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It's a godawful pity that this band doesn't exist anymore. The only solace is in the wonderful albums they left behind.
The group around trumpeter Christoph Titz and bass player Werner Lauscher used to fill clubs to the last bit of space available and never was allowed to leave stage without lots of encores; audience and critics alike showed themselves enthusiastic about the sound of the SCETCHES time and time again. And not only live was the relatively ''young'' band sure to excite; on CD they performed as supremely, making many an established act pale in comparison. Already the release of their debut 'Different Places' caused a lot of respectful murmur throughout the scene: Christoph Titz was called ''the legitimate successor of Miles'' and was attested ''the lyrical nonchalance of Chet Baker''. To describe the music, wording monsters like "Jazz-Funk-Rock-Trance-Fusion" were coined, some even talked about ''the best band of the republic''. PIONEER used the 'Slowtrack' as an audio reference item -- including an unmistakable warning of Werner Lauscher's thunder thumb: ''Beware when adjusting the volume, or face hazard'' hitting the equipment. Soon the advertising industry knocked on the band's door, too ... In 1993 the second album 'Don't Ask Just Play' was released, sporting less arts lessons, more throttle, and for the first time the Vocals of Doretta Carter. Music press was all rave once more, tagging the new CD an item ''you can't sit still listening to'' and awarded it ''Record Of The Month'' in several instances like the predecessor. And the german magazine JazzThing spoke: ''The republic needs much more of this''. The third album 'Power To The People', released in 1996, should become the swan song of the Scetches, even though nobody expected the like back then: The album was such an energy-laden piece of candy that everybody was predicting international breakthrough rather than the impeding disbanding of the group. Nonetheless the band split in 1998 'in mutual consent', as the band put it, with its member pursuing individual ways from then on. Remaining are 3 fantastic records which make every stereo system blossom. |
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