Sebastian Böhlen is a jazz guitarist and composer. 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 hopefuls of German jazz, he can be heard on over twenty albums as well as on numerous radio and television broadcasts.
Böhlen has been awarded several national and international prizes, including the 2nd prize at the German Jazz Prize 2018 and the 3rd prize at the Socar Montreux Electric Guitar Competition 2015. Furthermore he 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. Since 2019 Sebastian is teaching electric guitar at Berlin University of the Arts.
Press
How nice that there are musicians like the guitarist Sebastian Böhlen. He is one of the hopefuls 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