for Medical
Statistics; Christian Plattner concentrating on an
international career in both Management & Music; Bernhard Plattner quitting the music business altogether) resulted
in changes of personnel. Over the years, Plattner
& Plattners Jazz Corporation and the closely
related Swing and Mainstream outfit Plattner
& Co have included the family’s youngest offspring, Susanne Plattner (guitar & vocals), bass player Martin Treml, trombone player & arranger Heinz Czadek, Thomas Schwetz–a member
of the equally musical Schwetz family from Böheimkirchen & former pupil of Christian Plattner–on clarinet & tenor saxophone, pianists Ronnie
Weisz & Heribert Kohlich, and drummer Walther Großrubatscher.
Constant demand over the years–from audiences as well
as from jazz clubs & promoters–to revive the legendary ‘Plattners’
has finally, in June 2002, resulted in a twin rebirth. As
already recognized, P&PJC leans to the Dixieland side, while P&Co is more in the Swing &
Mainstream vain.
For information or booking, please write to
or call
+43 (699) 16 02 42 16
