THE BAND

CHRISTOPHER BLENKINSOP

plays ukulele, guitar, bouzouki and he sings. Born in Manila, he put his „footmark” on to his Phillipino Birth certificate, just in time for his family to move on to Indonesia. Right from the very beginning the Anglo-German has stirred, fired and struggled us into what we are now.

KIKI SAUER

plays accordion, flute, she sings and writes lyrics. From an extended Berlin family, and in the band from the beginning, her studies of French philosophy – with a degree – lets her manage all internal affairs with heart and soul.

DIRK TRAGESER

strums guitar, shakes shakers (and other percussive instruments) and sings. He joined the band early on, when he found out that he’d never be a “Thin Lizzy“. He brightens his melancholic disposition by sketching colourful drawings and wielding a sharp Hessian sense of humour. More about him: HERE.

KRUISKO

plays accordeon ever since he started rocking in Husum’s very own grand accordeon orchestra as a kid. His vast repertoire is like drops in the sea, sand on the beach, hay in a stack … anyway, ever since he fled to Berlin, he enriched the sounds of many a band, until he met up with us.

UWE LANGER

blows trombone, horn, trumpet and anything else that doesn’t climb up a tree fast enough. A studied jazz musician from Stendal (saxony-anhalt), never hiding, that his carrier started as a high energy cooks-trainee in the Forum Hotel on Berlin Alexanderplatz. He makes it his mission to blend his passion for cooking with his music. More about him: HERE

DANIEL CORDES aka DANDA

plays upright-bass and he sings. Grown up and strong in Berlin, he studied music at the HDK before taking off for India and beyond … where he found himself to be quite centred! When not playing music he spends his time on the Greek isle of Naxos, apprenticing to sculpture in marble.

PAUL BRODY

… plays trumpet. Originally from California, for the past 30 years he has lived and worked as a composer and musician in Berlin, and from here has travelled the world and the seven seas, writing for opera, radio, artists and performers worldwide … now with 17 Hippies! If you want to know even more, go HERE.

BENJAMIN OSTAREK

… plays clarinet and joined us in late 2021. Raised just off Alexanderplatz, Berlin’s very own Benjamin plays his tune on quite a few stages! When he’s not jamming with us, he entertains as part of „Alligatoah“, or runs a studio, or … oh, just take a look HERE.

ANTJE HENKEL

plays clarinet, saxophone and flutes. The real “Southern Berlin belle” makes it her life’s achievement to play in the band, sail a boat … and head a company.

KNUT HAGEDORN

… plays drums and percussion. After studying drums in Groningen/NL, he made the move from his hometown Münster to Berlin, where he is dearly needed! Rooted in rock, with a strong inclination for breakbeats, he follows the groove in his unmistakable, unshakable Westphalian way. Find out more HERE.