Hans Christian

Hans Christian (also seen as Hans Christian Reümschuessel or Hans Christian Reumschüssel and other variations) is a German-born musician and producer now based in the U.S. in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Christian is a multi-instrumentalist (often bass guitar, cello, nyckelharpa, and sarangi, but also balalaika, banjo, santoor, sitar, tambura, etc.) usually associated with Indian world music, ethnic fusion, chamber jazz and sometimes new-age music, but who also plays classical music. His production work includes projects in a range of genres, from classical to bluegrass, folk, rock, and devotional chants. He operates a recording studio in Sturgeon Bay, WI called STUDIO 330 and a record label named Allemande Music.
 
Since his 1994 debut album, Christian has recorded twelve solo albums, plus six albums as part of the duo Rasa. Formerly a session musician in Los Angeles in the 1980s, he also collaborated since the 1990s as a guest musician on albums from prominent artists such as experimental pop band Amoeba, alternative world band Vas, singer Krishna Das, and ambient musician Robert Rich. Christian also did technical work (producer, engineer, mastering) for artists such as Jai Uttal, Ancient Future, Habib Khan, Silvia Nakkach, Dr. Jeffrey D. Thompson, Suzanne Teng, and many others.
 
On October 2009, Hans was interviewed at KFAI radio's Sangam program in Minnesota. It is about the formation of RASA, Arati, and the journey with devotional music.
 
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Composer, Producer and Musician all under one hat.
 
 artist photo
 
Hans Christian's work in all of these capacities has been documented on countless recording projects, from his participation as a cellist, bass player or multi-instrumentalist, to his collaborations with other artists as a producer and engineer, and to his works as a composer of solo recordings and of RASA's CDs.
 
Most of Hans' musical life was spend in recording studios - from first recordings at the age of 16 with a local flamenco group called Duo Flamenco in his home town Hannover, Germany; to recordings in Hamburg at the famous Deutsche Gramophon studios and a local facility called Studio Hafenklang. From there he went to Hollywood to pursue a life as bassist and cellist, performing and recording first with local underground bands and later with popular artists (Robbie Robertson, Sparks, Toni Childs, Gene Clark and others). Picking up clues from recognized producers T-Bone Burnett, Chad Blake, Daniel Lanois, Mitchel Froom (all of whom he met during sessions) and others, Hans developed a foundation for his work as a composer, producer and engineer.
 
His first instrument being the cello, Hans' musicality evolved around Western classical music. Technique and discipline were the building blocks for his musical education, although these were quickly augmented with his choice of the bass guitar as a second instrument (and leading to the subsequent immersion in rock music). The foundation for a rich musical career was thus prepared. His interest in World Music, especially from India, led him to pick up the Indian sarangi and sitara (a small customized sitar) and the Scandinavian nyckelharpa. Hans has played on countless albums, given hundreds of concerts, and produced many projects, including his collaborations with Kim Waters under the name RASA (visit rasa-music.com for lots of information) and several recent solo recordings.
 
Recent solo projects include new instrumental releases called Undefended Heart, Sancta Camisia and Cinema Of Dreams. His work as a producer and mix engineer keep him busy with ongoing projects throughout the country, ranging stylistically from classical and folk to electronic and Indian devotional music. His most recent projects include several CDs with Sikh artists (Gurunam Singh, Nirinjan Kaur Khalsa, Simrit Kaur). Hans also recently signed with Banshee Music as a staff composer for TV and advertising.
 
Please visit these websites for lots of info about his professional work:
recordingstudio330.com
allemandemusic.com
rasa-music.com
 
 
 
Hans' album the Rumi Symphony is a collaboration with Andrew Harvey.
 
Andrew Harvey has taught at Oxford University, Cornell University, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, The California Institute of Integral Studies, and the University of Creation Spirituality as well as the at various spiritual centers throughout the United States.
 
He was the subject of the 1993 BBC film documentary &The Making of a Modern Mystic& and appears also in &Rumi Turning Ecstatic& and &The Consciousness of the Christ: Reclaiming Jesus for A New Humanity&. Andrew Harvey is founder/director of the Institute of Sacred Activism and co-founder of Wisdom University's New Chartres School.