Jazz/Rock/Fusion

To Be biography
To Be band was founded in Hamburg,Germany in 1977 by Claus Robert Kruse ( keyboards). Claus has a degree in piano at The University ofor Music and Theatre in Hamburg. As gitarist and pianist he played with local bands Cavern Cats, Cops & Robbers, Wonderland and kraut-rock band A.R. & Machines (with Achim Reichel). Another band's member Peter Franken ( percussion, drums) played with A.R. & Machines in past as well. Lemmy Lembrecht ( drums, percussion) and Rolf Köhler ( percussion) played in early A.R. & Machines line-up as well ( still with Klaus Schulze as one of vocalists).Guitarist Peter Weihe was studio musician.



To Be recorded just one album with spacey jazz rock supported by two percussionists. Whenever no commercial success was received, all musicians just continued separate careers soon after release.In 1982 Claus Kruse re-united the band ( in trio format with Tissy Thiers (Bass), Lemmi Lembrecht (Drums)).Second album was recorded, and band was disbanded for more 10 years. In 1992 third album was recorded.



Claus Robert Kruse became a respectable producer and founded own record company in Hamburg (OH YES! Records), which in 2006 re-released To Be second and third albums.

www.myspace.com/tobehamburg

clarkpegasus4001 wrote: Romantic Warrior for me

Haven't seen you around for a while, Tony, good to hear from you

Gazuese and cosmic messenger are my faves. I don't like mahavishnu or brand x much though. Bit annoying

Gong-Expresso.

I voted Isotope.
               Interesting to see To Be on here. Can you tell me a bit more about them? They interest me because their drummer the late Rolf Kohler went on to play with Dirk Steffens on his brilliant two solo albums The Seventh Step and Tollhouse, but I've never actually  heard To Be.


Edited by presdoug - July 03 2012 at 13:48

I voted Return To Forever - Romantic Warrior because it was both my first prog album, and first jazz album.

Larry Coryell made four albums with The Eleventh House (I have Level One and Aspects). He also made many solo albums usually teaming up with another musician. Back Together Again with Alphonse Mouzon for example.

You have "Coryell & Mouzon", should have listed them as "The Eleventh House".  A much over-looked fusion band.

I think I'll vote for the combo Soft Ponty.

US albums like Return To Forever, Billy Cobham, New Tony Williams Lifetime and Larry Coryell made a fan out of me. I then started looking for European bands in this style.