Born in Frankfurt in 1985, Max Clouth studied Jazz guitar in Germany and then went to India to learn Hindustani music from Pandit Nayan Ghosh. The double-necked guitars he developed with guitar maker Philipp Neumann are based on oriental and Indian stringed instruments such as the oud or sarod. He has developed a musical style inspired by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Kraftwerk, Led Zeppelin, Indian classical music and contemporary electronics.

Additionally, Max composes for film and television, including music for “Freibadsinfonie / Blue Summer Symphony” (director: Sinje Köhler, nominated for the Student Oscar), “Der lange Weg der Sinti und Roma” (ARD, 2022 – director: Adrian Oeser) and most recently “Das Leben ist kein Kindergarten” (ARD, 2023 – director: Sinje Köhler). A recipient of the Frankfurt Jazz Scholarship, Max has been teaching jazz guitar and ensemble at the FMW Frankfurter Musikwerkstatt since 2022.

He is currently working with his group Ragawerk as well as in a duo with flamenco guitarist Luis Gallo and in ensembles with Shakuhachi virtuoso Tony Clark, Senegal-born percussion master Khadim Seck, bassist Vroni frisch and tabla prodigy Ishaan Ghosh.