Axel Zwingenberger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Axel Zwingenberger
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Zwingenberger at the funeral service for Champion Jack Dupree, January 1992 in Hanover, Germany
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| Background information | |
| Born | 7 May 1955 Hamburg, West Germany |
| Genres | Jazz, blues, boogie-woogie |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Piano, celeste, harpsichord |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Labels | Vagabond, EMI, Eagle |
Axel Zwingenberger (born May 7, 1955) is a famous German musician. He plays the piano and is known for his amazing blues and boogie-woogie music. He also writes songs.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Music
Axel Zwingenberger was born in Hamburg, West Germany. He started playing the piano when he was young. He had eleven years of classical piano lessons. But then, he heard music by other pianists like Pete Johnson, Albert Ammons, and Meade "Lux" Lewis. This music was called boogie-woogie, and it made him want to play that style instead!
First Performances and Albums
In 1974, Axel played at a big music festival in Cologne, West Germany. He performed with other pianists like Hans-Georg Moeller, Vince Weber, and Martin Pyrker. They also played at other festivals.
A year later, he signed with a record company. This company released his first solo albums. Some of these were Boogie Woogie Breakdown, Power House Boogie, and Boogie Woogie Live.
Working with Other Musicians
Axel has worked with many famous musicians. He has played with Champion Jack Dupree, Lionel Hampton, Jay McShann, Big Joe Turner, and Sippie Wallace. He even played with Charlie Watts, who was the drummer for the famous band The Rolling Stones.
He also wrote a book called Boogie Woogie: Piano Solo. This book has twelve of his own songs written down for others to play.
A Love for Trains
Besides music, Axel has another interesting hobby: trains! Since he was a child, he has loved steam locomotives. He even published a book of his train photographs called The Magic of Trains.
He also helped start a group that works to save old trains. One of the trains they helped save is the steam-powered DR 18 201.
The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie
In 2009, Axel started playing music again with Charlie Watts. They also played with English pianist Ben Waters and bassist Dave Green. They called their group The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie.
In June 2012, they released their first album together, Live in Paris. They also performed in New York City at places like Lincoln Center and the Iridium Jazz Club.
Selected Music Albums
Axel Zwingenberger has released many albums, both by himself and with other musicians. Here are some of his notable works:
- Solo Albums:
- Boogie Woogie Breakdown (1978)
- Power House Boogie (1980)
- Boogie Woogie Live (1985)
- Boogie Woogie Classics (1992)
- Boogie Back to New York City (1996)
- Albums with Others:
- Let's Boogie Woogie All Night Long (1978) with Big Joe Turner
- The Boogie Woogie Album (1982) with Lionel Hampton Orchestra
- An Evening with Sippie Wallace (1986) with Sippie Wallace
- On Stage with Champion Jack Dupree (1990) with Champion Jack Dupree
- Swing the Boogie! (1996) with Jay McShann
- The Boogiemeisters (1999) with Vince Weber
- The Magic of Boogie Woogie (2010) with Charlie Watts and Dave Green
- The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie – Live in Paris (2012) with Ben Waters, Charlie Watts, and Dave Green
