Axel Zwingenberger

Axel Zwingenberger
Axel Zwingenberger during the funeral service of Blues legend Champion Jack Dupree, January 1992 in Hannover
Background information
Born	(1955-05-07) May 7, 1955
Origin	Hamburg, Germany
Genres	Boogie-woogie,[1] jazz, blues
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Piano, celeste, harpsichord
Years active	1970s–present
Labels	Vagabond Records, EMI, Eagle Records
Website	Axel Zwingenberger's

Axel Zwingenberger (born May 7, 1955) is a blues and boogie-woogie pianist, and songwriter.^[1] He is considered one of the finest boogie-woogie music masters in the world.^[2]

Biography

Zwingenberger was born in Hamburg, Germany, and enjoyed eleven years of conventional piano training. In 1973 he listened to recordings of boogie-woogie pianists Albert Ammons, Meade "Lux" Lewis, and Pete Johnson. He soon joined piano playing partners Hans-Georg Moeller, Vince Weber and Martin Pyrker, and word about the four friends began to spread. 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.

By 1975, Zwingenberger received his first recording contract, issuing such solo recordings as Boogie Woogie Breakdown, Power House Boogie, and Boogie Woogie Live, as well as lending his talents to recordings by such artists as 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 addition to issuing other solo recordings, Zwingenberger continues to tour all over the world. He has also authored several publications about blues/boogie-woogie music and musicians as well as Boogie Woogie: Piano Solo, a book of 12 of his compositions, exactly transcribed.^[3]

Being a railfan since early childhood, he is also known for his photographs of steam locomotives,^[4] including some taken from within the machinery itself. Zwingenberger established a non-profit foundation within the German Foundation for the Protection of Historical Monuments which donates for the preservation of monuments on rails, including the world's fastest operational steam locomotive, the German DR 18 201.

In spring 2009, coordinated by young pianist Ben Waters from the UK, Zwingenberger renewed his relationship with Charlie Watts, drummer of The Rolling Stones. Together with bassist Dave Green, they played joint concerts billed as The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie. In June 2012 they released their first joint album The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie - live in Paris and presented it in New York by playing concerts at Lincoln Center and The Iridium Jazz Club.

Selective discography

Zwingenberger also appeared on Just For A Thrill by Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings

Books

• 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
• Barry Kernfeld: The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd edition 2002 (title of vol.3: Nightclubs - Zwingenberger), 3000 pp. ISBN 1-56159-284-6

References

External links

• Axel Zwingenberger's homepage
• Interview with Axel Zwingenberger
• Axel Zwingenberger on IMDb
• Axel Zwingenberger biography at All Music