Hans Rettenbacher
Jazz bassist and cellist Hans Rettenbacher (* September 6th 1939 in Vienna as Johann-Anton Rettenbacher; † Dezember 19th 1989) studied music sciences and attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston and the Oscar Peterson School in Toronto. Already in the late fifties the young musician played with the bands of sax player Gerd Dudek and trumpet player Manfred Schoof, also with Stan Getz (ts), Friedrich Gulda (p), the Hans Koller quartett, Eric Dolphy, Fatty George, Rolf Kühn, Erwin Lehn, and Don Ellis, among others.
Hans Rettenbacher became a steady member with the Dave Pike Set in 1968 (together with guitarist Volker Kriegel and drummer Peter Baumeister). This formation played at almost all important international festivals and released six albums. Besides many other jobs Hans experimented together with Paul and Limpe Fuchs and Friedrich Gulda in the band Anima and also worked with Volker Kriegel and his band Spectrum. Rettenbacher was also busy as a producer and arranger.
From 1968 till 1972, while working with vibraphonist Dave Pike and Volker Kriegel, Hans made use of a dark brown BL-16 semi-acoustic electric bass besides his double bass.