André Cimiotti

André Cimiotti was born in Marburg in 1975, and began playing the alto saxophone at the age of seven. He studied oboe at the Marburg School of Music and saxophone with Harry Petersen (HR Big Band) in Frankfurt. In 1994, he won first place at the regional JUGEND JAZZT competition in Hesse. After leaving school, he did his military service as a saxophonist in the Heeresmusikkorps 2 under Major Walter Ratzek in Kassel. He then studied saxophone at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne with Wolfgang Engstfeld, Frank Gratkowski and Heiner Wiberny, where he obtained his concert diploma in 2003. He also studied saxophone and improvisation with Peter Weniger, Herb Geller, Jeff Clayton and John Ruocco, as well as composition and arranging with Bill Dobbins. During his studies, he played as principal alto saxophonist with the Landesjugendjazzorchester Hessen (LJJO) and the Bundesjazzorchester der BRD (BuJazzO).

Since then, he has worked with such renowned ensembles as HR/Frankfurt and WDR/Cologne radio big bands, Peter Herbolzheimer Rhythm Combination & Brass and the Pepe Lienhard Big Band. From 2001 to 2007, he toured many European countries as a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, conducted by Wil Salden, and recorded several CDs. In 2007, he was engaged at the Operettenhaus in Hamburg for the world premiere of the musical Ich War Noch Niemals in New York, with songs by Udo Jürgens. Since 2008, he has been the principal alto saxophonist with the German Army Big Band.

In addition to his work with major ensembles, André Cimiotti's work is also dominated by his two saxophone ensembles, the Cologne Saxophone Quintet and the Forkolor Quartet, for which he also composes and arranges. With the Cologne Saxophone Quintet, he performed at the presentation of the German Media Prize to Bill Clinton, who spontaneously played with him. During a concert tour of the United States in May 2003, the five musicians met saxophonist Bob Mintzer, with whom they spontaneously recorded a few tracks in New York. The collaboration continued the following year at Bauer Studios in Ludwigsburg. In February 2005, the ensemble's first compact disc, Yo! (feat. Bob Mintzer), was released by Neuklang. This was followed by joint concerts with Bob Mintzer at various festivals. André Cimiotti's compositions Yo! and November Spring were published by Advance Music.

Under the title This Is Where I Come From, the first album by his jazz quintet with Günter Bollmann (trombone), Martin Sasse (piano), Ingo Senst (bass) and Hans Dekker (drums) was released in 2013 by Ajazz.

Photo credit: Frank Wiesen