Niklas Lukassen displays an equally astonishing lyrical sensibility and skilful command of the upright bass, the bass guitar, and his unique bass cello. Described as "a versatile bass virtuoso" by Jazzwise magazine, he has emerged on the international jazz scene as an original voice with a vision that also demonstrates a natural bandleader authority.
Niklas ventured from an inconspicuous village in the South German Black Forest out into a life of creative opportunity. He spent his formative years cutting his teeth in Berlin and New York. Mentored by Ron Carter, Niklas received his Master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music. Pursuing artistic research, he is a doctoral candidate at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Adept across contrasting musical worlds, Niklas has accompanied performances with artists such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Joe Lovano, Jorge Rossy, Norma Winstone, Till Brönner, Jo Lawry, Will Vinson, Tim Garland, and The New York Voices. Among his recording credits is the Grammy Award-nominated album Some Days Are Better by the Kenny Wheeler Legacy Project. Notably, he was also a singer in the German National Jazz Orchestra.
Niklas’ acclaimed debut album Still Waters, released on Kurt Rosenwinkel’s label Heartcore Records, surfaced unimagined musical depths. His quartet, alongside saxophonist Ben van Gelder, pianist Kit Downes, and drummer Francesco Ciniglio, fuses captivating individualists from the jazz scenes of Amsterdam, London, Paris, and Berlin.
He is also the creative mind behind ECHO, a band in which he embraces his penchant for lyric writing while staying true to his nature as an improviser. Furthermore, in his trio, alongside pianist Gwilym Simcock and drummer James Maddren, he ventures on untrodden musical paths on a novel instrument: the bass cello.
Niklas has toured in Europe, North America, Asia, and North Africa, appearing at leading venues including Lincoln Center, Beacon Theatre, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Southbank Centre, and the Berliner Philharmonie.