Oliver Lutz, born in Hanau in 1986, took drum lessons at the age of ten. His teacher sensed that the pupil's enthusiasm could not be satisfied with rehearsed sequences of notes, gave them both the space to have a conversation with drums and cymbals and realized that the boy had jazz in his blood. This was the start of a musical journey that led him from the saxophone and self-taught guitar to the bass, where rhythm and melody were united in one instrument - it was magical and he wanted more.

He first studied at the Mannheim University of Music, refined his electric and double bass playing technique and after three years transferred to the Cologne University of Music. There he found a fertile environment and matured as an artist.

With his quartet "RE: CALAMARI", he released his fifth album as a bandleader in 2025. His melody-driven songs and compositions are bursting with multi-layered, powerful textures. Oliver Lutz is an explorer, a sound researcher - his bass playing releases energy and opens up new spaces in collaboration with his colleagues. The F.A.Z. hears a "recognizably unique sound".

In addition to his own projects, Oliver Lutz is a sideman with "SALOMEA" - hip hop, electronic music and avant-garde interwoven into a genre of its own. 2024 saw the release of the third album "GOOD LIFE" by the "Working Band", whose music is created while making and touring.

The pulse of the times sets the pace for this musical experiment. SALOMEA's sound is pure presence.

Oliver Lutz has worked with international jazz greats such as Pablo Held, Joachim Kühn, Seamus Blake, David Binney, Donny McCaslin and Gary Husband. He has performed in Canada, Chile, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and numerous European countries, and has made guest appearances at "Enjoy Jazz", the "Leverkusener Jazztage", the "Copenhagen Jazz Festival", the "Edinburgh Jazz Festival" and the world-famous "Montreaux Jazz Festival", among others.

Discography

Oliver Lutz "CALAMARI Fantasy" - KLAENGrecords 2025

SALOMEA "GOOD LIFE" - Papercup Records 2024

Oliver Lutz Trio "UTOPIA" - bandcamp.com 2024

Alex Parzhuber Trio Float Music 2024

Christoph Möckel Trio "Mantra" KLAENGrecords 2023

Oliver Lutz "RE: CALAMARI 2" KLAENGrecords 2023

Oliver Lutz "RE: CALAMARI" KLAENGrecords 2020

SALOMEA "Bathing in Flowers" ENJA/ Yellowbird 2020

Maik Krahl 4tett feat. Seamus Blake, "Fraction" Challenge Records 2020

Bad Stream "Sonic Healing" Antime 2020

2 grand pianos "Weihnachtsbestzeit II" 2 grand pianos 2020

Mike Krahl Quartet Jazzthing - Next Generation 2019

Salomea KLAENGrecords 2018

Louis Stapleton Trio Independent Release 2017

Offshore "Preen" KLAENGrecords 2017

Makkro "Why" KLAENGrecords 2016

Oliver Lutz "Poolparty" KLAENGrecords 2016

Janus "A riot of old men" 2015

Peter Weiß "The Good View" Jazzsick 2015

Maxime Bender Quartet "Path of Decision" La Borie 2014

Lucas Leidinger Quintet "Daydream Visions" Fuhrwerk Musik 2014

Offshore Quintet "Rootville" Double Moon Records 2014

Oliver Lutz Quartet "SIGNAL" UNIT Records 2014

Offshore Quintet "Côte de Cologne" Double Moon Records 2013

MAKKRO "Räume" Fuhrwerk Musik 2013

Samuel Harfst "Step back" Gerth Medien 2012

Bellbird "Transmitter" Whirlpool 2012

Florian Fleischer Quintett "Verzücken" Neuklang 2011

Besaxung "Hotzenwald" Berthold Records 2011