Raphael Wressnig, based in Austria but frequently on the road, is not your ordinary B-3 organ player. He’s actually one of a kind: a young master of the imposing, large instrument who is expansive in his breadth of expertise. He’s technically fluent in the blues, in jazz, in soul, and in funk, and he concocts exciting mixed-genre music from his fervid imagination. Versatile Wressnig doesn’t flaunt his virtuosic talent for the sake of spectacle but rather backs up his every movement on the keyboards, the drawbar and the bass pedal boards with a fierce emotional commitment.
Influenced by royal predecessors like Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott, Booker T. Jones and Joe Zawinul, Wressnig has taken his music throughout Europe and all over the world, from North Africa and Asia to the Middle East to the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. This self-effacing musician, a native of Graz in southeast Austria, has recorded at least 16 feature albums and appeared as a guest on about 30 others. In Spring 2013, he was honored with a nomination for best organ player of the year in Downbeat Magazine.
A fine composer with a gift for searching out splendid classic material to rearrange, Wressnig confidently brings out the inherent pyrotechnic power and mightiness of the large B-3 console. Yet he’s also comfortable with slowing down the pace and lowering the heat in order to achieve colorful passages of quieter music. Not unlike a musician born and bred in New Orleans, the B-3 player possesses special knowledge about conjuring “groove.” As his many fans know so well, this surging or swinging rhythmic “vibe” is vastly important to the success of Wressnig’s sui generis music.
In the 2010’s, Wressnig has solidified his standing as a solo artist. The sheer force of his artistic development has been a wonder to behold, whether encountered on albums or, better yet, at concerts. Live performances are particularly memorable for the happy collision of wild entertainment and focused artistry.
In January of 2014 the B-3 groove master made a trip to New Orleans, literally and spiritually, to cook some Gumbo. Soul Gumbo, that is. For spice, he brought along loyal partners Alex Schultz on guitar and sax-extraordinaire Craig Handy. To bring the heat, he called on one of the funkiest drummers around, New Orleans' own, Stanton Moore. Wressnig's exciting music – a special hybrid of soul, funk, r&b, blues and jazz – benefits from the expert, soulful playing of Crescent City dignitaries Walter “Wolfman” Washington, The Meter’s George Porter, Jr. and Eric Bloom. Piano-man and soulful troubadour Jon Cleary was a special guest, as well as bayou-blues man Larry Garner from Baton Rouge and Midwestern testifier Tad Robinson. After all, Wressnig and the coterie of American and European musicians supporting him always give their best--and it shows.
Wressnig’s ascent to status as a prominent B-3 player on the international blues, jazz, and roots-music scenes has made for an interesting life journey. Raphael was born on the 14th of October 1979 in Graz (Austria). Self-taught on both piano and organ starting at age 16, he was immediately drawn into blues , jazz and funk and has never looked back. Developing a highly personal style, Raphael soon founded “Raphael Wressnig’s Organic Trio” which resulted in their debut album “Manic Organic” in 2002. He started a 4 year, 6 record association with the Austrian guitarist and songwriter “Sir” Oliver Mally. Blues great Larry Garner from Baton Rouge, Louisiana asked Raphael to join his band – a collaboration that has lasted many years. Over the years Raphael has toured and played with some of the best known and respected blues players in the world including: Tad Robinson, Finis Tasby, Deitra Farr, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Sugaray Rayford, Zora Young, Kirk Fletcher, George Porter, Jr. (The Meters), “Monster” Mike Welch, “Paris Slim” Frank Goldwasser, Phil Guy, Ian Siegal, Louisiana Red, Billy Flynn, Matt Skoller, Sugar Blue (Grammy Award-winner, Rolling Stones, “Miss You”), Igor Prado, James Armstrong, John Mooney, Steve Bell, Steve James, Sharrie Williams and Doug McLeod. He has also played with some of the finest jazz players on the scene: Horacio “El Negro“ Hernandez (Grammy Award-winner, Carols Santanta, McCoy Tyner), Craig Handy (Mingus Dynasty, Roy Haynes Band, “Bill Cosby Show Theme”), Johnny Vidacovich, Stanton Moore (Galactic), Nigel Hall (Lettuce, John Scofield), Jon Cleary, Jim Mullen (Average White Band), Pete York (Spencer Davis Group, “Super-Drumming”, Helge Schneider Jon Lord Blues Band), Wolfgang Muthspiel, Harry Sokal (Depart). He has also shared the stage with many top-notch artists: Los Lobos (cult band from L.A.), Dave Gonzalez (The Paladins), Tony Monaco (jazz organ master from Ohio), Billy Paul (Grammy Award-winning soul singer, “Me and Mrs. Jones”), Sonny Rhodes, Lurrie Bell, Billy Branch, Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, Darrell Nullish, Larry McCray, Rick Estrin, Kid Anderson, Johnnie Moeller, Boney Fields, Curtis Salgado, Nick Moss, Junior Watson, Georgie Fame, Gene Taylor, Otis Grand, Ronnie “Baker” Brookes among others.
During the last couple of years Raphael Wressnig has focused primarily on playing in the organ trio or organ combo formats. His group “Raphael Wressnig’s Organic Trio” with Georg Jantscher on guitar and Lukas Knöfler on drums is recognized as one of the most creative organ trios on the European scene today and are also touted as one of the hardest grooving bands in Austria. Concerto magazine picked their album “In Between” as “Best jazz album of the year” in 2004. They continued reshaping the classic organ trio sound taking it in new directions with the album “Boom Bello!” that was released in 2006 featuring Alex Schultz, “Sax“ Gordon and Luis Ribeiro. Raphael’s collaboration with veteran guitarist Alex Schultz, has resulted in countless tours both as smooth trio or as hard driving blues group. The group also includes legendary blues singer Finis Tasby from Dallas, Texas. Raphael equally leads the hard-rocking R&B combo “R&B Explosion” with 6-time W.C. Handy award nominee saxophonist “Sax” Gordon Beadle. In 2006 Raphael released the album: “Mosquito Bite”. This CD was the result of a long time and on-going collaboration with the young, celebrated guitar player Enrico Crivellaro which combines vintage and modern, jazz and blues. In 2007 Raphael Wressnig became member of one of today’s the most exceptional blues projects: “Women Of Chicago Blues” – the three powerhouse Chicago blues divas Deitra Farr, Zora Young and Grana Louise plus the all-star Chicago group the “Ladies Men” with Chicago guitar ace Billy Flynn, Kenny “Beedy Eye” Smith (today’s top traditional blues drummer, son of the legendary Muddy Waters drummer Willie “Big Eye” Smith), Felton Crews on Bass (Miles Davis, “Man With A Horn” album, Ramsey Lewis, Otis Clay, Otis Rush, Charlie Musselwhite) and Raphael Wressnig on the B-3 and keys.
Raphael Wressnig won the Concerto Poll “Best jazz artist of the year” in 2007. In 2008 he released two albums: “Cut A Little Deeper On The Funk” and “(Don’t Be) Afraid To Groove”. In 2010 he released the powerful recording “Party Factor” that features saxophonists Craig Handy, Harry Sokal, “Sax” Gordon. In 2011 “True Blue” was released. This recording is a melange of jazz, blues and gospel and brings it all home to the smoky Hammond heyday of the sixties and pays tribute to Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff and Groove Holmes. The recording features the fabulous Scottish guitarist Jim Mullen. In 2011 Wressnig started to record another great album with guitar ace Alex Schultz. This album features the legendary singers Deitra Farr and Tad Robinson, guitar player Kirk Fletcher (Fabulous Thunderbirds) and “Sax” Gordon and Eric Bloom from the neo-soul-funk groups Soulive and Lettuce. “Soul Gift” offers jewels from the soul-jazz bag, takes on soul classics, funky bombs & greasy blues!
In January 2014 Raphael Wressnig recorded “Soul Gumbo” in New Orleans and later on in 2014 he started touring with “Raphael Wressnig & Soul Gumbo“. Sax-extraordinaire Craig Handy, soulful guitarist Alex Schultz, as well as the master of New Orleans style drumming Johnny Vidacovich (Astral Project, Allen Toussaint, Dr. John, Mose Allison, John Scofield, Ray Anderson, Randy Crawford & Joe Sample) joined Wressnig to create a musical hybrid of jazz, R&B, soul and funk!
Raphael Wressnig tours extensively throughout the world with his various projects and is in demand by many top of the blues and soul-jazz artists throughout : Europe, Scandinavia, North Africa, Asia, Middle East, USA, Mexico and the Caribbean. Either as leader of his own group or sideman, Raphael has played the most renowned clubs such as New Morning/Paris, Lionel Hampton Club/Paris, Zinco Jazz Club/Mexico City, Continental Club/Austin, Buddy Guy's Legends/Chicago, Blue Note/Bienne, Quasimodo/Berlin, Stadtgarten/Köln, Moods/Zürich, Babylon/Istanbul, A-Trane/Berlin, Birdland/Vienna, Porgy & Bess/Vienna, Drop Inn/Cogenhagen, Le Jam/Montepellier, Crossroads/Antwerpen and many others. He has played the top festival stages including Bagneux Blues Festival (FR), Veneto Jazz Festival (IT), Bluesfestival Cordoba (ES), Poretta Soul Festival (IT), Jazzfest Wiesen (AT), Handzame Dilirium Festival (BE), Jazzfestival Abu Dhabi (AE), Jazz A Juan Les Pins (FR), Puerto Escondido Music Festival (MX), Piazza Blues Festival (CH), Passions Festival Cognac (FR), Jazz in Catharge (TN), Efes Pilsen Blues Festival (TR), Abruzzo nel Blues (IT), Eddie Lang Jazz Festival (IT), Burnley International Blues Festival (GB), Great British R&B Festival Colne (GB), Terre de Blues Festival Guadelupe (GP), Sang a Klang (LUX), Jazzfest Wien (AT), Jazzfest Saalfelden (AT), Jazz sur les Pommiers (FR), Efes Blues Festival Moscow (RU), Efes Blues Festival St. Petersburg (RU), Jazz & others Bozen (IT), Jazz & Blues Festival Rapperswil (CH), Liburnia Jazz (HR) and many, many more. He has opened for some of biggest names in the music business such as Chucho Valdes (five-time Grammy Award-winner and Cuba’s premier pianist), Joe Cocker, Jeff Beck, Sonny Landreth, Mavis Staples, Al Jarreau, Al Foster, Manu Katche, Dianne Reeves, Van Morrison, Randy Brecker, Lucky Peterson, Robben Ford, Roy Hargrove, Dr. John, Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, James Blunt, Marcus Miller, Keith Jarrett and countless others.Wressnig has been nominated for a number of prestigious awards. He was a finalist for Austria’s top jazz prize, named after the late saxophonist Hans Koller, and a blues award in France. His albums have been praised in the international music press, a few turning up on “best of the year” lists.