COLOURFUL He was, until some years ago, also a prolific and well-respected painter, photographer and writer. He is in a true sense a late starter, or, as one fellow musician calls him, a "grown-up child whizz". René's first 20 odd years were shaped by a severe illness he was born with. Being bed ridden for several months at a time every so often, fighting off almost lethal infections, he found strength in creating a singular inner world. This world has continued to be the source of his artistic output over the years making his music and playing exceptionally original. Cinema Obscura is his fifth album. He also composes for film, theatre and video art.     RARE APPROACH Though a relative new comer, there is a reason ECM artist Iain Ballamy and internationally acclaimed guitarist Mark Wingfield have chosen to work with von Grünig. His approach to music is radically original and yet, unlike most who depart from the norm; it is eminently accessible. This album and his previous collaborations with Wingfield and Ballamy have produced some of the most original music in jazz in recent years. "It is so rare that you find someone who is actually a completely original voice in jazz, or any music, René is exactly that, how could I not want to work with him?" says Wingfield.