Rainer Heute was born in Stuttgart in 1962. He started studying the Clarinet with Otto Konhäusner of the National Theater Mannheim at the age of 13 and began playing the saxophone at the age of 18. After a period of auto-didactic learning, he attended clinics with Bobby Watson, Dave Liebman and Sal Nistico. Since 1984 he has been working as freelance musician in jazz big bands such as the Bigband 70 from Mannheim, Rainer Pusch Bigband (production with Art Farmer) and the Frankfurt Jazz Big Band. In 1988 he went on a tour to Africa with the „Hessisches Landesjugendjazzorchester“, the Jazz Youth Orchestra of the German county Hessen. For their CD „Kicks & Sticks“ with Bill Ramsey, Jiggs Whigham, Sylvia Droste they received the music award „Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik“. He went on tour with Bob Mintzer and Art Farmer and produced CD’s with the Thilo Berg Bigband, feat. Barbara Morrison, Slide Hampton a. o. From 1987 until 1991 he studied saxophone, composing and arranging at the Swiss Jazz School with Andy Scherrer, Sal Nistico and Joe Haider. Since 1989 he has been freelancing with the Big Band and Orchestra of „Hessischer Rundfunk“ (German radio station). He played with Louie Bellson, Bob Florence, Lex Jasper, Don Menza, Anthony Jackson, Terry Lyne Carrington, Maria Schneider, Eddie Daniels and Arturo Sandoval. Between 1990 and 1992 he went on tours with Joe Haider – Don Menza Tentett (w/ Benny Bailey, Eric van Lier, Joe Romano, T. Stabenow, W. Haffner, John Schroeder, H. Breuer), and through Europe and Japan with soul singer Chaka Khan & Zebra (tv „Ohne Filter Spezial“) . |
In 1992 he went on tour with Joe Haider and the SJS Anniversary Band and with „Peanuts Hucko and the Young Generation of Swing“, an American-European All Star Band with Howard Alden, Dan Barrett, Randy Sandke, Harry Allen (2 live CD’s). He cooperated with the „Pepe Lienhard Band“ and the „Züricher Tonhallenorchester“ for a planned tv production with Sinnead O’Connor. |
In 1993 he founded the „Frankfurt Saxophon Quintett“. The ensemble played at the „Mannheim Jazz Days“ and produced compositions and arrangements for „Hessischer Rundfunk“. He went on a tour through Switzerland and Italy with Pepe Lienhard and Hazy Osterwald (several tv productions). From 1993 until 2000 he has been member of the SDR (now SWR) Big Band in Stuttgart, playing with Bill Holman, Manny Albam, Frank Foster, Gloria Gaynour, Paul Kuhn, Max Greger, Horst Jankowski, Slide Hampton (Grammy nomination 2003), Buddy de Franco, Clark Terry, Peter Herbolzheimer, Dieter Reith.
In 1994 he recorded the CD „Music we like“, gave concerts and made recordings with the R. Heute – L. Nuß Quintett, playing compositions of both band leaders. He also played a concert with the SDR Big Band in the world famous Opera of Manaus, Brazil.
From 1994 until 2004 he has been teaching at the Mannheim Conservatory and was also the director of the school’s Jazz Orchestra.
He is the leader of the Lampertheim Big Band (since 1998 known under the name: LA Reed Big Band).
In 1996 he played with the Köln Musik Big Band, direction Jerry van Rooyen, the SDR Big Band, and the NDR Big Band, the Dieter Reith Combo and the Swiss All Star Band „The Royal Jubilee Swing Band“ (they later played for King Bhumibol and the Royal Family in Thailand).
In 1997 he organized the salsa concert series „Salsa Mortal“, played with the Thilo Wolf Big Band and Illenois Jacquet Big Band, recorded the CD „7 Cordas“ with Zeca de Oliveira and contributed to the multimedia show „Lady Be Good“ about Ella Fitzgerald.
1998 – 1999 he he has been teaching flute/jazz at the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz. He holds various lectureships and has given master classes (saxophone and big band).
In 1999 he founded the swing band „Sultans of Swing“, recorded CD’s and played concerts with the hr Big Band feat. Eddie Daniels, Maria Schneider, Greetje Kauffeld, Georgie Fame.
1997 – 2006 he has also been member of the soul band „Midnight Movers“ that played more than 500 concerts at the „Cotton Club“ a. o. in Kaiserslautern.
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