Karl Ratzer
Illustration — Karl Ratzer, 2010 Karl Alfred Ratzer (born July 4, 1950, Vienna) is an Austrian jazz guitarist. Ratzer played in rock bands as a teenager and moved to the United States in 1972, where he initially played with High Voltage. He began working in Atlanta in 1973 and played with Dan Wall from 1974 to 1977; following this, he moved to New York City and worked with Bob Berg, Steve Grossman, Bob Mintzer, and Jeremy Steig.
Also recorded as Karl Alfred Ratzer
Karl Ratzer
Manfred Werner - Tsui · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Born
- 1950 · Vienna.
- Nationality
- Austria
- Occupation
- composer · musician · guitarist
- Fields
- jazz
- Honours
- Amadeus Austrian Music Awards
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Illustration — Karl Ratzer, 2010 Karl Alfred Ratzer (born July 4, 1950, Vienna) is an Austrian jazz guitarist. Ratzer played in rock bands as a teenager and moved to the United States in 1972, where he initially played with High Voltage. He began working in Atlanta in 1973 and played with Dan Wall from 1974 to 1977; following this, he moved to New York City and worked with Bob Berg, Steve Grossman, Bob Mintzer, and Jeremy Steig.
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identity unresolved · checked 25 September 2026
- Identity
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Authority files
wikidata · Q1362908 · wikipedia · Karl Ratzer
In this article
As leader
As leader
He moved back to Vienna in the early 1980s, and worked throughout Europe with Chet Baker, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Johnny Griffin, Lee Konitz, James Moody, and Clark Terry. He was guest professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz from 1999 to 2003, and became docent at the Vienna Music Institute in 2004. Ratzer's cousin is jazz musician Harri Stojka.
• Gipsy Love with Gipsy Love (BASF, 1971) • In Search of the Ghost (Vanguard, 1978) • Street Talk (Vanguard, 1979) • Finger Prints (CMP, 1979) • Dancing On a String (CMP, 1980) • A Fool for Your Sake (GiG, 1981) • Electric Finger (RST, 1982) • Gitarre (Atom, 1982) • Gitarrenfeuer (Bellaphon, 1985) • Serenade (RST, 1986) • Gumbo Dive (RST, 1991) • Waltz for Ann (L+R, 1993) • Bayou (Bellaphon, 1993) • Coasting (Bellaphon, 1995) • Saturn Returning (Enja, 1997) • Moon Dancer (Enja, 1998) • Real to Reel (Dominant, 2000) with Carl Verheyen • All the Way (Enja, 2004) • You've Changed (Organic Music, 2011) • Underground System (Organic Music, 2014) • My Time (Organic Music, 2016) • Midnight Whistler (Organic Music, 2017) • Tears (Organic Music, 2018)
As sideman
As sideman
• Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Land of Dreams (Tilly Disc, 1982) • Carlos Franzetti, Grafitti (Sonorama, 2007) • Ray Mantilla, Mantilla (Inner City, 1978) • Players Association, Turn the Music Up! (Vanguard, 1979) • Jeremy Steig & Eddie Gomez, Rain Forest (CMP, 1980) • Supermax, One and All (Koch, 1993) • Dan Wall, Off the Wall (Enja, 1997) • Rudi Wilfer, Live (RST, 1982)
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.The Slaves setzten sich zusammen aus Pauli Fischer, Hannes Fischer, Karl Ratzer, Heinrich „Lippy“ Behrends sowie Ernst Josef Lauscher, den später Herbert Radakovic ersetzte.
- 2.Die Mitglieder der Charles Ryder Corporation waren Karl Ratzer, Georg Hieblinger, Wolfgang Hafenbrödl, Wolfgang Meinhardt und Ernst Brül.
- 3.Die Besetzung von C-Department bestand aus Karl Ratzer, Richard Schönherz, Manuel Rigoni und George Dogette.
- 4.Elisabeth Brandstetter. Amadeus Austrian Music Awards 2017: Hörproben von den Nominierten. 2017-02-27.
- 5.Pressemeldung der Agentur OTS vom 24. Januar 2002, abgerufen am 11. August 2009
- 6.Samir H. Köck. Karl Ratzer: Wie ein Sir des Austro-Jazz zum Professor wurde. Die Presse. 2022-01-26.
- 7.Jazzgitarrist Karl Ratzer mit Goldenem Verdienstzeichen geehrt.
- 8.Lebenswerk-Amadeus für Karl Ratzer. ORF.at. 2023-04-11.
- 9.Karl Ratzer & Ed Neumeister: Alone Together. Jazz thing. 2021-10-07.
References
Citations
References
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Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 21 August 2026.
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