Axel Zwingenberger
Axel Zwingenberger (born 7 May 1955, Hamburg, Germany) is a blues and boogie-woogie pianist He is said to be one of the best boogie-woogie musicians in the world.[1]
Biography[change | change source]
Zwingenberger was born in Hamburg, Germany. He had eleven years of piano training. In 1973 he listened to recordings of boogie-woogie pianists Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis, and Pete Johnson. He joined piano playing partners Hans-Georg Moeller, Vince Weber and Martin Pyrker. In 1974, he played at the First International Blues-and-Boogie Woogie Festival of the West German Radio Station in Cologne which was followed by Hans Maitner's annual festival Stars of Boogie Woogie in Vienna.
1975 Zwingenberger signed his first recording contract.Since then he made recordings with famous artists like Lionel Hampton, Jay McShann, Big Joe Turner, Lloyd Glenn, Joe Newman, Sippie Wallace, Mama Yancey, Champion Jack Dupree, Sammy Price, Ray Bryant, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Vince Weber, and the Mojo Blues Band, among others. In spring 2009 he renewed his relationship with Charlie Watts, drummer of The Rolling Stones. Together with bassist Dave Green, they played concerts labeled as 'The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie'.
Being a steam engine fan since childhood he also edited a book with his own photos of steam engines. (Axel Zwingenberger, Vom Zauber der Züge - The Magic of Trains photo book - ISBN 3-926398-02-7)
Selective discography[change | change source]
| Year | Title | Solo albums | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Boogie Back To New York City | solo - live | Vagabond |
| 1992 | Boogie Woogie Classics | solo | Polygram Int'l |
| 1985 | Boogie Woogie live | solo - all original compositions by A.Z.[2] | Vagabond |
| 1980 | Power House Boogie | solo | Vagabond |
| 1978 | Boogie Woogie Breakdown | solo | Telefunken |
| Year | Title | Combinations | Label |
| 2012 | The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie - Live in Paris | w/ Ben Waters, p + voc, Charlie Watts, dr & Dave Green, b | Eagle Rock Records, UK |
| 2012 | The Joy of Boogie Woogie | w/ Keito Saito, p | Quatre Mains Records, Japan |
| 2010 | The Magic of Boogie Woogie | w/ Charlie Watts, dr & Dave Green, b | Vagabond |
| 2009 | Lady sings the Boogie Woogie | w/ Lila Ammons, voc | Vagabond |
| 2008 | Saxy Boogie Woogie | w/ Big Jay McNeely, sax & The Bad Boys | Vagabond |
| 2004 | Groovology | w/ Gottfried Boettger, p | Vagabond |
| 1999 | Brothers in Boogie | w/ Torsten Zwingenberger, dr | Vagabond |
| 1999 | The Boogiemeisters | w/ Vince Weber, p + voc | Vagabond |
| 1996 | Swing the Boogie! | w/ Jay McShann, p + voc | Vagabond |
| 1982 | The Boogie Woogie Album | w/ Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Vagabond |
| 1978 | Let's Boogie Woogie All Night Long | w/ Big Joe Turner, voc - German Record Award 1979 | Vagabond |
| 1976 | Boogie Woogie Session '76 live in Vienna | w/ Hans-Georg Möller, Martin Pyrker & Torsten Zwingenberger | EMI |
| Year | Title | Axel Zwingenberger & The Friends Of Boogie Woogie - Series | Label |
| 2000 | Vol. 10: Kansas City Boogie Jam | w/ Big Joe Duskin, voc, Sammy Price, p, Jay McShann, p | Vagabond |
| 1999 | Vol. 9: Red Hot Boogie Woogie Party | w/ Red Holloway, sax & voc, Mojo Blues Band - live | Vagabond |
| 1993 | Vol. 8: Heat It Up | w/ Red Holloway, sax & voc, Mojo Blues Band | Vagabond |
| 1992 | Vol. 7: Champion Jack Dupree sings Blues Classics | w/ Champion Jack Dupree, voc, Mogens "Basse" Seidelin, b, Michael Strasser, dr | Vagabond |
| 1990 | Vol. 6: On Stage with Champion Jack Dupree | w/ Champion Jack Dupree, voc & Torsten Zwingenberger, dr | Vagabond |
| 1988 | Vol. 5: Champ's Housewarming | w/ Champion Jack Dupree, voc, Mojo Blues Band | Vagabond |
| 1987 | Vol. 4: The Blues Of Mama Yancey | w/ Estella "Mama" Yancey, voc | Vagabond |
| 1986 | Vol. 3: An Evening with Sippie Wallace | w/ Sippie Wallace, voc - live | Vagabond |
| 1985 | Vol. 2: Between Hamburg & Hollywood | w/ Big Joe Turner, voc, Joe Newman, tp & voc, Lloyd Glenn, p, Torsten Zwingenberger, dr | Vagabond |
| 1984 | Vol. 1: Sippie Wallace | w/ Sippie Wallace, voc | Vagabond |
Zwingenberger also appeared on Just For A Thrill by Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings
Books[change | change source]
- Richard Cook & Brian Morton: Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings, Penguin, first issue 1992, 8th 2006, ISBN 978-0-14-102327-4
- Colin Larkin: The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz, Guinness Books UK, from 1992 on, ISBN 0-85112-580-8
- Peter Silvester: The Story Of Boogie Woogie - A Left Hand Like God, Quartet Books UK, 1988, updated issue 2009, Scarecrow Press, ISBN 978-0-8108-6924-0
References[change | change source]
- ↑ All About Jazz: Axel Zwingenberger bio
- ↑ Axel Zwingenberger: Boogie Woogie Piano Solo: transcription of the CD VRCD 8.85007 - ISBN 3926398019