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Martin Schmitt

Martin Schmitt

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Martin Schmitt – Pianist, Singer, and Piano Cabaret Artist

Boogie-Woogie Fireworks, Bavarian Wit, and Virtuoso Jazz Piano: The World of Martin Schmitt

Martin Schmitt is an outstanding figure in the German music scene: a pianist, singer, and piano cabaret artist who combines blues, boogie woogie, jazz, and soul with pointed humor, stage presence, and narrative finesse. Born in 1968 in Munich, he has made a name for himself since the 1980s with his unique handwriting, top-notch compositions, and energetic live entertainment. His musical career merges artistic development with craftsmanship: grooving left hand, shining right hand, thoughtful arrangements – and lyrics that blend everyday life, dialect, and contemporary spirit with warmth and wit.

Schmitt's career is characterized by artistic versatility: He is not only a keyboard virtuoso and entertainer but also a composer, lyricist, and program designer. The fusion of piano tradition – from stride to classical boogie – with modern song culture gives his work a distinctive tone. In sold-out venues, at renowned festivals, and in TV formats, he demonstrates how piano music can captivate audiences of all ages as a stage experience.

Early Years: Passion for Music and Stylistic Foundation

Martin Schmitt began singing as well as playing the piano and tuba at an early age and found his first artistic home in the Munich scene. The influences of blues, boogie woogie, and jazz provided the foundation for his musical language. This embedding in the African American piano traditions, combined with singer-songwriter elements, shaped his repertoire and performance style. From a young age, he developed a precise playing technique, a driving bass ostinato in the left hand, and a melodically agile right hand – central features of his later stage aesthetics.

From the very beginning, he combined musicality with humor. Cabaret became a distinctive component of his program: The pianist acted not just as an interpreter but as a storyteller, arranger, and comedian with a dramaturgical mindset. This dual role – music and comedy – allowed him to reach a diverse audience and operate beyond narrow genre boundaries.

Rise: Festival Stages, TV Presence, and Artistic Direction

With performances on festival stages in Germany and Europe, Schmitt established himself as a sought-after live act. His blend of soul, jazz, rhythm & blues, and boogie woogie made him a favorite with audiences – always characterized by rhythmic precision, improvisational joy, and charming moderation. Concurrently, he served as the artistic director of piano festivals, bringing his curatorial perspective to bear: Programs with arcs, dramaturgy with drive, and piano as an experience.

He also made an impact on television: Formats on Bayerischer Rundfunk, SWR, 3sat, BR-alpha, and NDR brought his piano cabaret into the living rooms of a wide audience. This media echo enhanced his authority as a stage artist bridging music and word – a quality that has accompanied his career to this day.

Collaborations: Learning from Legends, Growing Through Dialogue

The list of his stage partners reads like a who's who from various scenes: Performances with Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis visibly rooted him in the rock’n’roll and boogie lineage, while encounters with Paul Carrack, Helge Schneider, Victoria Tolstoy, Axel Zwingenberger, Stefan Gwildis, and Vince Weber opened doors to soul, jazz, comedy, and piano blues schools. These collaborations strengthened his stylistic vocabulary, sense of timing, and feeling for song dramaturgy.

Another milestone is his long-term presence in large venues: Every two years, he fills the Munich Philharmonic – featuring guests from pop, cabaret, and classical music. These formats showcase his strengths as a host, arranger, and impulse giver, bridging genres and shaping an evening program with a red thread.

Composition, Production, and Media Work

As a composer, Schmitt worked on an ARD thriller with Klaus Maria Brandauer – music that combines cinematic tension with a pianist's signature. His discography includes studio and live productions, DVDs, and a songbook documenting his lyric work. He uses the stage as a workshop: New titles arise from observation, wordplay, and rhythmic ideas before they find their definitive form in concert and recording – a cycle of experience, refinement, and audience resonance.

His recent television presence – such as in cabaret shows on ARD/ARD Mediathek – underlines his relevance. Schmitt thinks programmatically, addressing the techniques and pace of everyday life, combining dialect and contemporary diagnosis – always carried by grooves that go straight to the ear.

Discography: From Blues Tradition to Bavarian Song Culture

His discography shows the spectrum from boogie-blues pianist to German-speaking songwriter entertainer: Handful Of Blues (1993) and Five Feet And The Blues (1995) document his early boogie & blues phase, while Live at Lloyds (1996, with Joja Wendt) and Sunrise Joys (1998) continue his live and studio work. With Capricorn (2000), Look Ahead (2001), and the Ray Charles tribute (2003), he sharpens his soul and R&B profile.

20 Years Live On Stage (2006) marks an artistic interim balance; later came Schmitt (2009) and Aufbassn! (2012) as programmatic brands. Von Kopf bis Blues (2015) consolidates his self-understanding between groove, emotion, and wit. Jetz’ is Blues mit lustig (2022/2023, present in live and TV contexts) translates boogie and jazz piano into Bavarian lyrics – a signature program that showcases his mature sound language.

Style and Influences: Left Hand as Engine, Right Hand as Narrator

Schmitt's piano playing thrives on boogie patterns and blues vocabulary, swinging offbeats, and articulated melodies. He utilizes classic boogie figurations as motor skills and layers soulful riffs, jazzy voicings, and gospel-like turnarounds on top. In ballads, harmonic colors and vocal warmth come to the fore; in uptempo numbers, timing, percussiveness, and spontaneous interaction with the audience shine.

His arrangements combine comedic pauses, call-and-response, and linguistic rhythmic punch lines with musical gestures. The result: a stage sound that transforms the piano into a whole cosmos – bass, harmony, melody, and percussion in one person, complemented by singing and moderation.

Awards and Recognition: Authority Through Performance

As a solo artist, he received, among others, the soloist award of the Schwarzwald Music Festival. He won the comedy award “Böblinger Mechthild” and was named German Cabaret Master. In 2022, he received the Franconian Cabaret Prize. Regional and national press also recognizes his work – with attributes like “improvisation genius,” “jack of all trades,” and “breathtaking piano artistry.” These reviews reflect his authority between piano art, comedy, and entertaining.

His regular invitations to festival series – such as in Hamburg's boogie-woogie scene – and prominent guests at anniversary evenings testify to his standing in various contexts: the jazz and blues community, cabaret landscape, pop, and crossover environment.

Current Projects 2024–2026: New Programs, TV Specials, and Anniversaries

With “Schmitt happens,” he presented a new program in Munich in 2025, continuing the successful formula of “Jetz’ is Blues mit lustig.” The show focuses on new compositions, fresh lyrics, and the proven mix of boogie, soul, and a cabaret perspective on everyday life. From 2025 to 2026, numerous guest performances, TV appearances, and festival dates followed – including broadcasts in the public broadcasting cabaret series.

A special highlight is his 40th stage anniversary on April 26, 2026, in Munich – prominently accompanied by esteemed companions from music and cabaret. A limited vinyl edition and accompanying media content are also announced. These activities showcase: Schmitt continually develops his artistic brand – from program to recording, from concert to TV documentary.

Cultural Influence: Dialect, Humor, and Piano Tradition for the Present

Schmitt translates the tradition of boogie and blues piano into a contemporary stage narrative – using dialect as a stylistic device, humor as an attitude, and virtuosity as storytelling power. In doing so, he expands the perception of piano music beyond classical concert halls: The piano becomes a medium for closeness to everyday life and depth, for shared laughter and musical finesse. This connection strengthens the status of the acoustic piano in German-language entertainment.

His work is also genre-bridging: Fans of jazz, blues, and soul find musical substance; lovers of cabaret experience language, timing, and punch lines. In this intersection lies Schmitt's cultural signature – an entertainment that shows attitude, celebrates craftsmanship, and brings people together.

Voices of the Fans

Fans' reactions clearly show: Martin Schmitt excites people far beyond the boogie-woogie community. On Instagram, a fan raves: “The mix of blues groove and Bavarian humor is addictive!”

A comment on Facebook sums it up: “An evening with Martin Schmitt is like an energetic jam – smart, witty, and musically top-notch!”

Conclusion

Martin Schmitt is a pianist with character: technically refined, stylistically versatile, and dramaturgically spot-on. His discography connects blues, boogie, soul, and song culture; his shows transform piano artistry into immediate stage experience. Awards, festival presence, and press reviews underline his authority – his artistic development remains dynamic and audience-focused. Those wanting to experience piano music with heart, humor, and high tension should see him live: Here, groove meets spirit, virtuosity meets connection – an evening that resonates.

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