Biography
The group SHIVANANDA was founded 1973 by Kurt Baebi, one of the most succsessful Live-Bands of the time. SHIVANANDA celebrated the Jazzrock, the upcoming music style of the decade developing towards a soon zenith. Numerous tours all over Europe as well as performances at international festivals and Radio/TV broadcasts testified together with the three recorded albums on the fabulous homogeneity of the sound colours, founding the Bands unique reputation.
Shivananda Band von 1977-1981:
Walter Keiser: Drums, Peter Keiser: Bass, Carlo Milan: Percussion/Guitars, Chico Hablas: Guitars, Roberto Biagini: Saxes, Larry Schneider: Saxes, Kurt Baebi: Keyboards. Keyboarder, pianist and composer Kurt Baebi was born on Oct. 25, 1943 in Luzern Switzerland.
At the Jazzschule Luzern he studied piano, notation and composition. In 1974 he formed the legendary band Shivananda, which until 1984 held a top position inthe jazz-rock scene in Europe. Many extended tours, three albums and numerous international festival- and tv-appear-ances gained the band their singular reputation.
In the studio-scene, Kurt Baebi was much in demand as a key- boarder, sounddesigner and keyboard programmer. For the third Shivananda album «COMEBACK» he acted as producer, engineer, bandleader, composer and musician. From 1989 until 2006 Kurt Baebi, for his label CSST Production, produced six solo CDs as composer, arranger and musician under his own name. As a producer, guest-musician, sounddesigner or keyboard- technician he was involved in various kinds of international studio-, tv-, movie- and live-productions.
Studio-Productions:
SAGA / EUROPE / STRANGE WAYS / GIORGIO MORODER CHICO HABLAS / JOE ZAWINUL / UDO JUERGENS / RENATO ANSELMI / BO KATZMANN / KEISER TWINS / PHIL CARMEN etc.
TV-Productions:
SHIVANANDA / PHIL CARMEN / STEVE GADD / CURT CRESS IAN BAIRNSON / STANLEY CLARKE / HERMANN WEINDORF etc.
Festivals:
MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL / ANTWERPEN JAZZ FESTIVAL SAN SEBASTIAN JAZZ FESTIVAL / PARIS MUSIC FESTIVAL LE CASTELLET FESTIVAL RIVIERA / ZUERICH JAZZ FESTIVAL etc.
Live-Productions, Events:
JOE ZAWINUL SYNDICATE / BILL EVANS / BLUESMAX ERNIE WATTS / SCREAMIN’ JAY HAWKINS / M. BADRENA EDDIE HARRIS FUNK PROJECT / THE BOBBY BIRD SHOW BRIAN BROMBERG GROUP / TERRY AND THE HOT SOX’S AND ALL BECAUSE THE LADY LOVES / SWEET / JUST TWO ANDREAS VOLLENWEIDER / HAENS’CHE WEISS ENSEMBLE LES McCANN & HIS MAGIC BAND / GIORGIO CONTE TRIO WALTER WOLFMAN WASHINGTON / BILLY COBHAM BAND SCOTT HENDERSON / RONALD MULDROW / GARRY WILLIS GERALD VEASLEY / HAZY OSTERWALD SHOW / ZUERI WEST MAX LAESSER’S ARK / THE END / BENNY REHMANN SHOW / TRILOK GURTU - JOE ZAWINUL etc.
Kurt Baebi’s sensitive electronic music takes you to a spherical dimension – Sound designs that vividly reflect the composer’s world-spanning impressions and experiences. His five solo albums feature very straightforward song structures and a distinct mix of jazzy, far-eastern pop and African influences enrich Baebi’s wide spectrum of compositions.
Baebi is a Techno enthusiast who primarily uses electronic instruments to constantly expand his sound spectrum with the latest available technologies.
His past as a jazz musician influences his compositions very strongly and that’s why he orchestrates and produces his collages of sounds with a strong aim for perfection.
MOONRIVER, SOUTH IMPRESSIONS, INDONESIA, ALL BECAUSE OF YOU and his latest creation MAGIC WINDOWS create a relaxed atmosphere and mark clearly a highlight in the electronic music scene.
Discographie:
"CROSS NOW" Shivananda 1977 Gnome Records
"SHIVANANDA LIVE" 1977 Produced by Radio Suisse Romande
"HEADLINES" Shivananda 1979 Gnome Records
"COMEBACK" Shivananda 1983 CSST Productions
"MOONRIVER" Kurt Baebi 2003 CSST Productions
"SOUTH IMPRESSIONS" Kurt Baebi 2004 CSST Productions
"ALL BECAUSE OF YOU" Kurt Baebi 2005 CSST Productions
"INDONESIA" Kurt Baebi 2006 CSST Productions
"MAGIC WINDOWS" Kurt Baebi 2008 CSST Productions
Technical Equipment:
LOGIC PRO, EXS24 mkII, ES1, ES2, EVOC20, EVP88, ATMOSPHERE, ALBINO, PLUGSOUND, SC-88
Keyboards:
ARP 2600, ARP ODYSSEY, ARP QUADRA, ROLAND D-50, ROLAND D-550, ROLAND JUPITER, ROLAND MKS-20, OBERHEIM 8 VOICE, FENDER RHODES 88, KORG TRINITY, PPG WAVE 2, E-MU 2000 WORLD, YAMAHA DX-7, ROLAND R 8-M, ROLAND TR-808