Eberhard Weber is a virtuoso who revolutionized jazz bass playing. He
brought his instrument from the far corner of the stage into the
spotlight - and turned it into a solo force. He began his career as a
jazz bassist in the 1960s, and his band Colours with the saxophonist
Charlie Mariano became one of the most successful jazz groups in Europe.
His record Colours of Chloë (made for ECM) was a cult album in its
time. Weber went on to perform with many of the big stars of the
international jazz scene, including Wolfgang Dauner, Gary Burton, Pat
Metheny and Jan Garbarek. He was also a key member of the United Jazz
and Rock Ensemble. Playing the five-string instrument, both in acoustic
and electric form, he also became a master of the solo recital, using
electronics to accompany his own dexterous improvisations.
Weber has not been able to play the bass since he suffered a stroke in
April 2007 during a sound check with the Jan Garbarek Group at the
Berlin Philharmonic Hall. But he had already created an oeuvre that is
second to none. The charismatic bassist made jazz history with his
explorations, both in terms of his own instrument and with his range of
creative musical companions. His remarkable "resumé" is at the same time
a humorous and exciting testimony to a vital period in German jazz
history.