Sebastian Böhlen is a jazz guitarist, composer, arranger, producer and educator. His international concert career (with Al Jarreau, Randy Brecker, David Liebman, Kurt Elling, Kurt Rosenwinkel and the Frankfurt Radio Big Band, among others) includes performances at Berlin Philharmonic Hall, Carnegie Hall and Montreux Jazz Festival. Described by the press as one of the best younger German guitarist and as one of the beacons of hope of German jazz, he can be heard on over twenty-five albums as well as on numerous radio and television broadcasts.

Böhlen has been awarded several national and international prizes, including the 3rd prize at the worldwide prestigious Socar Montreux Electric Guitar Competition in 2015 (with John Mclaughlin and Kurt Rosenwinkel in the jury), the 2nd prize at the German Jazz Prize 2018, the 3rd prize at the BuJazzO Kompositionswettbewerb 2013 and the prize for the best Composition at Tremplin D´Avignon 2012. Furthermore he was a recipient at the ASCAP Young Composers Award as well in 2011 as in 2012 and got scholarships from the Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg, the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony, the German Academic Exchange Service and Manhattan School of Music.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts in 2010 and with a Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music in 2012. He then studied in the Master's programm Composition and Arrangement at Cologne University of Music and Dance.

Between 2013 and 2017 Böhlen was a lecturer for improvisation and ensemble conducting at Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts. From 2019 to 2023 Sebastian was teaching electric guitar at Berlin University of the Arts. Since 2015 he is teaching guitar at Musikschule Paul Hindemith Neukölln.

How nice that there are musicians like the guitarist Sebastian Böhlen. He is one of the beacons of hope of German jazz and fulfills the high expectations in every respect.

Jazzthing

The great promise that the title signals is made good by Sebastian Böhlen with bravura and reverbates in the ear as a musical and intellectual sensation light-years away from all cliches, all eclecticism, and all epigonism.

Just Jazz Guitar

Sebastian Böhlen is one of the best younger German guitarists.

BR-Klassik

Stylistically diversified, the Sebastian Böhlen Trio shows unconstrained with a lot of audible joy of playing, which possibilities a guitar trio offers.

Jazzthetik

This trio music is what already characterizes Sebastian Böhlen's other recordings: Versatility, inscrutability, compositional coherence, improvisational openness; its elegance of tone, technique and flow, and its architectural refinement.

Jazzpodium

Where else in jazz do you get such contrapuntal subtleties except with the Sebastian Böhlen Band?

SR2 KulturRadio

The album is characterized by a sonic lightness, great compositions and very interesting solo parts. Sebastian Böhlen plays very melodically and impresses with mature and sophisticated phrasing and perfection of playing. An excellent album!

Jazz-Fun