U.S. pop-rock band WORLD5

WORLD5 started with five close friends who were professional musicians. Although life and personal projects put them in different locations around the globe, they kept alive the desires of making music together. Realizing that very long distances separate them physically but not musically, they used the power of the World Wide Web to shorten the physical distance. They recorded their first album "Global Experience" over 3 continents together, founding members were Raimund Breitfeld, Steffen Goeres, Don Bruner, Stephan Goessl and Roland Childs.

Grammy Award winners Pat Hunt and Randy Miller, who produced the band's first album, joined the band replacing Don Bruner and Roland Childs december 2012. June 2013 brought the departure of saxophonist Stephan Goessl and the arrival of Texan guitarist Joe Gavito.  2016, Album Nr.2, "Heartbeat Of The World" was released on Spectra Music Group. 

WORLD5 has a new line up. Joining Raimund, Steffen and Joe are Swedish bass player, Jimmy Olsson and as the lead singer from San Francisco, California, Lou Evans. Jimmy has performed with some of the most popular groups in Sweden, such as Nynningen, Nationalteatern and Björn Afzelius Band. Lou has been showcased with outstanding talents such as LeAnn Rimes, Lorrie Morgan, America, Carrie Underwood, Bo Bice, Waylon Payne, James McCartney (Son of Paul McCartney), Todd Rundgren, Gregory Page, Billy Galewood (aka Bushwalla, co-songwriter of Jason Mraz), Toca Rivera (Jason Mraz percussionist/background vocalist), and Con Brio.

Lou Evans is a singer/songwriter based in the San Francisco Bay Area.  He played professional baseball in the Miami Marlins Minor League system from 2001-2005. In 2005, he decided to pursue his burgeoning music career. An American Idol Season 4 contestant, lately Lou has been performing and writing new music.

Lou has been showcased with outstanding talents such as LeAnn Rimes, Lorrie Morgan, America, Carrie Underwood, Bo Bice, Waylon Payne, James McCartney (Son of Paul McCartney), Todd Rundgren, Gregory Page, Billy Galewood (aka Bushwalla, co-songwriter of Jason Mraz), Toca Rivera (Jason Mraz percussionist/background vocalist), and Con Brio.

The past few years he has been given some great opportunities to shine by singing the National Anthem at a San Francisco Giants game and a Golden State Warriors game. When he sings, heads turn. WORLD´s latest asset as the lead singer and as songwriter.

Joe is a proud, 9th generation Texan, and has been a professional guitarist for almost 40 years.

Starting out his musical life in San Antonio, Texas as a drummer all the way through college, guitar decidedly became his weapon of choice after being fired as the drummer and then rehired, as the lead guitarist when the band he was playing with heard him play guitar one night, during a rehearsal break. His fate was then secured. After touring with showbands in the 70's and 80's, he landed up back in Houston when he started playing with the band “Mason Dixon”.

This led to countless studio sessions at Mickey Gilley's studio. In 1991, after a 3-year stint in Nashville, working as a freelance musician and working for Gibson Guitars, Joe moved back to Texas to start a family. By 1995, Digital recording became a welcomed reality for this home studio enthusiast, and Randy Miller became his “go to” recording Guru. So now, the circuit was complete.

In addition to producing the band and contributing electric guitars to WORLD5, Joe is producing Frank Martin Gilligan, and performs as a single artist in Southeast Texas.

Growing up in Bavaria, Germany, Steffen’s initial musical influence came from his mother who was an opera singer. Encouraging her children to learn the piano, Steffen quickly became interested in many other instruments, including the trumpet. At the age of 11, he picked up the guitar and hasn’t put it down since. While his older brother discovered rock and brought an electric guitar home, Steffen was attracted to the jazz and funk music of the 70’s. It was that time - in his hometown of Deggendorf - when Steffen formed a jazz funk band with Raimund Breitfeld and Stephan Goessl of WORLD5. The band played their own compositions, won competitions and was a local sensation.

Steffen went on to study classical guitar and trumpet at the Richard Strauss Conservatorium in Munich, following that up with a year’s study in jazz guitar in Los Angeles. As a typical Student - broke - Steffen returned to Germany. His obvious skill on the guitar was quickly seized upon by many musicians, and he played everything from classical concerts to studio sessions to band gigs and tours in Europe. While playing in bands in Austria, Steffen met his wife-to-be from New Zealand. A couple of years later, they settled in Wellington, New Zealand, where he established himself as a professional musician.

Steffen also inspires hundreds of students through his teaching at secondary schools. Steffen released his solo CD - “A Dozen One Afternoon” - an album of 12 original compositions played on the nylon string guitar. Steffen’s professionalism and musical talents are indisputable, combining harmonic sounds, catchy melodies and smooth grooves. With his skills and experience delivering a quality listening experience to many musical genres, a call from his friend Raimund, to invite him to play for WORLD5, reintroduced him to pop music.

Jimmy Olsson´s musical journey started in the late 50´s playing Mandolin. This led to formally studying Cello and performing in a youth orchestra until the age of 16. As he grew, so did his musical prowess as it expanded to include the Bass guitar. In 1967, he joined a Blues/Soul band as a Bass player, and he's been working in the Music business ever since. In the 70´s, he was playing with some of the most popular groups in Sweden, such as Nynningen, Nationalteatern and Björn Afzelius Band.

In 1980 he formed a sound company, with an old friend and fellow musician. He has worked as a FOH sound engineer and tour manager with some of the leading acts in Sweden. He continues in that business still today.

In the 90´s he brought his knowledge and expertise to the Gothenburg City Theatre, producing both plays and musical theatre.
By 2000, he was teaching music, math, and audio-visual arts. He continues making a difference as a freelance musician in Sweden, playing with and producing multiple upcoming Swedish artists, and now, taking over the Bass guitar duties in WORLD5. 

At the age of four Raimund Breitfeld decided to help his mother, a concert pianist, by operating the pedals of the Steinway as she played. It didn´t take long for her to decide that it might be better for him to operate the keyboard instead of the pedals and he received his first piano lessons. Most of the radio stations didn't play classical music though, so for Raimund it was Pop and Rock music. This inspired him to make his own guitar.

One day while his parents left the house for some hours, Raimund grabbed his father's violin. He did a little cutting with a saw and added some frets ... and Raimund's first guitar was born. Raimund's first pocket money came and a brand-new electric guitar was unavoidable. Shortly after blowing up his grandparent's radio in an attempt to amplify his new guitar Raimund received a real amplifier as well.

During his high school days Raimund and his good friend Steffen Goeres performed together in several Rock and Pop bands. Steffen's skills on the guitar were so advanced that he was already doing solo concerts as a teenager. Steffen was so dedicated that he literally slept with his guitar. Raimund couldn´t keep up with Steffen on guitar and since there were very few drummers in their small town and their skills were moderate Raimund found his calling behind the drums. Drum lessons, music academy and the college of music followed, and he ended up with a degree as a drummer and music teacher.

Crossing paths and playing together over the years in different bands Raimund and his friends, guitarist Joe Gavito, guitarist Steffen Goeres along with Jimmy Olsson and Lou Evans have joined together from all around the world to create the music of WORLD5