Amanda Halgrimson

Andreas Schmidt, born on March 21, 1967, in Berlin, Germany, is a German pianist, singer, and composer. He began piano lessons at age 13 and later received saxophone training. Mentors Aki Takase and Walter Norris encouraged his focus on jazz piano, composition, and arrangement. Schmidt's breakthrough came with the release of Haiku (1995), featuring compositions performed with Jerry Granelli, Rudi Mahall, and Lee Konitz. In 1995, he received a composition grant from the Berlin Senate, leading to collaborations in New York City and the album Berlin, 1999 with Paul Bley and Gary Peacock in 1999. Schmidt has performed with various artists, including the Lisa Bassenge Trio, Katja Riemann, and Ute Lemper, and has regularly appeared at Berlin's A-Trane Jazzclub. He has taught at the University of the Arts in Berlin.