Rainer Trendelenburg

Rainer Trendelenburg is a bassist and co-founder of the Freiburg Blues Association e.V.His first experiences on the piano were influenced by his Chilean grandmother – Claudio Arrau’s piano coach – and he took part in his first recordings as a member of the school choir. At 14 he switched to the guitar and played in various youth and school bands.

At the „Heidelberger Bigband“ he met the drummer Berthold Blau and founded the funk rock group „Stout“ with him. Among other things, „Stout“ were also openers for Luther Allisson and Scrifis and, with up to 75 concerts a year, were a much sought-after band in southern Germany and Switzerland. „Stout“ became „The Soulutions“ and 16 years of successful band history with numerous concerts, among others with the blues legend Sidney „Guitar Crusher“ Selby.

During this period, Rainer Trendelenburg recorded two CDs as a guitarist with many guest musicians. Inspired by Tino Gonzales, Rainer Trendelenburg switched to bass in 2015 and founded the BlueFunk Sessions. As a bassist, he invites different guests to play different themes such as southern rock, Motown, new wave, Nina Simone, Ray Charles, Sly & The Family Stone, Tom Waits or Zappa.

Rainer Trendelenburg also plays bass in the new wave band „Fun Enough“ and „Dave“, the blues rock project by David Franki.

He made his first CD/vinyl as a bassist and producer, „BlueFunk presents Donata Chiari“, for the outstanding singer from Bologna, Italy. All of the pieces are first releases and excellent musicians were brought in for songwriting and recording.

Freiburger Blues Assocition e.V.

The Freiburger Blues Association e.V. is a registered association based in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, dedicated to promoting and cultivating the blues and blues-based musical styles. The association was founded to support and revitalize the music scene in the region. Here are some of the main activities and goals of the association:

1. Organizing concerts and events: The association organizes around 45 concerts annually to provide a platform for local and international artists.
2. Promoting young artists: The association supports young talent through workshops, youth culture evenings and performance opportunities.
3. Membership and community: The Freiburger Blues Association e.V. offers a community for live music lovers, musicians and fans. Everyone can participate in association events, exchange ideas and network.
4. Collaboration with other organizations: The association cooperates with other music and cultural associations as well as with public institutions to realize joint projects and expand the reach of the blues heritage.

The association plays an important role in Freiburg’s cultural scene and helps to keep the blues and the music styles that have emerged from it, such as R&B, Soul, Funk, alive and relevant as a musical genre.

The concerts of the Freiburg Blues Association e.V. mainly take place in the historic vaulted cellar of the Hotel Schiff, Schwarzwaldstrasse 82, 79102 Freiburg.

My very first performance as a bass player in 2015 at the Waldsee restaurant in Freiburg – the birth of BlueFunk