Blank & Jones

Blank & Jones is a Cologne, Germany based Trance duo, consisting of the members Jan Pieter Blank (born June 15, 1971), known as Piet Blank; René Runge (born June 27, 1968), better known as DJ Jaspa Jones; and the producer Andy Kaufhold (N*D*K) (born December 17, 1969). They have released eleven albums and more than 16 singles since their first single release "Sunrise" in 1997. Piet Blank, who recognized the great desire in him for music after purchasing his first record "Kids in America" by Kim Wilde, had his first experience in spinning a record on a turntable at age 16. René Runge, on the other hand, who resides in Düsseldorf and who is better known as Jaspa Jones had his first experience as a DJ at age 19. Together with help from Andy Kaufhold they formed the trance production team Piet Blank & Jaspa Jones (which would later become simply Blank & Jones) after meeting at the Popkomm music conference. Even though they had been together for a few years, they did not release their first single, "Sunrise", until 1997. Their first album, In the Mix, was a studio production that came out in 1999. As of 2008, thirteen of their singles have made it into the German Top 50, and three into the Top 20. Each album made the Top 50, including two which reached the Top Ten. Blank & Jones have teamed up with Robert Smith from The Cure, Anne Clark, Sarah McLachlan, Claudia Brücken from (Propaganda), Pet Shop Boys, and Delerium. They have also contributed to the Café del Mar compilation series and produced their own chill-out albums, Relax, Relax (Edition 2), Relax (Edition 3), Relax (Edition 4), Relax (Edition 5), Relax (Edition 6) and Relax (Edition 7).