Franz Koglmann

Most of the recordings of award-winning modern composer, trumpeter, and flügelhorn player Franz Koglmann (and of his works) can be found on the Hat labels (Hat Art, Hat Hut, etc.), although this may change since Koglmann founded his own label, Between the Lines, in 1999.

Born near Vienna in 1947, Koglmann learned to play the trumpet and flügelhorn and, by 1973, had founded his first record label, Pipe Records, which released a few albums by Steve Lacy and Bill Dixon. In 1972 and 1976, Koglmann won the Music Award of the City of Vienna. His album Opium/For Franz came out on Pipe Records in 1976. From the mid-'70s through the mid-'80s, he was a member of the Improvising Music Orchestra, in addition to performing in other groups, including the Reform Art Unit (RAU) in the mid- to late '70s and pianist Georg Graewe's Grubenklangorchester for a couple of years in the early '80s. In 1983, Koglmann founded the Chamber Jazz Emsembles Pipetet, whose debut recording, Schlaf Schlemmer, Schlaf Magritte, came out on the Hat Art label the following year. Not too long after this, Koglmann began to focus on composing.

He received the Music Award of the Republic of Austria for his compositions in 1987, a state grant two years later, and, in 1990, enjoyed the debut performance of his works in Vienna. The following year, Koglmann was lauded by Wire magazine and in 1992 received the Music Award of Lower Austria. The Hat label released other Koglmann albums during this time, including The Use of Memory (Hat Art). His Diapasson (on the French label Disque d'Or) was also voted Record of the Year by the London Times in the early '90s. Melange de la Promenade came out in 1993, as did one of his major works for Hat Art, Cantos I-IV. Works by Franz Koglmann were performed at Wien Modern 1994 in Cologne, at major festivals in Canada, and at the Knitting Factory in N.Y.C. in 1995. The Austrian composer also received a second state grant in 1995. Commissioned for the 1997 Vienna Festival, Koglmann composed "Ein Heller, Lichter, Schöner Tag." This year also brought the release of O Moon My Pin-Up, which won the Composers' Award from the Erste Österreichischen Sparcasse.

In 1998, Austrian group Klangforum Wien debuted his work "Don't Play, Just Be," and the following year, Koglmann recorded the first album for his new Frankurt-based label Between the Lines. The album, entitled Make Believe, featured Koglmann on trumpet and flügelhorn, along with reeds player Tony Coe, guitarist Brad Shepik, and more, performing originals by Koglmann with the exception of the title track by Jerome Kern. Over the years, Koglmann has performed and recorded with renowned improvisers such as guitarist Derek Bailey, saxophonist Lee Konitz (We Thought About Duke Hat Hut, 1995), and pianist Paul Bley. By 2000, Franz Koglmann still resided in the city of his birth.