Merle Bennett

Merle Bennett, born in 1974, gathered a variety of musical experiences in her home town of Hamburg by playing with many different musicians in as many different genres as possible. She then decided to concentrate in the fields of experimental/improvisation and worked during the nineties with the touring contemporary dance ensemble contact 17.

She studied Jazz and popular music through the „Kontaktstudiengang“ at the Hamburg conservatory of music. Moving to Berlin, she decided to study Jazz and Popular music at the Hans Eisler Hochschule für Musik which she then supplemented in 2008 with elementary musicpedagogy.

Merle Bennett has worked as a holistic bodybased therapist (Panterei) since 2014. In 2020 she received the official healers permission for alternative medicine and carries the titel „Heilpraktiker“.

From 2004 to 2016 she lead the record label schraum in cooperation with Axel Haller and Torsten Papenheim.

Releases:

rant „to raise hell as we go along“ (2019 Unit)
Rico Lee &The Black Pumas (2018 Mamasweed Records)
rant „margo flux“ (2015 schraum)
rant „land“ (2011 schraum)
Erik&Me „Versteck“ (2011 Revolver)
Orchester der Schatten „SKI – Serie Krimi International“ (2010, Eichborn/Funkhaus Europa)
Erik&Me „Hundertsechzig Zeichen“ (2008 Madunsky Records)
„Berlin Improv Sampler“ (2007 Japan Improv)
rant „a direct sensuous pleasure” (2006 schraum)
Orchester der Schatten „Der Ruf des Dämon“ (2004 Eichborn/Lido)
„Labor-CD” [Sampler] (2004 Charhizma)
rant „seumsund/sundseum“ (2004 schraum)

Torsten Papenheim

Torsten Papenheim was born in 1980 in Niedersachsen and has lived in Berlin since 2000. He works as a composer, guitar player and music teacher and is primarily concerned with the combination and juxtaposition of melody and sound. Papenheim studied guitar and composition with private teachers in Göttingen, Hanover and Cologne.

His music can be heard on numerous records, he played concerts and festivals in Germany and all over Europe. As a perfomrming artist he is mainly touring with rant and his quartet Tru Cargo Service.
Apart from those two ensembles he is also playing solo concerts and has recently established two new groups: Karm (with Prague-based saxophone player Michal Wroblewski) and a Duke-Ellington-project together with Daniel Kartmann, percussionist from Stuttgart.

Apart from writing for his own ensembles, Papenheim writes chamber music for different line-ups e.g. his works „Nachtprogramm“ (trombone, bass, piano. Cologne 2017), „Syntax Zwei“ (cello and bass. Vienna, 2013), „BT N RS“ (french horn, harp, piano. Helsinki 2013).

From 2004 to 2016 he lead the record label „schraum“ in cooperation with Axel Haller and Merle Bennett.

Releases:

Karm „Kram“ (2022 Ma Records)
Torsten Papenheim „Hellerau“ (2021 Creative Sources)
Tru Cargo Service „Dear Passengers“ (2020 Tiger Moon)
Torsten Papenheim „tracking / racking“ (2019 Tanuki)
rant „to raise hell as we go along“ (2019 Unit)
rant „margo flux“ (2015 schraum)
rant „land“ (2011 schraum)
Torsten Papenheim „Some of the things we could be“ (2009 schraum)
Torsten Papenheim „mülheim an der ruhr“ (2007 flashbox)
rant „a direct sensuous pleasure” (2006 schraum)
rant „seumsund/sundseum“ (2004 schraum)
kainkwatett „kainkwatett“ (2004 schraum)