Jazz-Bahrenberg
Jazz Poster und Art
Vintage posters from the estate of the legendary concert promoter - Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg
Designer and Artist - Günther Kieser
Der Nachlass von
Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg
Iconic festival posters, unpublished photographs and original promotional material - directly from the collection of the founder of the Berliner Jazztage.
This collection tells the story of a vibrant concert and festival culture. Each object is a contemporary witness to the decades-long work of Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg. A core piece of the collection is the close creative symbiosis with the world-famous graphic designer Günther Kieser: Many of the posters offered here are original prints from the respective event period, often in the impressive large format (A0/A1).
What distinguishes the estate:Original festival posters & limited editions: first editions and rare formats that have shaped the visual identity of jazz.Exclusive Insights: Authentic photo footage from live performances, as well as official management photographs originally sent to artists and their teams for promotion.Archive treasures: original records, press material and historical documents of the concert history.Complete provenance: All pieces come directly from the personal property of the festival founder.
Added value for collectors and professionalsFor collectors, these objects offer a high emotional and aesthetic value as well as the security of a first-class origin. There are also attractive economic opportunities for dealers, galleries and auction houses: We grant significant discounts on the purchase of larger bundles. This allows professional resellers above-average margins when marketing these historically significant works of art.We invite you to become part of this story. Whether you are looking for a single collector's item or want to put together a collection for the trade - we offer you full transparency and professional processing.
Poster-Selection:
The Estate of Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg
Available original posters from the private collection of Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg.
Designs by Günther Kieser.
All prints are original and date from the respective year of publication.Please take your time to explore these works of art:
Essener Jazztage 1960
A0-FormatThis poster comes from the personal collection of Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg, one of the early pioneers of the German jazz scene. The Essen Jazz Days of the early 1960s were among the first major events to emerge after the war; a few years later, in 1964, Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg was involved in founding the Berlin Jazz Festival, which quickly developed into one of the most important festivals in Europe. The provenance and condition of this print make it particularly interesting to collectors and specialist dealers.Provenance: Originally from the personal collection of Schulte-Bahrenberg; additional materials from the estate, including photographs, promotional material and sound recordings, are available and can be viewed upon request.For further information, high-resolution photographs of the poster itself or the inventory list, please contact us directly via the contact page.
Berliner Jazztage 1964
A0-FormatThis rare original poster documents the birth of one of the most influential festivals in European jazz history. It is an outstanding testament to the decades-long creative symbiosis between promoter Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg and the legendary graphic designer Günther Kieser.Kieser’s design for 1964 is distinguished by its groundbreaking typographic solution and powerful photo collage, perfectly visualising the programmatic modernity of the early jazz festivals. As part of the Schulte-Bahrenberg estate, this poster offers a complete and prestigious provenance.For collectors, this poster represents a museum-quality work of significant cultural and historical value. Dealers and auction houses benefit from its direct provenance from the festival founder’s archive, providing a particularly strong basis for marketing. Attractive volume pricing offers excellent margins, especially when purchasing larger quantities.We are happy to provide high-resolution detail photographs, condition reports and a complete inventory list. Additional archival materials, including original photographs of the artists depicted and historical promotional material, are also available.
Berliner Jazztage 1965
A0-FormatBerliner Jazztage 1965 – A graphic and musical masterpiece: This original concert poster for the 1965 Berlin Jazz Days combines the op-art-inspired designs of legendary graphic designer Günther Kieser with one of the most significant jazz line-ups of the 1960s, including Bill Evans, Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins and Gerry Mulligan.Commissioned on behalf of the Berliner Festwochen by Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg and curated by jazz pioneer Joachim-Ernst Berendt. A genuine contemporary document of post-war West German cultural and design history.
Berliner Jazztage 1967
A1-FormatThe year 1967 marked a cultural turning point, and this outstanding original poster perfectly captures the spirit of the psychedelic era—both visually and in terms of its content.Under the visionary motto „Jazz meets the World“ artistic director Joachim-Ernst Berendt radically opened the festival to global influences—a historic milestone long before the term “world music” became popular.Alongside modern jazz pioneers such as the Miles Davis Quintet and Thelonious Monk Orchestra, the festival brought Indian tabla players, Indonesian gamelan ensembles, All-Stars and flamenco guitarists to the stage of the Berliner Philharmonie.The poster’s luminous, hypnotic colour circles form a dazzling example of Pop Art and reflect the vibrant, boundary-breaking spirit of the late 1960s.
Berliner Jazztage 1968
A1-FormatThe year 1968 was marked worldwide by social upheaval and protests against the Vietnam War—a social eruption unmistakably reflected in the iconic design of this poster. The photographic white raised fist above the portrait of a jazz musician, combined with the striking slogan “JAZZ! NOT WAR,” instantly made Günther Kieser’s poster one of the most powerful anti-war statements in European poster art.Musically, the festival reflected the spirit of rebellion. Alongside legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie and Muddy Waters, pioneers of European free jazz—including Peter Brötzmann, Manfred Schoof and Wolfgang Dauner—challenged established musical conventions.
Berliner Jazztage 1973
A0-FormatThis breathtaking photographic motif by Günther Kieser is regarded as one of the most empathetic and expressive works in the history of German poster art. The intertwined hands, each with a different skin tone, symbolise the universal language of jazz as a unifying force between cultures, genders and generations.In 1973, this motif reflected the festival’s transformation: jazz was breaking free from rigid boundaries and increasingly merging with rock, funk and contemporary avant-garde music. The masterful photographic composition dispenses with bold typography, allowing the powerful and humanistic image to speak for itself.
Berliner Jazztage 1990
A1-FormatAn immensely moving historical document from the year of German reunification, 1990. Under the title “JAZZ LIFE – Inner-German Encounters,” Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg organised a historic concert series in November 1990 in Leipzig, Dresden, Erfurt, Rostock and Potsdam.For this project, Günther Kieser created a poetic masterpiece of Surrealism: from a clenched, powerful hand, flowering plant shoots emerge—a symbol of life, creative renewal and the coming together of East and West Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Musically, the tour brought together leading jazz musicians from East and West Germany—including Albert Mangelsdorff, Manfred Schoof, Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky and Alexander von Schlippenbach—in the newly united federal states.Original admission tickets from the respective venues of this historic concert series have also survived. These contemporary documents can be acquired together with the poster, offering collectors the opportunity to preserve the memory of the individual concerts and their venues in a particularly authentic way.
Berliner Jazztage 1978
A0- and A1-FormatA fascinating and visually daring key work by Günther Kieser: for the 1978 Berlin Jazz Days, the motif captured the festival’s historic expansion to include the theme “Africa Music” in a unique way. The photographically composed synthesis of an African mask and a human hand holding a microphone builds a bridge from African roots to modern stage performance.A special provenance anecdote: the promoter, Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg, was privately a passionate connoisseur and collector of African masks. This personal passion is reflected not only in the pioneering festival programme of 1978, but most likely also inspired Günther Kieser in his choice of this legendary motif.Organised by Schulte-Bahrenberg and under the artistic direction of George Gruntz, the 1978 festival became a landmark event—remembered for the historic performances of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti, together with Ginger Baker, Miriam Makeba and Dollar Brand, alongside jazz greats such as Pat Metheny and John Scofield.
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© Usage and Reproduction Rights
By purchasing the poster, you acquire the physical original only; no usage, reproduction or distribution rights are transferred.
Licences for reprints or commercial use may be negotiated and acquired separately — please contact us for further information.
Poster & Prices
The entire estate of Ralf Schulte-Bahrenberg is being offered for sale by his heir as part of a private sale.Significant discounts are available when purchasing larger quantities; please refer to the preceding lists for details.You are very welcome to contact us and submit serious offers.
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