Tab Two | |
---|---|
Origin | Ulm, Germany |
Genres | Acid jazz Hip hop Trip hop Drum and bass |
Years active | 1991–1999, 2012-present |
Labels | 36music, Polydor, Virgin |
Members | Hellmut Hattler, Joo Kraus |
Past members | Sandie Wollasch |
Website | tabtwo |
Tab Two is a German acid jazz band formed in 1991. 'Tab' stands for Trumpet and Bass. The band consists of Hellmut Hattler and Joo Kraus. [1]
Bassist Hattler and trumpeter Kraus had played together since 1987, for some of that time as members of Kraan. [2] They began composing together and started Tab Two in 1991. [2] [3] Combining acoustic instruments and electronics, their music was referred to as "hip jazz". [3]
They signed for Virgin Records in Europe, and later Polydor, JVC Victor in Japan, and released eight albums together before splitting up in 1999. [2] [3] Their music was used in commercials for companies such as Mercedes-Benz and Bruno Banani. [3] The duo's 1994 album "Hip Jazz" was named 'CD of the Month' by German magazine Der Wiener . [4]
After interest in reissuing their material, the duo held a press conference in November 2011. [5] The musicians announced a "temporary reunion" with a tour limited to 10 concerts, and the release of the 3CD best-of album Two Thumbs Up in 2012. [2]
In April 2012, at a festival on occasion of Hellmut Hattler's 60th birthday, Tab Two performed for the first time since 1999. [6] The recordings were released as the 6-track album Live at the Roxy, for download only.
In February 2013, Tab Two announced the release of the 3-CD set ...Zzzipp! extended. The album consists of the remastered live recordings from the 2000 album ...Zzzipp! plus an additional track of a rehearsal with the audience, and a bonus CD with seven tracks from the 2012 tour. [7]
In 2013 they played two concerts as Tab Two & Friends, with former guest singer Sandie Wollasch again, and for the first time with a real band, Oli Rubow on drums and Ralf Schmid on keyboards.
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