Kai Eckhardt
German born bassist/composer Kai Eckhardt began playing music in the year 1975. Born in 1961, he spent his
early years in both Germany and Liberia/West-Africa.
Kai eventually moved to the United States to attend Berklee College of music in Boston, the college from which
he graduated with honors in 1987.
During his time in Boston, Kai held the bass chair in the Bob Moses Group as well as in the ensemble “Tiger’s Baku”, led by trumpeter Tiger Okoshi. In 1987 Kai applied for a teaching position at Berklee and was accepted into the bass faculty by Rich Appleman. But before receiving his appointment he was introduced to John McLaughlin by vibraphonist Gary Burton who had been Kai’s improvisation teacher at Berklee.