Volker Kriegel
Encyclopedia
Volker Kriegel was a German
jazz
guitar
ist and composer
born in Darmstadt
, Germany
, perhaps most noteworthy for his contributions to the Europe
an jazz rock genre and for his collaborations with the American
vibraphonist
Dave Pike
. In 1975 he was a founding member of the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble
.
jazz festival. In 1973 he founded Spectrum, a quartet
that included Eberhard Weber
, among others. In 1975 Kriegel spent a month teaching for the Goethe Institute, an organization he worked for at various points throughout his career. In 1976 Spectrum broke up, and Kriegel started another band called the Mild Maniac Orchestra
which stayed together in to the 1980s.
In 1977 Kriegel became the partial owner of a label called Mood Records. He also performed as a sideman
for various musicians, including Klaus Doldinger
. In addition to music, Kriegel was also a cartoonist
who appeared in several German newspapers, a radio broadcaster, and a director of films and author of books related to music.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
born in Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, perhaps most noteworthy for his contributions to the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an jazz rock genre and for his collaborations with the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
vibraphonist
Vibraphonist
Notable players of the vibraphone include:* Peter Appleyard* Roy Ayers* Karl Berger* Jeff Berman* Jack Brokensha* Larry Bunker* Christian Burchard* Rusty Burge* Gary Burton* Joe Chambers* Teddy Charles* Salem Chiles* John Cocuzzi* Monte Croft...
Dave Pike
Dave Pike
David Samuel Pike is a jazz vibraphone player. He learned drums at the age of eight and is self-taught on vibes. He has also played marimba, particularly with Herbie Mann. Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, and Cal Tjader were early inspirations for him.Pike made his recording debut with the Paul Bley...
. In 1975 he was a founding member of the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble
United Jazz and Rock Ensemble
350px|right|United Jazz + Rock Ensemble Farewell Tour 2002The United Jazz + Rock Ensemble developed from a group of jazz musicians that was formed for a 1974 to 1975 television show of Süddeutscher Rundfunk...
.
Biography
A self-taught guitarist, Kriegel began playing when he was fifteen and formed a trio three years later that won an award at a 1963 amateurAmateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
jazz festival. In 1973 he founded Spectrum, a quartet
Quartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
that included Eberhard Weber
Eberhard Weber
Eberhard Weber is a German double bassist and composer. As a bass player, Weber is known for his highly distinctive tone and phrasing...
, among others. In 1975 Kriegel spent a month teaching for the Goethe Institute, an organization he worked for at various points throughout his career. In 1976 Spectrum broke up, and Kriegel started another band called the Mild Maniac Orchestra
Mild Maniac Orchestra
The Mild Maniac Orchestra was a German jazz-rock band founded in the 1970s around guitar player Volker Kriegel. It existed until the beginning of the 1980s. The band was named after Kriegel's record "Mild Maniac" from 1974...
which stayed together in to the 1980s.
In 1977 Kriegel became the partial owner of a label called Mood Records. He also performed as a sideman
Sideman
A sideman is a professional musician who is hired to perform or record with a group of which he or she is not a regular member. They often tour with solo acts as well as bands and jazz ensembles. Sidemen are generally required to be adaptable to many different styles of music, and so able to fit...
for various musicians, including Klaus Doldinger
Klaus Doldinger
Klaus Doldinger is a German saxophonist, especially well-known for jazz and as a composer of film music. He was the recipient of 1997's Bavarian Film Awards .-Life and work:...
. In addition to music, Kriegel was also a cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
who appeared in several German newspapers, a radio broadcaster, and a director of films and author of books related to music.
As leader
- With a little help from my friends (1968, Liberty 83065) (u.a. mit Peter Trunk, Günter LenzGünter LenzGünter Lenz is a German jazz bassist and composer.- Activities :First he learned, assisted by Carlo Bohländer, playing guitar and since the mid-1950s, he played jazz in the clubs of the U.S. Army. During the 1959/1960 national service, he switched to the bass...
, Peter Baumeister, Claudio Szenkar) - Spectrum (1971, MPS 15301, re-released 2003)
- Inside: Missing Link (1972, MPS 15362) (u. a. mit 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:...
, Alan SkidmoreAlan SkidmoreAlan Skidmore is a tenor saxophonist of jazz and blues music, son of the saxophonist Jimmy Skidmore.-As a sideman:...
, Heinz Sauer, John Taylor, Eberhard WeberEberhard WeberEberhard Weber is a German double bassist and composer. As a bass player, Weber is known for his highly distinctive tone and phrasing...
, John MarshallJohn MarshallJohn Marshall was the Chief Justice of the United States whose court opinions helped lay the basis for American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches...
, Peter Baumeister, Cees See) - Lift! (1973, MPS 15390) (u.a. mit Zbigniew SeifertZbigniew SeifertZbigniew Seifert was a Polish jazz violinist.Seifert was born in Kraków, Poland in 1946. He played alto saxophone early in his career and was strongly influenced by John Coltrane...
, Stan SulzmannStan SulzmannStanley Ernest Sulzmann is an English jazz saxophonist.Sulzmann began on saxophone at age 13 and played in Bill Ashton's London Youth Jazz Orchestra, later the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music from 1969-1972...
, Eberhard WeberEberhard WeberEberhard Weber is a German double bassist and composer. As a bass player, Weber is known for his highly distinctive tone and phrasing...
, John Marshall) - Mild Maniac (1974, MPS 15403) (u.a. mit Rainer BrüninghausRainer BrüninghausRainer Brüninghaus is a German jazz pianist and composer.Born in Bad Pyrmont, Germany, Brüninghaus began in the jazz rock group Eiliff. In 1973 he joined the band of German jazz guitarist Volker Kriegel. In 1975 with bassist Eberhard Weber and Charlie Mariano he formed the band Colours...
, Eberhard Weber, 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,...
, Joe Nay) - Topical Harvest (1975, MPS 15471) (u.a. mit Albert Mangelsdorff, Rainer Brüninghaus, Peter Giger, Joe Nay)
- Octember Variations (1976, MPS 15495)
- Elastic Menu (1977, MPS 15517)
- Houseboat (1978, MPS 15535, mit Wolfgang Schlüter)
- Long Distance (1979, MPS 15549)
- Das Beste aus den Siebzigern (MPS 66893)
- Live in Bayern (1980, MPS 15.569)
- Journal (1981, mood 33.605)
- Schöne Aussichten (1983, mood 33.617)
- Palazzo Blue (1989, mood 33.608)
- Das Beste aus den Achtzigern (sampler of the previous 3, mood 6462)
- ZOOM (1999, Remastered, 2-CD-Set, MPS 559 909-2)
With United Jazz + Rock Ensemble
- Live im Schützenhaus (1977, mood 33.609)
- Teamwork (1978, mood 33.618)
- The Break Even Point (1979, mood 33.619)
- Live in Berlin (1981, mood 28.628)
- United Live Opus Sechs (1984, mood 33.621)
- Round Seven (1987, mood 33.606)
- na endlich! (1992, mood 6382)
- die neunte von United (1996, mood 6472)
As sideman
- Emil MangelsdorffEmil MangelsdorffEmil Mangelsdorff is a jazz musician who plays alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet and flute.In 1942 and 1943 Mangelsdorff studied clarinet at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt. As a member of the Frankfurt Hot Club his performing of jazz lead him to being imprisoned by the Gestapo...
: Swinging Oil Drops (1966) - Klaus DoldingerKlaus DoldingerKlaus Doldinger is a German saxophonist, especially well-known for jazz and as a composer of film music. He was the recipient of 1997's Bavarian Film Awards .-Life and work:...
: Doldinger Goes On (1967) - Kühn Brothers & The Mad Rockers (1969, MLP 15340)
- Don "Sugarcane" Harris: Keep on Driving (1970)
- Don "Sugarcane" Harris: Got the Blues (1972)
- Don "Sugarcane" Harris: New Violin Summit (1972)
- Don "Sugarcane" Harris: Keyzop (1975)
- Don "Sugarcane" Harris: Flashin' Time (1976)
- Dave Pike Set: Noisy Silence – Gentle Noise (1969, MPS 15215-ST)
- Dave Pike Set: Four Reasons (1969, MPS 15253)
- Dave PIke Set: Live at the Philharmonie (1969, MPS 15275)
- Dave Pike Set: Album (1971, MPS 15309)
- Dave Pike Set: Infra Red (1972, MPS 20739)
- New Dave Pike Set: Salomao (1973, MPS MB-21541)
- Jonny Teupen: Harpadelic (1969, MPS 15247)
- Klaus Doldinger's PassportPassport (band)Passport is a German jazz ensemble led by saxophonist Klaus Doldinger.Passport was initiated in 1971 as a jazz fusion experimental group, similar to American groups such as Weather Report. The ensemble's first recording was issued in 1971, and through the 1970s had a constantly revolving...
: Doldinger Jubilee Concert (1974) - Curt Cress Clan: CCC (1975)
Sources
- Carr, Ian; Fairweather, Digby; Priestley, Brian. Jazz: The Rough Guide, Penguin, 1995, ISBN 1-85828-137-7