Blank & Jones are aDJ– andProducers-formation in the field ofUplifting TranceandDancefromCologne.
The team consists of Piet Blank (* June 15, 1971), Jaspa Jones (* June 27, 1968, real name Rene Runge) and Andreas Kaufhold (* December 17, 1969), with the latter being more active behind the scenes. Blank and Jones gained their first experiences as DJs as teenagers. Their musical spectrum ranges from lounge and chill-out music to dance.
Early music releases were partly under the band name Gorgeous, with titles like 'Don’t Stop' (1996) and 'Love Sensation' (1998).
In 1999, after several successful singles under the name Blank & Jones, their debut album followed, building on their previous successes. The best-of albumThe Singlesincludes 22 tracks, includingSomebodyandCatchThe singleCatchis based on the song of the same name by the group Kosheen (1998) and is sung by Elles de Graaf. The music video was directed by Conchita Soares and Toni Froschhammer, featuring Nadine Warmuth (known fromBehind Bars - The Women's Prison) in the lead role.
Since 2003, they have regularly released chill-out albums in theirRelax-series, characterized by relaxed ambient sounds and regularly achieving chart success.
From 2009, they curate for the label EMI within the seriesSo80sremix albums and compilation CDs featuring music from the 1980s. In 2012, they produced the singleMaybe Tonightwith Sandra. The concept was later expanded to include music from the 1990s and continued under the titleSo90scontinued.
Blank & Jones sold over two million records worldwide.
Piet Blank is also responsible for the regularly changing club mix (Channel 6), which can be heard on all long-haul flights of Lufthansa in the in-flight entertainment program.
In 2015, Blank & Jones supported the composer competitionYour Songon the TV channel KiKA.
As part of the Gamescom computer game fair, they staged the show from August 18 to 20, 2016SilentMODin Cologne Cathedral. Ambient sounds, scents, and a laser show were used. The cathedral was specially opened for this event between 10 PM and 2 AM and attracted about 12,000 visitors each evening. Admission was free.
Twice a year, Blank & Jones hold the event partySeaside Seasonin the milk bar on Norderney, where their music is played every evening at sunset. In the 2019 novelThe Shadows of Norderneyby Christian Hardinghaus, they play a central role. Their songsRelax your MindandHappinesssupport the fictional investigator Carsten Kummer in solving a mysterious series of murders.
