Maryland Jazz Band Of Cologne

Biography

The Maryland Jazz Band of Cologne is a long‑running German traditional jazz ensemble founded in 1959 in the Cologne region by brothers Peter Colditz (clarinet) and Rüdiger Colditz (cornet) as a student band devoted to New Orleans–style jazz.[1][2] Initially active until 1967, the group built its reputation in Germany as one of the earliest ensembles to specialize in classic New Orleans repertoire at a time when modern jazz styles were becoming more dominant.[1] In 1975 the band was re‑formed in Kerpen, near Cologne, with the original members; at this point trombonist Gerhard “Doggy” Hund took over as leader and would guide the band’s musical direction and activities for four decades.[1]

Under Hund’s leadership, the Maryland Jazz Band of Cologne developed into one of Germany’s most prominent New Orleans jazz bands, known for a traditional seven‑piece lineup and an authentic, swinging style rooted in the pre‑war New Orleans ensemble tradition.[1][4] From the mid‑1990s the group cultivated a close relationship with the city of New Orleans, traveling there regularly around Easter between 1996 and 2014, performing at events including the French Quarter Festival and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and being named honorary citizens of New Orleans in 1994.[1] In line with Hund’s wishes after his death in 2015, the band officially changed its name in early 2016 to New Orleans Jazz Band of Cologne, continuing its activities with a slightly altered lineup while preserving its traditional New Orleans sound.[1][2][4]

The band’s musical style centers on ensemble‑based New Orleans jazz, featuring collective improvisation, a repertoire of classic tunes, and collaborations with veteran New Orleans musicians.[1][4] Over the decades it has appeared widely at European festivals such as JazzAscona (Switzerland) and Jazz Davos Klosters (Switzerland), organized the “Internationale Jazznacht” in Kerpen, and released numerous recordings, including live sessions with noted New Orleans guests like Louis Nelson, Percy Humphrey, Sing Miller, and others.[1] Celebrated as one of the oldest German bands in the New Orleans style, it marked its 65th anniversary in 2024, underlining its legacy as a key ambassador for traditional New Orleans jazz in Germany and beyond.[1][4]

Fun Facts

• The band was founded as a student group in 1959 by brothers Peter and Rüdiger Colditz, making it one of the earliest German ensembles devoted specifically to New Orleans–style traditional jazz.[1]
• In 1994 the members of the Maryland Jazz Band of Cologne were named honorary citizens of New Orleans, recognizing their contribution to promoting the city’s music abroad.[1]
• Between 1996 and 2014 the band traveled with fans and friends to New Orleans roughly every two years around Easter, performing at local venues and festivals, including the French Quarter Festival and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.[1]
• According to the band, the post‑2016 name "New Orleans Jazz Band of Cologne" was adopted explicitly to honor the wish of their late leader Gerhard "Doggy" Hund and to underline their deep connection to New Orleans jazz traditions.[1][4]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Classic New Orleans jazz tradition - Primary stylistic influence; the band was founded specifically as a Traditional Jazz band in the New Orleans style and has consistently modeled its sound on classic New Orleans ensemble playing and repertoire. (Live and studio albums such as "Streets of the City" (1979) and festival performances in New Orleans and Europe that focus on classic New Orleans standards.) [1959–present]

Key Collaborators

• Gerhard "Doggy" Hund - Trombonist and long‑time bandleader who directed the group’s musical activities, organized tours and festivals, and shaped its New Orleans‑focused profile after the 1975 re‑formation. (Leadership on numerous concerts and recordings issued under Maryland Jazz Band of Cologne, including festival appearances and collaborations with New Orleans guest musicians.) [1975–2015]
• Louis Nelson - New Orleans trombonist who appeared as a featured guest with the Maryland Jazz Band of Cologne, contributing authentic New Orleans phrasing and repertoire. (Album "Maryland Jazzband Featuring Louis Nelson & Jon Marks: On Tour" and other concert collaborations.[1]) [1980s (exact recording year as documented on band discography)[1]]
• Percy Humphrey - New Orleans trumpeter who collaborated with the band as a featured soloist, reinforcing its close connection to New Orleans traditions. (Album "Jazz in Schloß Gracht feat. Percy Humphrey" (1987).[1]) [1980s[1]]
• Sing Miller & Sam Lee - New Orleans pianist/singer (Sing Miller) and tenor saxophonist (Sam Lee) who guested with the band, bringing Preservation Hall–era New Orleans jazz directly into its recordings. (Album "Maryland Jazz Band of Cologne at the 'Streckstrump' feat. Sing Miller & Sam Lee" (1988).[1]) [Late 1980s[1]]
• Various New Orleans guest musicians (e.g., Ken Colyer, Thomas Jefferson, Wallace Davenport, Alvin Alcorn, Sylvia Kuumba Williams, Michael White, Craig Klein, Tricia Boutté, Sammy Rimington) - A broad roster of New Orleans and traditional jazz musicians who performed and recorded with the band, cementing its status as a bridge between German traditional jazz and the New Orleans scene. (Multiple concert collaborations, European festival appearances, and recordings listed in the band’s history, including later albums such as "Shake that Thing (Live)" and "Song of New Orleans" with Tricia Boutté.[1][4]) [1970s–2010s[1][4]]

Artists Influenced

• German and European New Orleans‑style traditional jazz bands (general) - As one of the oldest and most visible German bands dedicated to New Orleans jazz, the group has served as a model for sustaining a traditional repertoire, organizing festivals like the Internationale Jazznacht, and building long‑term links to the New Orleans scene; this has encouraged other European ensembles to pursue similar projects. (Influence is reflected in festival culture (e.g., JazzAscona, Jazz Davos Klosters) and in the adoption of New Orleans repertoire and guest‑artist collaborations by later European traditional jazz groups.[1][4]) [1970s–present]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. I'm Walking (Walking to New Orleans)
2. Let The Four Winds Blow (New Orleans 'Yea Yea' Breakdown)
3. Sheik of Araby (Walking to New Orleans)
4. Let's All Go Down to New Orleans (Let's All Go Down to New Orleans)
5. Easter Parade (Walking to New Orleans)
6. (When It's) Sleepy Time Down South (Let's All Go Down to New Orleans)
7. I Still Get Jealous (Let's All Go Down to New Orleans)
8. C'est Si Bon (Let's All Go Down to New Orleans)
9. Down In Honky Tonk Town (New Orleans 'Yea Yea' Breakdown)
10. Blue Monday (New Orleans 'Yea Yea' Breakdown)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia