Bohren & der Club of Gore: Masters of Dark Jazz
Dark Jazz… Two simple words that contain a lot of meaning and emotions. At least for those who are familiar with this music genre, and enjoy it. Among amazing artists of this style, there is one iconic band, who stands like giants behind the entire genre. The name is Bohren & der Club of Gore.
Bohren & der Club of Gore is the greatest dark jazz group ever. They are the pioneers, the founders and the great experimenters of this unique, atmospheric and moody noir music.
They are directly responsible for the formation of the style, and for bringing it to music fans. People never even though that such sound could exist.
What is Dark Jazz?
Dark jazz is a musical sub-genre that transforms traditional jazz into very moody, eerie, and deeply atmospheric sound. It is often slow and hypnotizing. And it feels weirdly cinematic. It is also called Jazz noir.
A little bit of history: the genre began to emerge in the late 1990s, influenced by doom and ambient. Bands like Bohren & der Club of Gore, The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Dale Cooper Quartet & the Dictaphones, Heroin and Your Veins helped to form its distinctive sound and earned this style a loyal fan-base.
In terms of instruments you will hear saxophone, piano, drums, guitars, double bass. But unlike upbeat jazz they are used in a more minimalist way. Dark jazz creates a calm, mysterious, and often very introspective vibe. It pulls you in with immersive ambient sound, and keeps you in a state of relaxed contemplation. Perfect music to reflect on your day, life, dreams, memories, feelings.
Bohren & der Club of Gore: A Brief History
Bohren & der Club of Gore formed in 1992 in a German town of Mülheim an der Ruhr. It was started by a group of friends who wanted to explore darker sounds, experiment with jazz, doom and ambient. It was the beginning of music, which was quite different from what most bands were playing at the time.
The band’s lineup has remained pretty consistent over the years. Current members are: Morten Gass (electric guitar, electric organ, mellotron, synthesizer, drums), Robin Rodenberg (bass guitar, double bass, drums), and Christoph Clöser (saxophone, piano, Fender rhodes, drums).
Their first album Gore Motel was released in 1995. It was not yet “dark jazz” that became their signature sound in later years, instead it was ambient and guitar driven album. But it definitely laid the foundation for their style. Following releases explored and developed the sound which is considered today as Jazz noir staple. The ban’s last album Patchouli Blue came out in 2020.
For the latest news and tour dates feel free to check the band’s official webiste.
Unique Signature Sound
I can’t say that Bohren & der Club of Gore invented slow, atmospheric sound, but they sure did mastered it. I remember when I first came across their songs in the early 2000s. To put it mildly – I was hugely impressed. It was nothing like I ever heard before. I was a fan of light Cool Jazz genre, but Bohren & der Club of Gore hit me with a completely different kind of vibe. Their jazz came with dark, dense, melancholic, emotional elements. Probably the most moody music ever.
The saxophone, piano and bass are so beautiful in their songs. The tempo is always slow, but not to a pint when you are bored. No, it’s a perfectly slow burning pace. Deep, echoing sounds act almost like a lullaby. The drums are soft and never overwhelming. It is music that you feel and not just listen to.
Best Songs by Bohren & der Club of Gore
I’ve been listening to Bohren & der Club of Gore for years now. I’ve had their albums on repeat. I added plenty of their songs to my various themed playlists. So it does make a job of selecting their greatest songs a bit easier.
One thing for sure though, if you want to dive deep into dark jazz, I highly recommend going through their entire discography, it’s 100% worth it! But for those who want to listen to the selected best songs only – here they are:
Bohren & der Club of Gore TOP 10 Songs:
- Prowler
- On Demon Wings
- Painless Steel
- Black City Skyline
- Midnight Black Earth
- Destroying Angels
- Constant Fear
- Im Rauch
- Zombies Never Die (Blues)
- Sollen Es Doch Alle Wissen
Enjoy the whole playlist on Spotify:
You can listen it on YouTube as well:
Bohren’s Influence on Dark Jazz
Bohren & der Club of Gore has had a huge impact on Dark Jazz. It’s hard to even imagine the genre without them. They helped define and refine it. Their slow, extremely atmospheric sound inspired so many artists.
Their music has crossed over into other genres too. If you listen to post-rock and experimental, you will hear certain classic Bohrenish elements. Thanks to this band dark jazz grew from an insignificant niche to a respected genre.
Conclusion
Why should you listen to Bohren & der Club of Gore? Well, if you already heard dark jazz and you like the genre, then this is THE band you must check out.
And if you are new to this style of music, then Bohren & der Club of Gore is a perfect group to start your journey. They are the very best. If you want to explore and discover the most unique and moody songs, the TOP 10 List above is the only chart you will need.
