Performing, composing, and producing

Born in Germany and raised in Japan, Chile, and Brazil, Klaus Mueller began playing the piano at an early age. His eclectic background gave this classically trained musician a natural ease with styles ranging from Latin to Brazilian jazz, modern to avant-garde.

“Village Samba, Mueller’s love letter to Brazil, is the culmination of a musical journey that took root more than 20 years ago and stands as his crowning achievement to date.”
– Bill Milkowski

Whether he’s creating orchestral arrangements for Herbie Hancock, accompanying Leny Andrade, or playing piano in a jazz club with Portinho, diversity is the main theme of the music and life of New York-based musician Klaus Mueller.

Brazilian Jazz with a New York flavor, featuring mostly original compositions interpreted by some of today’s finest Brazilian and New York-based musicians.

“Joining Mueller on his “maiden voyage” recording as a leader are the two premier players of their instruments in jazz and world music – Hancock’s former Miles Davis rhythm section mate Ron Carter, and the iconic Brazilian drummer Portinho, in whose exciting trio the pianist regularly performs. The pair’s participation on the date, contributing engaging solos and a sophisticated rhythmic foundation to the pianist’s original compositions and his interpretations of two Brazilian classics, a bolero, and Carter’s own Einbahnstrasse, is a ringing recognition of their younger colleague’s ever growing stature in the world of music.” – Russ Musto / The New York City Jazz Record

Klaus Mueller, piano
Ron Carter, bass
Portinho, drums & percussion
EJ Strickland, drums on tracks 4 and 7

String Quartet on tracks 1, 7, 9