Of course they are with us again. So to speak, they are the local band playing at the GrevenGrass.
Matthias Malcher, living close by, is a member of our GrevenGrass festival planning group. His festival experience and knowledge of the bluegrass music scene and all his most useful contacts shaped the GrevenGrass festival. Being an experienced musician, working in a lot of music projects where music is handmade and authentic, his heart is beating for bluegrass. A professional guitar and banjo player and a recording studio perfectionist. After starting with Country-Blues und Ragtime in his early years he was inspired by Lester Flatt, Doc Watson and Merle Travis in the 70s. This turned him to a bluegrass guitar and banjo player.

In the early 80s he met Ulli Sieker and his band ’Bluegrass Express’, he joined the band and this completed his change to bluegrass. Matthias and Ulli’s partnership is lasting until present time.They where playing in the ’bluegrass express’ as well as in the group ‘Groundspeed’ for several years. Later they started the duo ‘Looping Brothers’. They where on the road in England, Ireland, Scotland and even the US.

Ulli Sieker surely is one of the originators of bluegrass music in germany. Late in the 70s he released one of the first european bluegrass LP’s with his band ’Bluegrass Express’. Ulli is one (if not the only one) of the masters of bluegrass fiddle and mandolin in Germany. You find his expressive stile and sound in breakdowns und fiddletunes and also in his own compositions. On stage he is a real ‘country gentleman’ presenting an inspiring performance of bluegrass.

Bernd Nollenberg has been playing the bass for a long time, gathering experience in blues-, rock-and folk music. Then he discovered his love for bluegrass. He was playing banjo, fiddle and guitar but never lost sight of his bass guitar and double bass. Yes, he plays both, the electic and acoustic version. Since a lot of years he is the ‘basement’ of the Looping brothers. His double bass gives the backbone and the undeviating beat for the sometimes very quick rhythm of the bluegrass tunes.

The ‘Looping Brothers’ are dedicated to the roots of American music, playing the original fiddle tunes and banjo breakdowns. They play the mandolin, the guitar and the double bass. You can listen to old time mountain songs or to their own new songs, performed with perfect harmony singing. The Looping Brothers perform their ambitious music in a very professional way, thus inspiring not only the fans of folk or country music.

Ulli Sieker: Mandolin, Fiddle, Vocals
Matthias Malcher: Banjo, Guitar, Vocals
Bernd Nollenberg: Bass