The Oli Bott-Bertrand Lauer Band has been founded in 1997. It is composed of French and German musicians. The members of the group met in the USA at the Berklee College of Music. After returning to Europe, Oli Bott and Bertrand Lauer, who had long been planning to work seriously together, started the band. They performed worldwide in clubs and festivals from Boston to Berlin. The musicians have won several jazz prices in Europe and in the United States: Wayne Shorter Award (Boston, USA), NDR Music Price (Germany), First Price CNR (France), Third Price Europ' Jazz Contest (Belgium), Second Price Jazz a Vannes (France), First Price Improvisation Competition Leipzig (Germany), Second Price of Franche-comté's national contest (France). The first word which crosses the mind to define their music is : intergrity. Instead of playing "revival" or to put some hip hop in their music to sell more records, they decided to create a sensual music based, of course, on the tradition of jazz, but on the european contemporary music too. Both music have a great influence on the way they compose, and the result is a real symbiosis between the two styles. And as it is expression, passion and communication which is at stake, the result is impressive... They said about us : "His writting is on a level of the best students that Berklee has produced over the years, and i foresee that he will have a successful career as both writer and player." Gary Burton on Oli Bott "He has shown talent and great professional musical proficiency" Bill Pierce on Bertrand Lauer "the quality of your music is incontestable" Pascal Bussy,Warner Jazz France, on the band "Unbelievable, this fine balanced quartet - they spoil the audience with sounds apart from trodden paths." Lübecker Nachrichten, Germany, on the band "A real jazz-experience" Lübbenauer Zeitung, Germany, on the band Resume of the musicians :   Bertrand Lauer: soprano sax, composition Education: Berklee College of Music (Boston, USA). National Superior Conservatory of Music of Paris, France. National Conservatory of Strasbourg, France. University of Strasbourg, France. Honors and Awards: 1998 First year of Phd in musicology (University of Strasbourg, France). 1998 3rd Prize Europ´ Jazz Contest, Belgium. 1998 2nd Prize "Jazz à Vannes" Competition, France. 1998 2nd Prize AS.PRO.JAZZ Competition, France 1997 Master of Music (University of Strasbourg, France). 1995 Berklee Scholarship. 1995 Fulbright Scholarship from Franco-AmericanCommission. 1992 First prize of Jazz (National Conservatory of Strasbourg, France). Musical Experiences: Owner of a recording studio in Paris, Works for Universal records as composer and performer, Composed for fashion défilé such as MJM-ELITE Composed for companies such as Danone, Michelin... Recordings for TV-Station Arte, Worked in both classical and contempory music, Teacher of music in high schools and music schools(1992-98).   Oli Bott: Vibraphone, composition Education: Berklee College of Music (Boston, U.S.A.). Instructions by Gary Burton, Bob Brookmeyer. Diploma of Jazz Composition (summa cum laude). Honors and Awards: 2000 1st Prize at the 4th Leipziger Improvisation Competition, Germany 2000 Special Prize "Jazz" at the 4th Leipziger Improvisation Competition, Germany 1998 NDR-Musikpreis, 3rd Prize, Germany 1998 Hessischer Rundfunk, Composition Competition, Final, Germany 1998 3rd Prize Europ´ Jazz Contest, Belgium 1998 2nd Prize "Jazz à Vannes" Competition, France 1998 2nd Prize AS.PRO.JAZZ Competition, France 1997 1st Prize Big Band Composition Competition "Blechschaden", Germany 1996 "Wayne Shorter - Award", Berklee College, Boston, USA 1993 Berklee Scholarship received by Gary Burton Musical Experiences: Recordings and concerts with the Oli Bott Orchestra, the Thomas Wallisch & Oli Bott Duo. Worked with musicians such as Christof Lauer, Bill Elgart, George Garzone, Laura Andel, Luciana Souza, Rudi Mahall, John Schröder, Frank Möbus, Gebhard Ullmann, Wolfgang Haffner and with orchestras such as the NDR Big Band in Hamburg, the RIAS Big Band in Berlin and the Greg Hopkins Jazz Orchestra in Boston. Composition commissions from the State of Hessen, Germany, the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany, etc.