Bio/Disko

David Helm is a Cologne/Berlin-based composing improviser. He is also the singer-songwriter MAREK JOHNSON.

Multi-instrumentalist David Helm began his musical career with the Limburg Cathedral Boys‘ Choir. In contrast, during this time he indulged in the sound of noisy bands at muddy small-town punk rock festivals. In 2015, he completed his double bass studies at the HfMT Cologne.
A highly acclaimed double bassist and improviser, he received the Cologne Jazz Prize in 2019. David can be heard on over 70 recordings and performs worldwide with numerous bands in a wide variety of musical contexts, anything goes.

His own projects currently include the free improvising duo with Parisian pianist Jozef Dumoulin, in which David Helm devotes himself to sound art with voice, guitar, objects and electronics. The debut album „No-Eyed Deer“ was released in 2022 on the Berlin label Anunaki Tabla.

In the same year, David released the album „At Home Again, Singing“ as a singer-songwriter under the name MAREK JOHNSON on the Cologne/Berlin label Paper Cup Records.

If you are interested in some other names of great people I have & had the pleasure to work with – here are some of them in NO order:

Jacob Anderskov, Kasper Tranberg, Elisabeth Coudoux, Anna Webber, Simon Nabatov, Kevin Shea, Matt Motel, Ava Mendoza, Audrey Chen, Silke Eberhard, Uli Kempendorff, Ralph Alessi, Michael Attias, Pablo Held, Martin Klapper, Fabian Arends, Dominik Mahnig, Sebastian Gille, Nelson Veras, Frank Gratkowski, Wanja Slavin, Rainer Böhm, Simon Seidl, Leif Berger, Thomas Sauerborn, Leo Huhn, Romina Lischka, Axel Pulgar, Moritz Wesp, Jan Philipp, Christian Lorenzen, Tobias Hoffmann, Shannon Barnett, Matthew Halpin, Florian Ross, Nils Wogram, Nils Klein, John Ruocco, Ronny Graupe, Andreas Völk, Sam Comerford, Matthew Jacobson, Max Andrzejewski, Jonas Engel, Karlis Auzins, Felix Hauptmann and many more.

Releases:

in a leading role:

MAREK JOHNSON - At Home Again, Singing (Papercup Records 2022)
MAREK JOHNSON - Hommage (Papercup Records 2022)
Dave Berlin - TIP TOP (Anunaki Tabla 2022)
MAREK JOHNSON - Paralyzed (single, Papercup Records 2022)
MAREK JOHNSON - Owls (single, Papercup Records 2022)
David Helm & Jozef Dumoulin - NO-EYED DEER (Anunaki Tabla 2022)
David Helm - Circle Of Life (bandcamp 2021)
Dave Berlin - Vakuum der Phantasie (Anunaki Tabla 2021)
Axel Pulgar/David Helm/Leif Berger/Anthony Greminger - Memorias Live at King Georg (bandcamp 2021 
Dave Berlin - Das Exil (Irrlicht records 2020)
FOSTERCHILD - Dear Earthling (ILK 2019)
Fabian Arends & David Helm - FOSTERCHILD (Tangible Music 2019) 
MAREK JOHNSON - Stay Low (Tangible Music 2019)
Dave Berlin - Li.Ke (Irrlicht records 2019)
frederikfogbruun/davidhelm/janphilipp - tape (self release 2019)
Dave Berlin - Happy (self release 2018)
Zooom Trio -  What's for Dessert? (LEO Records, 2015)
Klonk - Confusa (Meta Records, 2014)


In a supporting role:

Own Your Bones - Staring Is Caring (Tangible Music 2023)
Philip Zoubek Trio - Labyrinthus (WhyPlayJazz 2022)
Pollon - △△△ (Anunaki Tabla 2022)
Delusional Mind - Melted Into Air (Boomslang Records 2022)
Jürgen Friedrich - Semisong (NWog records 2022)
Fabian Dudek Quartet - Isolated Flowers (Traumton 2022)
Fabian Arends - Fractures (Klaengrecords 2022)
Shannon Barnett Quartet - Bad Lover (ToyPianoRecords 2022)
Pablo Held - Meet Me At The Loft (2022)
Moritz Preisler Trio - Raureif (Klaengrecords 2022)
Thomas Sauerborn - Kyiwi (Klaengrecords 2021)
Aries Point ft. Bastian Stein, Ronny Graupe, David Helm, Hathor Consort (Outhere Music 2021)
Stefan Karl Schmid - Muse (Tangible Music 2021)
Jan Philipp - Sillhouettes (bandcamp 2020)
Sebastian Gramss - Bassmasse 13/45 (Rent a Dog 2020)
Philip Zoubek Trio - Non Places (WhyPlayJazz 2020)
Theresia Philipp - Pollon With Strings (FloatMusic 2020)
Delusional Mind (feat. Yannis Anft, Leif Berger, David Helm) - Blue (bandcamp 2020)
Florian Ross Architexture (Naxos 2020)
Florian Ross Reason & Temptation (Toy Piano 2020)
Stefan Karl Schmid - Pyjama (Tangible Music 2020)
Fabian Dudek Quartett - Creating Meaning (Fixcel records 2019)
Gianni Brezzo - New Magic (paper cup records 2019)
Giotto Roussies - Reaching For The Intangible (KLAENGrecords 2019)
Dierk Peters  - Ambrosia (Tangible Music 2019)
Moritz Wesp - Recycling Allstars (bandcamp 2019)
Niaque - Awake (Float Music 2019)
Gianni Brezzo New Magic (Papercup records 2019)
Jan Philipp Trio - Fake Folks (KLAENGrecords2019)
Jonathan Hofmeister - Emotions (KLAENGrecords 2019) 
Philip Zoubek Trio - Outside (WhyPlayJazz 2018)
Gianni Brezzo - Siro Gravi (Dorfjungs 2018)
TheWhereme?! - TheWhereme?! (bandcamp 2018)
Jonas Engel OWN YOUR BONES (KLAENGrecords 2018)
Aerie - Sonic (QFTF 2018)
Jan Schreiner Large Ensemble - You Better Look Twice (Floatmusic 2018)
Shannon Barnett Quartet - Hype (Double Moon Records 2017)
Fabian Arends - Levitate (KLAENGrecords 2017)
Shannon Barnett Quartet - Juan Playschool (independent 2016)
Pollon - Herb (KLAENGrecords 2016)
Makkro - .why (KLAENGrecords 2016)
Subway Jazz Orchestra - Sate of Mind (Unit Records 2016)
Subway Jazz Orchestra - Primal Scream (FLOAT MUSIC 2016)
Peter Weiss - The Good View (JAZZsick records 2016)
Last Chance Dance (feat. Matthew Halpin, David Helm, Fabian Arends) (Toy Piano Records 2016)
Jürgen Friedrich -  Reboot (NWog  Records, 2015)
Florian Ross Quintet - Lines & Crosscurrents (Toy Piano Records, 2015)
Sebastian Grams' Bassmasse - Schwarm (Gligg Records 2013)