Bio:

Cologne based guitarist Martin Schulte (*1979) is one of the most asked-for guitar players of the jazz scene in Western Germany. With his guitar rifts, this “brilliant instrumentalist” (Westdeutsche Zeitung), traverses the spaces between modern jazz, rock and funk.

Born in Duisburg, Martin Schulte has quickly become an important part of the dynamic Cologne jazz scene. His much appreciated presence comes from his ability to be free with musical style, his deep feel for improvisation and his dexterity in moving between tension, intensity and relaxation. Forming his own musical style gained important impetus not only through his study of jazz guitar at the Hochschule fuer Musik und Tanz in Cologne, but also from lessons by international jazz celebrities such as John Abercrombie, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Hiram Bullock, Wayne Krantz, Peter Berstein and Ben Monder who says about Martin Schulte when he heard him playing the first time in New York: “He impressed me immediately as an extremely talented guitarist. I highly recommend him.“

In 2003 Martin Schulte spent 12 months at the Escola de Musica de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, on the ERASMUS scholarship programme. Starting in summer 2009 his next year abroad was studying “Performing Arts” in Queens College at the New York City University with the support of a scholarship from the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service).
In New York he recorded his album "Martin Schulte NY Quartet - Pieces of Astoria". Chris Robinson writes in DOWNBEAT: "The quartet’s performances (...) sound effortless and completely natural. Schulte leaves the listener wanting more."
Since 2012 he is teaching at the Music Conservatory in Saarbrücken, Germany.

Education

	Artist Diploma at the "Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Köln"
	Music Education Diploma at the "Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Köln"
	Socrates-Erasmus-Exchange Year at the "Escola Superior de Musica de Catalunya", Barcelona, Spain
	Concert Diploma ("Konzertexamen")
	Master of Music, Composition/Arrangement
	Master of Performance at the Queens College, New York City

Lessons and Workshops with Werner Neumann, Paul Bollenback, Ben Monder, Peter Bernstein, John Abercrombie, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Wayne Krantz, Hiram Bullock u.a.

Prizes

1995	3rd Prize for Jazz Guitar at the Competition "Jugend Jazzt" NRW
1996	3rd Prize for a composition at the competition "Jugend komponiert"
1997	1st Prize for Jazz Guitar at the Competition "Jugend Jazzt" NRW for playing with an own group
1999	1st Prize for Jazz Guitar at the Competition "Jugend Jazzt" NRW as soloist
2003	Winner of the Jazz-Prize of the "LAG-Jazz",
2005	Best international Newcomer-Band at the Festival "Jazz an der Donau" with the band "Oktoposse"
2005	Best international Newcomer-Band at the International Jazz Competition Granada, Spain, with the band "Oktoposse"
2006	1st Prize at the Competition "Biberacher Jazz-Preis" with the Band "Mumble Jumble"
2006	2nd Prize at the Hoilaart Jazz Competition, Belgium, with the "Magnus Mehl Quintett"
2009	German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Full Scholarship to do the master of performance program at the Queens College, New York City