Buschi Niebergall
Encyclopedia
Buschi Niebergall was a German free jazz
music
ian. His given name was Hans-Helmut, and late in life, his friends called him Johannes.
Born in the city of Marburg
into a family of academics (his father was a professor of theology and temporarily rector of the University of Marburg), Niebergall enrolled in medical school. Playing acoustic guitar, he got in contact with other musicians and quit his studies. As double-bass player Niebergall became co-founder of several of the first and most influential Free Jazz
formations of Germany during the mid-1960s. Gunter Hampel
s quintet "Heartplants" and "Voices" by the Manfred Schoof
quintet are two excellent examples of this independent European free jazz development.
A founding member of the Globe Unity Orchestra
since 1966, Niebergall collaborated with many musicians playing freely improvised music, including Peter Brötzmann
, Don Cherry
, Alfred Harth
, Evan Parker
, Alexander von Schlippenbach
, Irène Schweizer
, John Tchicai
. During the early 1970s he played in Albert Mangelsdorff
's various quartets and quintets. After 1980 he chose a life in isolation in Frankfurt a.M., with the exception of occasional stints within a "Jazz und Lyrik" project.
Free jazz
Free jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
ian. His given name was Hans-Helmut, and late in life, his friends called him Johannes.
Born in the city of Marburg
Marburg
Marburg is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, on the River Lahn. It is the main town of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district and its population, as of March 2010, was 79,911.- Founding and early history :...
into a family of academics (his father was a professor of theology and temporarily rector of the University of Marburg), Niebergall enrolled in medical school. Playing acoustic guitar, he got in contact with other musicians and quit his studies. As double-bass player Niebergall became co-founder of several of the first and most influential Free Jazz
Free jazz
Free jazz is an approach to jazz music that was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the music produced by free jazz pioneers varied widely, the common feature was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of bebop, hard bop, and modal jazz, which had developed in the 1940s and 1950s...
formations of Germany during the mid-1960s. Gunter Hampel
Gunter Hampel
Gunter Hampel is a German jazz vibraphonist, clarinettist, saxophonist, flautist, pianist and composer born in Göttingen, Germany, perhaps best-known for his album "The 8th of July 1969" that included fellow musicians Anthony Braxton, Willem Breuker and Jeanne Lee...
s quintet "Heartplants" and "Voices" by the Manfred Schoof
Manfred Schoof
Manfred Schoof is a German jazz trumpet player.He studied music in Kassel and Cologne.He is a founder of European free jazz and collaborated with Albert Mangelsdorff, Peter Brötzmann, Mal Waldron, and Irène Schweizer...
quintet are two excellent examples of this independent European free jazz development.
A founding member of the Globe Unity Orchestra
Globe Unity Orchestra
The Globe Unity Orchestra is a free jazz ensemble.Globe Unity was formed in autumn 1966 with a commission received by Alexander von Schlippenbach from the Berlin Jazz Festival...
since 1966, Niebergall collaborated with many musicians playing freely improvised music, including Peter Brötzmann
Peter Brötzmann
Peter Brötzmann is a German artist and free jazz saxophonist and clarinetist.Brötzmann is among the most important European free jazz musicians. His rough, lyrical timbre is easily recognized on his many recordings.-Early life:...
, Don Cherry
Don Cherry (jazz)
Donald Eugene Cherry was an innovative African-American jazz cornetist whose career began with a long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman. He went on to live in many parts of the world and work with a wide variety of musicians.-Biography:Cherry was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and...
, Alfred Harth
Alfred Harth
Alfred 23 Harth is a German multimedia artist, band leader, multi-instrumentalist musician, and composer who mixes genres in a polystylistic manner...
, Evan Parker
Evan Parker
Evan Shaw Parker is a British free-improvising saxophone player from the European free jazz scene.Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free jazz and free improvisation, and has pioneered or substantially expanded...
, Alexander von Schlippenbach
Alexander von Schlippenbach
Alexander von Schlippenbach is a German jazz pianist and composer.-Biography:...
, Irène Schweizer
Irène Schweizer
Irène Schweizer is a notable Swiss jazz and free improvising pianist. She was born in Schaffhausen, in 1941.She has performed and recorded numerous solo piano performances as well as performing as part of the Feminist Improvising Group, whose members include Lindsay Cooper, Maggie Nichols, Georgie...
, John Tchicai
John Tchicai
John Martin Tchicai is a Danish jazz saxophonist. He was one of the earliest European free jazz musicians. He is of Danish and Congolese descent....
. During the early 1970s he played in Albert Mangelsdorff
Albert Mangelsdorff
Albert Mangelsdorff was one of the most accredited and innovative trombonists of modern jazz who became famous for his distinctive technique of playing multiphonics.-Biography:...
's various quartets and quintets. After 1980 he chose a life in isolation in Frankfurt a.M., with the exception of occasional stints within a "Jazz und Lyrik" project.
Selected discography
- Heartplants (Gunter Hampel (saxes, b cl, fl, vibes), Manfred Schoof (tp, flh), Alexander von Schlippenbach (p), Niebergall (b), Pierre CourboisPierre CourboisSir Pierre Courbois is a Dutch jazz-drummer, bandleader and composer.After studying percussion at the Hogeschool der Kunsten in Arnhem, Courbois left for Paris, the center of Jazz in Europe in the early 1960s...
(dr) 1964. MPS 10526) - Voices (Manfred Schoof (tp, cornet); Gerd Dudek (ts); Alexander von Schlippenbach (p); Niebergall (b); Jacki LiebezeitJaki LiebezeitJaki Liebezeit is a drummer probably best known as a founding member of Can who has been called "one of the few drummers to convincingly meld the funky and the cerebral"....
(d) 1966. - The Early Quintet (Manfred Schoof (tp); Gerd DudekGerd DudekGerd Dudek is a German jazz tenor saxophonist, soprano saxophonist, clarinetist and flautist.Dudek studied clarinet privately and attended music school in the 1950s before joining a big band led by his brother Ossi until 1958...
(ts); Alexander von Schlippenbach (p); Buschi Niebergall (b); Jacki Liebezeit (d) 1966. FMP 0540 - Machine Gun (Peter Brötzmann (ts, bs); Willem Breuker (ts); Evan Parker (ts); Fred Van HoveFred Van HoveFred Van Hove is a Belgian jazz musician and a pioneer of European free jazz. He is a pianist, accordionist, church organist, and carillonist, an improviser and a composer...
(p); Peter Kowald (b); Buschi Niebergall (b); Han BenninkHan BenninkHan Bennink is a Dutch jazz drummer and percussionist. On occasion his recordings have featured his playing on clarinet, violin, banjo and piano....
(d); Sven-Åke JohanssonSven-Åke JohanssonSven-Åke Johansson is a Swedish drummer and composer associated with free jazz and free improvisation. He was in the Globe Unity Orchestra and played with German reedist Alfred Harth and Belgian pianist Nicole Van den Plas in E.M.T..- External links :*...
(d). 1968, FMP 0090 - European Echoes (Enrico Rava (tp); Manfred Schoof (tp); Hugh Steinmetz (tp); Peter Brötzmann (ts); Gerd Dudek (ts); Evan ParkerEvan ParkerEvan Shaw Parker is a British free-improvising saxophone player from the European free jazz scene.Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free jazz and free improvisation, and has pioneered or substantially expanded...
(ss); Paul RutherfordPaul RutherfordPaul Rutherford is the former backing vocalist, dancer and occasional keyboardist with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood , one of the group's two openly gay singers....
(tb); Derek Bailey: (g); Fred Van Hove (p); Alexander von Schlippenbach (p); Irène SchweizerIrène SchweizerIrène Schweizer is a notable Swiss jazz and free improvising pianist. She was born in Schaffhausen, in 1941.She has performed and recorded numerous solo piano performances as well as performing as part of the Feminist Improvising Group, whose members include Lindsay Cooper, Maggie Nichols, Georgie...
(p); Arjen Gorter (b); Peter KowaldPeter KowaldPeter Kowald was a German free jazz musician.A member of the Globe Unity Orchestra, and a touring double-bass player, Kowald collaborated with a large number of European free jazz and American free-jazz players during his career, including Peter Brötzmann, Irène Schweizer, Karl Berger, Fred...
(b); Niebergall (b); Han Bennink (d); Pierre Favre (d)June 1969, Bremen. FMP 0010) - Birds Of Underground (Albert MangelsdorffAlbert MangelsdorffAlbert Mangelsdorff was one of the most accredited and innovative trombonists of modern jazz who became famous for his distinctive technique of playing multiphonics.-Biography:...
(tb); Heinz Sauer (as, ts); Gerd DudekGerd DudekGerd Dudek is a German jazz tenor saxophonist, soprano saxophonist, clarinetist and flautist.Dudek studied clarinet privately and attended music school in the 1950s before joining a big band led by his brother Ossi until 1958...
(ts, ss, fl); Buschi Niebergall (b); Peter GigerPeter GigerPeter Giger is a Swiss percussionist and bandleader.-----His musical CV:1958 professional musician, tours in Europe with the Tremble Kids, Oskar Klein, Albert Nicholas, Bill Coleman, Joe Turner, Wild Bill Davison, Peanuts Holland1960 after short guest performance with Armand Gordons Ragtime Band,...
(d)), 1972, MPS. - Celeste ( Michel Pilz (bcl), Niebergall (b), Uwe Schmitt (d)) 1978, Trion.
- Innovationen für 10 Instrumente Manfred Niehaus (viola); Bernd Konrad (bcl,cbcl,sax); Willem van Manen (tb); Michael Sell (tp); Hans Peter Jahn (cello); Theo JörgensmannTheo JörgensmannTheodor Franz Jörgensmann is a jazz and free-improvising Basset clarinet player and composer. He has been a professional musician since 1975.-Activities:...
(cl); Niebergall (b); Georg Strüber (b); Hidegard Butscher (viol); Frank Köllges (dr), 1980 Köln, Misp records 506