Ulrich Tukur & Die Rhythmus Boys

Around the turn of the 1990s, the project Ulrich Tukur & Die Rhythmus Boys was developed around German actor and musician Ulrich Tukur — a quartet that revisits dance and entertainment music from the 1920s to the 1940s. Based in Germany, Ulrich Tukur & Die Rhythmus Boys adopt a retro aesthetic where swing, early jazz, foxtrot, tango, cabaret songs and schlager intersect in tight arrangements, featuring a strong emphasis on vocal harmonies, guitar counterpoint and a light rhythmic feel. The group initially performed on theatrical and cabaret stages, then quickly expanded into concert halls and festivals across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, while maintaining close ties to the musical-theatre scene. Their recordings mainly consist of covers and adaptations of international standards and German-language repertoire from the interwar period, sometimes complemented by original compositions in the same spirit, with a consistent taste for ironic lyrics and salon-like atmospheres. Over successive tours the ensemble consolidated an identity focused on Tukur’s stage presence, the acoustic character of the group and a highly narrative approach to song.