Grossdeschau Recordings
Released: August 2000
Possible Records

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A CD including several BGE performances between 1992-1996, the tour team was represented by players from Argentina, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Japan and USA.

The House appeared late one afternoon in July 1991 when Hernán and I were driving my blue Mercedes Bluesmobile to Grossderschau, 80km north west of Berlin. The sun was setting, and there it was, by far the largest and most beautiful house in the village, a farmhouse built in 1772.
The purchase took place on August 13, 1991 (chich also marked the 30th anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall). During the winter of 1991/1992 I began organizing and overseeing the extensiive renovation work that lasted until June 1992.
For more than four years the House became the centre for Guitar Craft Courses and related activities. One of the main features of these Courses and Projects was the writing, performing, and recording of new musical material. The Berlin Guitar Ensemble was the main performing group that emerged during this time; this ensemble, in its variuos configurations, represented the work in the House in many performances; locally in churches, hospitals, old people's homes etc., and nationwide in festivals, music auditoriums, cafes and rock clubs. The House was also the birthplace of "Los Gauchos Alemanes".
Martin Schwutke

People from all over the world came to Grossderschau to attend Guitar Craft Courses, performance project, recording projects and retreats. The material on this album was recorded between 1992 and 1996. Most of it was recorded in the house, some of it during performances.
The house was our home and our performance space. All participants shared the house duties: the house and garden needed daily attention and we took turns supervising and cooking meals.
All who visited the house contributed in their own way towards these recordings; some by playing on it, some by composing or arranging the pieces, some by their supportive work in the kitchen, and some by their silent presence.
Bert Lams

About the recordings:
The takes come from a wide variety of recording devices: DATman, cassette, walkman, video camera, etc... all takes wents straight to stereo, no multitracking was involved.
Most of the takes were recorded by Wolfgang Meyer, David Singleton and Andrés Jankowski; the Neustadt Church Performance (tracks 15-21) comes from a lo-fi video made by the Priest in charge; the so called "David's Nutfarm" takes (tracks 7-14) were completely recorded and post-produced by David Singleton.
I went through many DAT tapes with Wolfgang in Kiel, then he and Bert Lams made a selection of takes in England, after that Martin Schwutke and Andrés made a pre-master in Berlin and finally the whole thing was put together in Berlin (July 28-30, 2000) by Martin, Andrés and myself at SL1 studios.
This CD brings to life an intense period of our work.
Hernán Nuñez