Klaus Waldeck

Klaus Waldeck, usually known by his stage name of Waldeck, is a Viennese former copyright lawyer and downtempo musician.

History

Klaus Waldeck's musical career began in Vienna, Austria when he started piano lessons at the age of six. When he was fifteen his music life was put on hold when he destroyed a Bechstein piano while rewiring it.

Waldeck later attended law school. He finished law school and became a copyright lawyer. Then he heard about a case that changed his focus from law back to music. "It was during the time when George Harrison got sued for ripping off an old Motown tune," Waldeck recounts, "I realised the way forward was to work a melody until it didn't belong to anyone anymore." He eventually stopped focusing on law and concentrated on music.

Soon after deciding to leave law he moved to England. While in London, he met his vocal counterparts, former Incognito singer Joy Malcolm and Brian Amos, who worked on projects such as Pressure Drop.

In 1996, Waldeck returned to Vienna, Austria, and produced the Northern Lights EP, quickly gaining international attention through its biggest hit, Aquarius. A successful full-length album, Balance of The Force, followed in 1998. Later that year, Balance of the Force - Remixed was released.

Waldeck has produced many albums while still in Austria. Many of them are out of print and have become very scarce. The out of print albums include The Night Garden Reflowered, Balance of the Force, Balance of the force Remixed, Northern lights, and This Isn't Maybe.

In 2007, Waldeck released the successful Ballroom Stories on which he's featuring for the first time his new chief-chanteuse, the well known Austrian singer zeebee.

Together with singer Valérie Sajdik, Waldeck formed the group Saint Privat in 2002. Their first album Riviera was released in 2004.

On July 15, 2016, Waldeck's seventh album, Gran Paradiso was released under the Dope Noir label. The album features collaboration with Viennese singer la Heidi.

Genre

Sometimes described as downtempo and trip hop, Waldeck's songs have a calm and laidback theme. They often consist of mellow vocals sung either by zeebee, Joy Malcolm or Brian Amos (sometimes consisting only of Waldeck's instrumentals).

Discography

Albums

• Northern Lights - EP (1996)

1. Aquarius - 4.57
2. Moon - 4.12
3. Mask - 4.50
4. Dreaming - 6.30
5. Aquarius - 5.11
6. Mask - 6.21

• Balance of the Force (1998)

1. Defenceless
2. Spy Like An Angel
3. Children Of The Ghetto
4. Slaapwagen
5. Aquarius
6. Northern Lights
7. Wake Up
8. Superpopstar
9. Death Of A Piano Salesman
10. Moon

• Balance of the Force Remixed (1998)

1. Aquarius - Mushroom Dive, 5.06
2. Children Of The Ghetto - Blackwing, 4.50
3. Defenceless - Fauna Flash, 6.42
4. Defenceless - Solar Moon, 5.36
5. Spy Like An Angel, 7.21
6. Wake Up - Mushroom Dive, 6.40
7. Wake Up - Rockers Hi-Fi, 8.16
8. You Only Live Twice, 5.25
9. Northern Lights - Mushroom, 5.01
10. Defenceless - Thievery Corp., 8.45
11. Slaapwagen - Uptight Mix, 4.26

• The Night Garden (2001)

1. Slowly - 4.49
2. The Night Garden - 5.36
3. Tears Running Dry - 4.04
4. Waiting - 5.10
5. Fallen Angel - 5.01
6. Cat People Dub - 4.32
7. Floater - 4.51
8. I Talk To The Wind - 5.02
   
9. It Comes From You - 5.56
10. Morning Light - 3.22
11. This Isn't Maybe - 3.57

• The Night Garden Reflowered (2002)

1. This Isn't Maybe (Mushroom Dive's Lo Fly Push Up 2002) - 6.16
2. Fallen Angel (Urbs Mix) - 4.31
3. Slowly (Mushroom Dive's Frantic Ballroom Blitz) - 4.50
4. I Talk To The Wind (Kid Loco Meets Orpheus Uptown Mix) - 5.32
5. Cut More Cheese (Supercheese) - 4.00
6. Floater (Dubblestandart Mix) - 6.26
7. Tears Running Dry Part 1 (Mushroom Dive's Jazz Cut) - 5.21
8. Tears Running Dry Part 2 (Herbert's Level Dub) - 5.43
9. This Isn't Maybe (Mark's Underlevel Dub) - 5.38
10. Catpeople Dub (Jung Collective Rehash) - 6.00
11. Out Of Trumpets (Supercheese) - 4.03

• Ballroom Stories (2007)

1. Make My Day - 2.48
2. Jerry Weintraub - 3.15
3. Memories - 3.50
4. Addicted - 3.50
5. So Black & Blue - 3.25
6. Midsummer Night Blues - 4.40
7. Why Did We Fire The Gun? - 5.33
8. Dope Noir - 4.15
9. Get Up... Carmen - 4.03
10. Bei Mir Bist Du Schön (Dub) - 4.11
11. Our Day Will Come - 4.46

• Gran Paradiso (2016)

1. Serenata Part I - 1.15
2. Shala-lala-la (feat. la Heidi) - 3.15
3. Rio Grande - 3.18
4. Get On Uppa (feat. la Heidi) - 3.44
5. Senorita Rodeo - 3.28
6. Western Saloon Cartoon (feat. Mud) - 3.24
7. Una Promessa (feat. la Heidi) - 2.50
8. Bello Ciao (feat. la Heidi) - 3.27
9. Brahms Lonely Mariachi - 2.52
10. Illusione (feat. la Heidi) - 3.30
11. Una Volta... (feat. la Heidi) - 2.27
12. Chico (feat. la Heidi) - 2.38
13. Rock & Rolle (feat. la Heidi) - 3.01

• Atlantic Ballroom (2018)

1. Rough Landing (feat. Patrizia Ferrara) - 3:37
2. Uno dos... Heisenberg - 2:31
3. Keep my Fire Burning (feat. Joy Malcolm) - 1:58
4. Stay Put (feat. Patrizia Ferrara) - 2:37
5. Never Let You Go (feat. Patrizia Ferrara) - 3:13
6. Quicksand (feat. Patrizia Ferrara) - 2:30
7. Illusions (feat. Patrizia Ferrara) - 3:27
8. Puerto Rico - 3:45
9. Quando (feat. Patrizia Ferrara) - 2:58
10. Bring my Baby Back Home (feat. Big John) - 2:47
11. Waltz for Nathalie - 1:49
12. Freedom (feat. Joy Malcolm) - 2:50

Singles

• Aquarius (1997)
• Wake Up (1997)
• Children of the Ghetto (1998)
• Defenceless (1999)
• This Isn't Maybe (2000)
• This Isn't Maybe (12" release) (2002)
• Tears Running Dry (2002)
• Make My Day (2006)