---| Jan Deckers |---

In theatres he can be seen as the clarinet playing chef in the movie “Joan of Arc of Mongolia” with Gilian Scalici, Irm Herman, Peter Kern and Else Nabu (line 1) in a production by Ulrike Ottinger and R.W. Fassbinder’s crew. Like an outsider he goes at the Berlin jazz scene alone, quickly becoming the be bopping and hard bopping clarinetist. Arranging and orchestrating become daily activities, musical dialogs with Nicolaus Timm (Schaubühne) initiates guitar compositions in an experimental atmosphere. Together with students of composition of the Berlin and New York conservatories a program of avant-garde elements is created. With his clarinet he travels through Norway and Ireland as a street musician, he performs with Gioro Feidman and accompanies many Jewish weddings: slowly but surely forming the diverse palette of form, rhythm, harmony and melody he uses to paint his compositions.

His sources of inspiration are as diverse as the movements. Studying J.S. Bach’s composing technique for years, John Coltrane’s and Buddy de Franco’s improvising techniques, Joni Mitchell’s art of songwriting and a deep admiration for Egberto Gismonti’s versatility give a rough outline. His knowledge of the past leaves him standing firmly in the 21st century.

Jan Deckers, composer

As early as his childhood, Jan Deckers was introduced to music. The classical basis was laid by his first clarinet teacher, Hub Deitz, his first introduction to pop music through a band at elementary school. During that time he was also taking drumming lessons, and a friend showed him the first chords on a guitar. Playing the solo clarinet in the local brass band, and playing solo guitar in a regional band give him the additional experience, combined with a study classical guitar from Jan van Roosendaal (at the moment teacher classical guitar at the Kreuzberg/Berlin school of music) that led him to the Maastricht conservatory.

He develops a large interest in composing and improvising and the introduction to modern jazz (Jayeff) also broaden his musical horizon. His desire for adventure, combined with a strong Sturm und Drang period drove him to the former West-Berlin. Here the technique and art of improvisation is even further perfected by Gregoire Peters (at the moment teacher of saxophone at the jazz department at the Berlin University of Arts) and what follows is a decade full of performances with bands and ensembles of a most various make-up.

Together with Jan van Roosendaal, Simone Reifegerste (the voice) and Peter Jack, Blue Tunes for Night People is formed, an unplugged band in the eighties. Playing the clarinet for the gipsy orchestra Kasbek he is introduced to Klezmer and the music of the Balkans. He takes up a study of musical philosophy and becomes a teacher of classical guitar at the Tempelhof music school.

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