Passport, a German jazz ensemble, was formed in 1971 by Klaus Doldinger, a saxophonist. The band's origins trace back to Doldinger's work with his quartet and commercial project Motherhood, which influenced the early lineups of Passport. The group included notable musicians like Udo Lindenberg on drums, Olaf Kübler on saxophone, Jimmy Jackson on organ, and Lothar Meid on bass. Their debut album, Passport, was released in 1971 under Atlantic Records and marked their entry into the music scene. In its early years, Passport achieved success with albums like Looking Thru (1973), Cross Collateral (1975) and Ataraxia (1978). The band underwent several lineup changes throughout the 1970s and 1980s, integrating new members such as Wolfgang Schmid on bass, Kristian Schultze on keyboards, Elmer Louis on percussion and Roy Louis on guitar. Their music evolved to incorporate Latin jazz elements and a more synthesizer-driven sound. Notable albums from this period include Blues Roots (1991) and Down to Earth (1993), the latter of which was awarded Gold in Germany. Passport continued to release albums into the 2000s, including Passport to Paradise (1996), Back to Brazil (2003), Inner Blue (2011), En Route (2015), and Doldinger (2016). Last recording with Doldinger, Motherhood was released in 2020. On October 16, 2025, Klaus Doldinger died at the age of 89.
