Biografi

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Stephan Grabowski grew up in Denmark and kenya. He started playing the drums at the age of 10 in kenya, while listening to the tribal drums from the villages in the mountains every night.

He is an experienced composer and musician. A songwriter, theatre composer, drummer, singer, producer, arranger.- and a skilled lyricist as well.

He has made a string of highly acclaimed albums in his own name, worked at large theatre productions as “The Bollywood Trip”, “The Falling Man”, “Ring af ild”, and has written the croon album “Konger for en aften” for DRUO ,-the national radio & television orchestra, (that sadly is no more).

Since 2007 he has worked internationally with top musicians and partners in: Mumbai,- India, / London,- UK, / Addis Abeba,- Ethiopia, / Islambad,- Pakistan.

–  This was something that started around his 5´th solo CD: “Bombay Feber” in 2007, but really took speed with the album and theatre show “The Bollywood Trip“,- and since with the danish/Pakistani band Rocqawali, as well as african blues recordings in Ethiopia for the political EP and theatre show “The Falling Man”. “The Bollywood Trip” was recorded with a string of A.R Rahman´s amazing musicians in Mumbai, as well as people in denmark such as Waqas Ali Quadri from the band “Outlandish”. (A.R Rahman has received 2 Hollywood Oscars for his music for “Slumdog Millionaire”, and he is the biggest Bollywood composer).

As a producer Stephan recently produced the sophisticated jazz/pop debut for Nanne Emilie with: “Once upon a town”, – an album that she is currently enjoying a lot of succes with in Germany. In the same period he also co-produced the strong come-back album of danish pop legend Nanna with : “Nødigt, men dog gerne”.

Through the years Stephan as a drummer has played with an impressive string of danish top names such as: Lars H.U.G,  Love Shop,  Rocqawali,  The Bollywood Trip Orchestra,  Caroline Henderson,“Pernille Rosendal project” m. Tim Christensen&Jonas struck,(the later Swan lee), DRUO ,-the national radio & television orchestra ,  Østre Gasværk Theatre,  Dr. Dante Theatre,  Nanna Lüders, Nina Forsberg,  The Voodoo Guru´s, Grabowski,  Goldfinger,  Thomas Di leva,  Shirtsville,  Janes Rejoice m. flere.

He was part of the first wave of  danish indie pop with the massive popular band Lars H.U.G & The Zombies, as a band member in their “classic period” from 1987-1993. Both on stage and in the creative phases, as well as the studio recordings of the very succesfull, now classic albums: “Kopy” and “Blidt over dig”. Albums that received nummerous danish Grammy´s in 1989 and 1992.

He was also a member of the band Love Shop from 1988-1992 and play the drums on all of their classic songs from the first 3 albums. At the same time of all these activities, Stephan has produced and arranged for a still growing amount of danish artist´s in all genres. Names such as:  Nanna Lüders, Nanne Emilie, DRUO- RadioUnderholdningsOrkesteret, Angu, Van Toornburg, Liva Anderson, Strawberry Blonde, Channe Nussbaum, Jacob Eriksen, Kristine Blond, Ali Kazim, Naja, Paul Thrane, Lise Blaase.

In 2003 yet another Stephan Grabowski album saw the ligt of day, “Konger for en aften”. An album in the croon genre that he wrote for danish legends Peter Belli and Ivan Pedersen in front of the the Danish Radio Orchestra. A record that the danish national paper Information categorized as: “One of the most substansial pop records in the last decade”.

In 2002- 2003 he joined as a drummer in Østre Gasværks new version of “Jesus Christ Superstar”, plus “Hr.Nedersen”. I 2000 – 2001 he was also drummer and co-composer of  Dr.Dante´s “Lillerød”, and “Superultramax” show in Copenhagen and Århus.

In 1999 he released his third solo album “Danmark Drømmer”. A unique blend of Drum’n’bass and a string group from the national radio symfonics, (DR. Radiosymfonikerne). An album, not so much of straight songs, but with a more dreamy and complex musically “stream of conciousness” feel. Several of the lyrics were inducted in the Danish Encyclopedia.

In 1996- 1997 Stephan explored the club scene and the ongoing electronica of that period. This resulted in one of the first electronic albums with danish lyrics: “Underligere end kærlighed”. An album that were released to immense praise of the press in 1997. In 1994 he played a pivotal role in starting the acclaimed band “Goldfinger”. A band with a primary love for 60és filmic pop music. He produced and arranged the  album “Songs for nightclubs”.

In 1993 he had his solo debut with the album “Glitter Angels”, the only solo album he has done so far in english. He was made the cover star of Gaffa, (the biggest music magazine in denmark), in June that year, and toured the whole country, (plus he played the famous Roskilde festival with huge succes). His debut was nominated as “Rock album of the year” at the Danish Grammy 1993.

Stephan has also made several courses for danish artist´s through The danish Artist Union, (Dansk artistforbund), as well as teaching at the Rythmic conservatorium in Copenhagen, as a guest teacher in 2004-2006-2007-2008-2009. Further more he has teached at Borups Højskole 2009-2013. He regards India as his ”second country” and has travelled there for more than 20 years, deeply in love with it´s music, culture and people.

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Stephan Grabowski er opvokset i Danmark og kenya. Han begyndte at spille trommer i en alder af 10 i kenya, inspireret af de trommer han hørte fra landsbyerne i bjergene hver aften.

Han er en erfaren musiker på den danske musikscene. Han er sangskriver, teaterkomponist, trommeslager, sanger, producer og arrangør.

Siden 2007 har han arbejdet internationalt med topmusikere og partnere i Mumbai,- Indien, / London,- UK, / Addis Abeba,- Ethiopien, / Islambad,- Pakistan.

Alt dette startede med hans femte solo CD: “Bombay Feber“, men blev for alvor ført ud i livet med albummet “The Bollywood Trip”,(til forestillingen af samme navn ), også nu med det dansk/pakistanske band Rocqawali, samt afrikanske bluesindspilninger i Ethiopien til den politiske EP og teaterforestilling “The Falling Man”. “The Bollywood Trip” blev indspillet med en række af A.R Rahman´s fantastiske musikere i Mumbai, samt folk herhjemme som b.la. waqas Ali Quadri fra bandet “Outlandish”. (A.Rahman har i øvrigt modtaget 2 Hollywood Oscars for sin musik til “Slumdog Millionaire“, og er Bollywoods største filmkomponist ).

Desuden gjorde Stephan Grabowski sig i nogenlunde samme periode bemærket for sin co-produktion af Nanna´s stærke come-back album: “Nødigt, men dog gerne“. Samt den sofistikerede jazz/pop debut han har skabt for Nanne Emilie med: “Once upon a town“, et album som hun har fået stor succes med i Tyskland.

Igennem årene har Stephan som trommeslager spillet med en sand perlerække af danske navne som f.eks.: Lars H.U.G,  Love Shop,  Rocqawali,  The Bollywood Trip Orchestra,  Caroline Henderson, “Pernille Rosendal project” m. Tim Christensen&Jonas struck, (det senere Swan lee), RadioUnderholdningsOrkesteret , Østre Gasværk teater,  Dr. Dante teater,  Nanna Lüders, Nina Forsberg,  The Voodoo Gurus, Grabowski,  Goldfinger,  Thomas Di leva,  Shirtsville,  Janes Rejoice  etc.

Han startede bag trommerne helt tilbage i 1987 med Lars H.U.G & The Zombies. Her indgik han som en del af det faste band sammen med H.U.G i den “klassiske periode” fra 1987-1993, både på scenen og i kreative faser, samt i studieindspilningerne af de meget succesrige albums “Kopy”, “On the house” og “Blidt over dig”, albums der i dag opfattes som klassikere og som modtog adskillige Grammyér i henholdsvis 1989 og 1992.

Han var ligeledes en fast del af bandet Love Shop fra 1988-1992 og spiller trommer på deres klassiske sange fra de 3 første albums. Desuden trommeslager i “Janes Rejoice” fra 1988-1991, både på plade og livesiden.

Stephan har sideløbende med alle disse aktiviteter også produceret og arrangeret for en stadig voksende skare af danske artister gennem tiden, i en bred genremæssig vifte af navne som b.la.: Nanna Lüders, Nanne Emilie, DRUO- RadioUnderholdningsOrkesteret, Angu, Van Toornburg, Liva Anderson, Strawberry Blonde, Channe Nussbaum, Jacob Eriksen, Kristine Blond, Ali Kazim, Naja, Paul Thrane, Lise Blaase.

I 2003 udkom endnu et Stephan Grabowski album, men dog ikke under hans eget navn. Nemlig: “Konger for en aften“. En plade i croon genren han skrev til Peter Belli og Ivan Pedersen i front, samt DRUO,- RadioUnderholdningsOrkesteret. En unik dansk plade der samlede inspirationen fra folk som b.la. Burt Bacherach og Elvis costello, The Walker brothers osv. men her udført på dansk i en gennemkomponeret suite af sange med Belli og Pedersens signaturstemmer og i en helt personlig fortolkning fra Stephans side af genren. En plade Information betegnede som: “En af de sidste 10 års mest substansielle danske popsatsninger”.

I 2002- 2003 medvirkede han som trommeslager i Østre Gasværks opsætninger af “Jesus Christ Superstar”, samt “Hr.Nedersen”. I 2000 – 2001 medvirkede Stephan som trommeslager og medkomponist i Dr.Dantes forestillinger “Lillerød“, samt “Superultramax” i KBH. og Århus.

“Danmark Drømmer“, hans tredie plade udkom i 1999. En et album der ret unikt blandede Drum’n’bass-programører med en strygergruppe fra DR. Radiosymfonikerne. En plade der ikke så meget bestod af regulære sange, men mere af drømmende musikalske forløb, med tekster der samlede sig i en slags “stream of conciousness”. Flere af pladens tekster blev optaget i Dansk Encyklopædi.

I 1996- 1997 tog Stephan på udforskning på klubscenerne og den daværende electronica. Dette resulterede i Danmarks første elektroniske album på dansk “Underligere end kærlighed“, der udkom til kæmpe roser fra den samlede presse i 1997. Produceret sammen med folk som Frithjof Toksvig, Thomas Blachman og Hilmer Hassig. Pladen skabte en smuk bro mellem mainstream og avantgarde, mellem inspirationer fra, den dengang stadigt ret unge klubscene, og til albummets egne meget personlige sange. I 1994 var han med til at starte det meget anmelderroste orkester “Goldfinger” op. Et band der havde sin primære kærlighed i 60érnes filmiske popmusik. Han producerede og arrangerede albummet “Songs for nightclubs“, men var dog snart videre igen i sin nysgerrige kunstneriske søgen.

I 1993 debuterede han så som solist i eget navn med den engelsksprogede cd “Glitter Angels“, Var på forsiden af Gaffa i Juni samme år, turnerede flittigt rundt i landet, (deriblandt på Roskilde festival), og debuten blev nomineret som “årets rockalbum” til dansk grammy 1993. Stephan har desuden lavet flere kurser for artister gennem Dansk Artistforbund, samt undervist i sammenspil fra 2008-2013 på Borups Højskole og ved  flere lejligheder på rytmisk konservatorium kbh gennem 2004-2006-2007-2008-2009.