Pascal Niggenkemper

bassist - composer


Described by the New York City Jazz Records as "one of the most adventurous bassists on the scene” and by the Chicago Reader “genius for sound exploration” Franco-German bassist and composer Pascal Niggenkemper creates music bluring the lines between improvised, pure sound, and experimental music with a distinct musical language.

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Pascal Niggenkemper





bassist
composer
performer





















































bio
live
solo
press
albums
contact
projects




︎︎︎︎︎︎︎︎︎




























past projects










ze couch 

 

Ze Couch Series is an apartment series hosted in Brooklyn, NY, in three different apartments in Bushwick, Queens, Park Slope and Flatbush. The idea of these events is to hear different kinds of music in an intimate setting and to share this experience with people of various different backgrounds and nationalities. Guests bring friends and drinks. A suggested donation is requested and all the money goes to the musicians. For each event, we provide food.

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We call this series “Ze Couch” to celebrate a couch we found in Williamsburg and brought home by subway (L train and M train) one night in January 2009. But also because it’s great to seat on a couch and listen to some good live music!

We’re looking forward to seeing you in our living rooms and couches for the next events!!


Today, we have the chance to have four places where we can basically do what we want: Ze Couch 27 (Bushwick),


- Ze Couch 533 (Flatbush), Ze Couch 266 (Park Slope) & Ze Couch 39-25 (Queens).

- Ze Couch 533 Ocean Avenue, Apt 6D Brooklyn, NY. Church (B/Q).

- Ze Couch 27 Arion Place, Apt 416 Brooklyn, NY. Myrtle Ave (J/M/Z).

- Ze Couch 266 St. Marks Ave, Apt 4 Brooklyn, NY 11238. 7th ave (B/Q).

-Ze Couch 39-25 65th St #6B Woodside, NY Queens. (7-train to 61st | E&F-train Roosevelt Ave | M&R-train to 65st).



Ze couch Series wouldn’t exist without Sean & Yan, Pascal & Sofya, Julian & Devlin, Luis & Blandine, Frantz, Cesare, Daniele, and of course all of the contributing musicians and the audience which is growing with every event.


*Special thanks to Banu, Melanie & Virna.

PAST SHOWS:



In 2014

December 14th @ 27 Arion Place

Jack Wright - Saxophone, Zach Darrup - Guitar, Joe Hertenstein - Drums

Carl Testa - Bass

James Ilgenfritz - Bass, Steve Swell - trombone, George Spanos - drums





November 30th @ 533 Ocean Avenue

7:00 Doors & 7:30 Music


Jake & Lisa Sokola - Cello


Kuba Cichocki - Piano


Daniel Levin: Cello & Juan Pablo Carletti - Drums




Ocotber 25th @ 266 St. Marks Ave, Apt 4 Brooklyn, NY 11238


Jen Baker - Trombone


Sam Sowyrda - Hammered Dulcimer


trio: Miguel Mall - Clarinet | Nicolas Lettman - Bass | Art Bailey - Accordion




September 20, 2014 @ 39-25 65th St #6B Woodside, NY Queens.


Crowmeat Bob, Robert Pence (solo saxophones)


Enuma Flux (voice)


Sam Kulik (trombone)




August 30th @ 533 Ocean Avenue, Apt 6D Brooklyn, NY. Church (B/Q)


Michaël Attias (solo saxophone)


Rijard Bergeron (text & film)


Tatsuya Nakatani (solo drums/percussion)




June 29th @ 39-25 65th St #6B Woodside, NY Queens


Anna Weber - sax & Nathaniel Morgan - sax


Paul Pinto - voice


Kaoru Watanabe - flutes & Shane Shanahan - percussion




May 25th @ 533 Ocean Avenue, Apt 6D Brooklyn, NY. Church (B/Q)


Quentin Tolimieri - piano


27 licks: Devin Gray & Gerald Cleaver - drums


Chris Hoffman - cello & Ben Gerstein - trombone


** Alan Bolle’s paintings 'ze couch series' will be exposed **




April 28th, 2014 @ 27 Arion Pl #416, Brooklyn, NY


SOLO NIGHT


Elena Kakaliagou - solo french horn


Booker Stardum - solo drums


Nahtal: Lathan Hardy - solo sax




March 30, 2014 @ 266 St. Marks Ave, Apt 4 Brooklyn, NY 11238


- Mary Halvorson - guitar


- Darius Jones - saxophone & Emilie Lesbros - voice


- Flin van Hemmen & Carlo Costa - drums duo




February 23, 2014 @ 39-25 65th St #6B Woodside, NY Queens.


- tales from Lappland: Rafael Schildt - sax & Eivind Opsvik - bass


- poetical interlude


- Andrew Drury - solo floor tom




JANUARY ZE COUCH FESTIVAL


January 24th, 2014 @ 27 Arion Pl #416, Brooklyn, NY


Stephanie Griffin - viola


Devlin Goldberg - performance


patrick brennan: rōnin phasing - solo saxophone




January 25th, 2014 @ 266 St. Marks Ave, Apt 4, , Brooklyn, NY


Pook - violin


Michael Evans - percussion & Anders Nilson - guitar


Jessica Pavone - viola




January 26th, 2014 @ 533 Ocean Ave #6D, Brooklyn, NY


Jesse Stacken - piano & Patrich Breiner - sax


Jonathan Wood Vincent - piano


Home of Easy Credit:


Louise Dam Eckardt Jensen - sax & Tom Blancarte - bass





In 2013



December 1st, 2013 @ 533 Ocean Ave #6D, Brooklyn, NY


Jake Henry - trumpet & Kenny Warren - trumpet


Steve Dalachinky (poetry)


Jean-Carla Rodea - vocals & Ryan Ferreira - guitar


Michael Foster - sax & Leila Lovell - cello




October 13th @ 27 Arion Pl #416, Brooklyn, NY


Mette Ramussen - (alto sax)


Brandon Seabrook (guitar)


Nicolas Letman-Burtinovic (double bass) - Jeff Shurdut (alto sax)




September 15th, 2013 @ 266 St. Marks Ave, Apt 4, , Brooklyn, NY


Miya Masaoka (koto) & Kenji Nagai (fretless guitar)


Ignacio Rivas Bixio (percussion/electronics)


Jeremiah Cymerman (clarinet) & Frantz Loriot (viola)




August 9th, 2013 @ 39-25 65th St #6B Woodside, NY Queens


Ryan Krause (voice, compositions)

Min Xiao-Fen (solo pipa)

Giacomo Merega (solo electric bass)




July 14th, 2013 @ 27 Arion Pl #416, Brooklyn, NY


David Scanlion girls and god


Kirk Knuffke - trumpet + Brian Drye - trombone


Brad Henkel + Nathaniel Morgan - sound installation




January 13th 2013 @ 39-25 65th St #6B Woodside, NY Queens


- Vartan Mamigonion (Brooklyn) Patrick Breiner (solo sax, voice, etc...)


- Still Sweet (Philadelphia) -Darian Scatton (voice, harp)





In 2012


December 9th, 2012 @ 27 Arion Pl #416, Brooklyn, NY
-YOLT: Nathaniel Morgan (alto sax), Weston Minissali (synthesizer), and David Grollman (snare drum)
- Rita Grollman (poetry reading)


-Twins of El Dorado: Kristin Slipp (vocals) Joe Moffet (trumpet)


Nov. 18th, 2012 @ 533 Ocean Ave #6D, Brooklyn, NY
-Mariel Berger’s “Four Flutes”


Anna Webber, flute

Martha Cargo, flute

Roberta Michel, flute

Kyungmi Lee, flute

Mariel Berger piano/composition

- Kathy Tagg


-In Example: Eliot Cardinaux (piano) and Isaac Luxon (guitar)



October 7th, 2012 @ 266 St. Marks Ave, Apt 4
-Klings: Clara Wyss (alto sax, bassoon), Lea Kori (electronics) and Saychu Rose (cello)
-Vasko Dukowski (clarinet), Daniel Ori (bass) and Dan Nadel (flamenco guitar)

Sept. 9th, 2012 @ 533 Ocean Ave #6D, Brooklyn, NY
-PascAli + Studer/Frey (music for 4 double basses)
--N JETTY M

Brooke Herr & Weston Minissali
-Russ Lossing Trio (w/ Masa Kamaguchi & Billy Mintz)



August 17th, 2012 @ 39-25 65th St #6B, Woodside, NY
-Miriam Atkin (poetry reading)
-Jim Krull (poetry reading)
-Will MvEvoy (solo double bass)





July 22nd, 2012 @ 27 Arion Pl #416, Brooklyn, NY


-Lianne Aharoni (voice) and Dan Nadel (guitar)


-Alessandra Eramo (voice)





June 24th @ 533 Ocean ave, 7:30pm


C. Bus-Violini viola solo


Parias - guitar duo with Luis Ianes-Silva and Daniel Reyes-Llinas (Argentina/Colombia).


Natura Morta - trio with Sean Ali - contrabass, Carlo Costa - drums & Tranz Low Riot - viola.





May 13th @ 533 Ocean ave, 7:30pm


Dustin Carlson solo: guitar, voice


Buckminster with Brad Henkel - trumpet, Nathaniel Morgan - alto sax and Peter Hanson - tenor sax, contrabass clarinet, clarinet, flute and euphonium.





April 8th @ 266 St. Marks Ave, Apt 4 - 6pm


Chris Otto - composition, violin solo + electronics/tape (USA)


Ken Filiano bass solo (USA)


duo Joe Hertenstein - stone table percussion & James Hurt - cirquit bending & feedback (D&USA)





March 11th @ 533 Ocean Avenue - 4:30pm


duo EMIR à 2 with Elie Sorbsel - voice & Patrice Tilesol - guitar  (France).


duo Jürg Wickihalder - saxophones & Fabian Gisler - double bass (CH).


Joachim Herman - piano & Clemens non Papa - bass & Flin van Hemmen - drums (NL).





February 19th @ 266 St. Marks Ave - 4:30pm


Jonas Labhart saxophone solo (CH).


Terry McManus guitar solo (USA).


Cooper-Moore - composer/improviser, instrumentalist, designer and builder of musical instruments (USA).





January 22nd 2012 @ 27 Arion Place


7:30pm - Duo Fung Chern Hwei - violin & Keaton Akins - trumpet (Malaysia/USA).


8:30pm - Duo Josh Deutsch - trumpet & Nico Soffiato - guitar (IT/USA).


9:30pm - Steve Swell trombone solo (USA).








In 2011





December 11th, 2011 @ 266 St. Marks Ave


7:30pm Noah Kaplan - tenor sax (USA)


8:15pm Jason Kao Hwang - violin/viola (USA)


8:45pm Dan Peck - tuba (USA)





November 13th, 2011 @ 275 Ocean Avenue


7:30pm - PascAli: Sean Ali - prepared double bass & Pascal Niggenkemper - prepared double bass (USA/ Germany)


8:20pm - Josh Sinton - amplified contrabass clarinet (USA)


9pm - Duo Shoko Nagai piano with Satoshi Takeishi - drums (Japan)





October 23rd, 2011 @ 27 Arion place


8pm - Duo Yoni Kretzmer - tenor sax & Ben Syversen - trumpet (Israel/USA).


8:45pm - Sarah Bernstein - violin & voice (USA).





July 10th, 2011 @ 275 Ocean Ave.


7:30pm: Brad Henkel - trumpet with Owen Stewart-Robertson - guitar, and Erica Dicker - violin (USA).


8:30pm: Dave Miller - drums & Catherine Sikora - tenor/soprano sax (USA/IR).


9:30pm: Nate Wooley trumpet solo (USA).





June 26th, 2011 @ 266 St. Marks Ave


7:30pm – Hugues Vincent cello solo (F).


8.30pm - Fester with Sean Ali - double bass & David Grollman - snare (USA).





May 15th, 2011 @ 275 Ocean ave.


7:30pm – Billy Mintz drums solo (USA)


8:30pm – Fauré piano quartet Nº1 in C minor, Op.15 with:


Leo Adamov - violin, Mario Gotoh - viola, Egil Rostad - cello, Victoria Schwartzman - piano.


9:30pm – Tonino Miano piano solo (IT).





May 1st @ 27 Arion place


7.30pm - Sabir Mateen saxophones, clarinets, flute solo (USA)


8:30pm - Thomas Heberer trumpet solo (Germany)


9.30pm - Brian Questa double bass solo (USA).





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ZE COUCH SPRING FESTIVAL!


April 8 & 9 & 10.





April 8th @ 27 arion place with


7.30 pm - Duo Coralie Lonfat/Chuck Bettis - laptop  (CH/USA).


8:30pm - Emilie Lesbros voice  solo (F).


9.30pm - Daniel Levin cello solo (USA).





April 9th @ 266 St Marks ave


7.30 pm - Duo Leslie Ross & Sean Meehan (bassoon/snare, USA).


8:30pm - Jeremiah Cymerman clarinet/electronics  solo (USA).


9.30pm - Trio Lesbros, Loriot, Niggenkemper (voice, viola, bass, F).





April 10th @ 275 ocean ave


7.30 pm - Margo Grib - voice, violin, oiano and Daniel Carter - saxophones, flute, trumpet, clarinet (USA).


8:30pm - Jean Carla Roda trio with Elena Moon Park - violin, trumpet and vibraphone tba (USA).





- March 27th @ 27 Arion Place.


Folk/Pop night! with:


7:30pm – Harvey Valdes guitar solo.


8:30pm – John Witherow (USA).





- March 13th @ Luis’ place, 266 St. Marks Ave #4.


7:30pm Carlos Cordeiro – clarinet /visuals (Portugal)


8:30pm Trio Baremboim-Ianes-Carmona (Argentina) with:


Ivan Baremboim-reeds, Luis Ianes- guitar, Jeronimo Carmona- double bass.





Blandine Le Gall – photography (F)








- February 20th @ 275 Ocean ave


7:30pm – Joachim Badenhorst clarinet solo (Belgium).


8:30pm – “Imagenes for female voice and electric guitar” Charlotte Mundy – voice & Daniel Reyes Llinas – guitar (Canada/Colombia).


9:30pm – Trio Jaeger-Gisler-Jaeger (CH)


with Michael Jaeger -sax, David Gisler – guitar & Chris Jaeger – drums.








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- February 13th @ 687 Bushwick ave.


7:30pm – Duo Rash with Bernd Klug – double bass & Meaghan Burke – cello (Austria/USA).


8:30pm – Robin Verheyen  sax solo (Belgium).








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- January 30th @ 27 Arion place


7:30pm – Kath Buckell – voice, guitar & Hadar Noiberg – flute (Australia/Israel).


8:30pm – Darius Jones – sax & Ben Gerstein – trombone (USA).





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- January 16th @ 275 Ocean ave.


7:30pm – Yukari – flute & Carlo Costa – drums (Japan/IT).


8:30pm – Todd Neufeld – guitar solo (USA).





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In 2010





- December 12th @ 275 Ocean ave.


7:30pm – Jon Goldberger – electric guitar & Juan Pablo Carletti – drums + Mikko Innanen – sax (USA/ARG/Finland).


8:30pm – piano duo, 4 hands of Samuel Barber “souvenirs” with Sofya Melikyan & Haik Arsenyan – piano (Armenia).





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- November 28th @ 687 Bushwick ave.


7:30pm – Matthias Erian – electronics (Austria).


8:30pm – Duo Simon Jermyn – bass & Ingrid Laubrock – sax (Irland/Germany).





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- November 14th @ 27 Arion place # 416)


7:30pm – Garth Stevenson – double bass (Canada).


8:30pm – Annie (USA).





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- ZE COUCH FALL FESTIVAL -


October 22d, 23d & 24th:





22d (687 Bushwick ave, apt 2)


7:30pm – Joachim Junghanss – electronics (Germany).


8:30pm – Jon Irabagon – sax & Mike Pride – drums (USA).





23d (275 Ocean ave, apt 2)


7:30pm – Devin Gray – drums (USA).


8:30pm – Denman Maroney – piano solo (USA).


9:30pm – Adam Matta – beatbox & Nihan Devecioglu – vocal (USA/Turkey).





24th (27 arion place #416 brooklyn)


7:30pm – Chris Hoffman cello solo (USA).


8:30 – Ryan Ferreira guitar solo (USA).





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- June 20th – Special Winds.


1)Trio Chris DiMeglio (trumpet)/Ben Gerstein (trombone)/Sandra Weiss (bassoon). (USA/CH).


2) Jonathan Moritz (soprano, tenor sax) solo (USA).


3) Joachim Badenhorst (clarinets/tenor sax)/Louise Dam Eckhardt Jenssen (sax) duo (Belgium/Denmark).





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- May 23d – Special Percussion night.


1) Juan Pablo Carletti (Argentina) & Pascal Niggenkemper (Germany) : duo Drums & double bass.


2) Mathias Kunzli (CH) solo : percussion


3) Aida Shahghasemi (Iran) solo : Daf





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- April 25th – “Strings Evening”


1) Seth Woods solo (cello) – USA


2) Ginko Narayana string trio (FRA-IT)


with : Silvia Tarozzi – violin, FL – viola & Deborah Walker – cello.


3) Pascal Niggenkemper solo (doublebass) – Germany.





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- March 28th – “GUITAR EVENING”


1) Ryan Mackstaller solo (guitar) – USA.


2) Daniel Reyes Llinas & Luis Carlos Ianes (guitar) – Colombia/Argentina.


3) Julian Sachs solo (guitar/voice) – USA.





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- January the 16th @ 8pm.


1st set : Yukari Watanabe Solo (flutes) – Japan.


2d set : trio James Ilgenfritz (bass), Mikko Innanen (sax) & FL (viola) – USA/Finland/FR.


3d set : Justin Grey (guitar, keyboard, voice) – USA.





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In 2009





- July the 11th @ 8pm.


1st set : Yukari (flute) & Frantz Loriot (viola) – Japan/FR.


2d set : Michael Attias solo (sax) – USA


3d set : Sam Kulik (trombone) & Amie Weiss (violin) – USA





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- June the 20th @ 8pm


1st set : Trio with James Ilgenfritz (bass), Ingrid Laubrock (sax), F.L. (viola) – USA/Germany/FR.


Free, improvised music.


2d set : Duo Joachim Badenhorst (clarinets) / Pascal Niggenkemper (bass) – Belgium/Germany.





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- April 19th :


1st set : Cesare Baccheschi trio


2d set : Zaha


with Evan Mazunik (conducting), Eric J. Eigner (percussion), Justin Wood (alto sax), Ryan Kotler (bass), Gil Selinger (cello), Jean-Brice Godet (clarinets), FL (viola).





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- March 1st :


1st Set : Hora trio + JBG


Evan Mazunik (accordeon), Jay Foote (bass), Frantz Loriot (viola) + Jean-Brice Godet (clarinets) – USA/FR


2d set : Matt Bauer – USA


with the Foote bro