Rainer Willeke

My musical background began with the clarinet at age 10. I moved on to alto saxophone by age 15. This became my primary instrument, but I also play tenor, soprano, and occasionally baritone saxophones. I also play MIDI wind controller and a little keyboard, guitar & bass.

On the alto sax, my biggest early influence was David Sanborn, but I also love the styles of many other musicians - too many to list! Growing up around my parents’ record collection, I discovered great music by artists like Herb Alpert, Pete Fountain, Chuck Mangione, & Zoot Sims. As time went on rock & blues started to become a bigger influence on me with bands like Led Zeppelin, Cream, Rush, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Yes, Frank Zappa, Genesis, The Doors etc.

I’ve played many of the local (Vancouver Island) venues & festivals at some point, with some band or another. A few highlights include the Victoria International JazzFest (with Soul Station), Blues Bash (with Soul Station, Soul Shakers, and Groove Kitchen), the Oak Bay Tea Party (again with Soul Station, Soul Shakers, and Groove Kitchen), and opening for a variety of established artists such as Eric Burdon & The Animals.

In 2018 I had a project studio built in my home & started on the journey of producing original songs intended for wide release. I’m currently taking a hiatus from gigging to focus on this project, with the release of new material intended for 2020 and beyond.

Official Site: https://RainerWillekeMusic.com