Gunter Hampel
He created something, only a few German jazz musicians realized: he is well-established, highly-regarded and famous in the whole world, mostly in the USA. Gunter Hampel, the multi-instrumentalist from Göttingen, Germany. Since his first record released in 1965 “Heartplants”, a germ cell of the German/European free jazz, Gunter Hampel found his very own style, which reputates him as one of the great musicians in contemporary music. 1969 he left Germany and moved to New York, where he is still working beside his other places of residence in Berlin and Göttingen. From New York he developed influence into the International jazz scene. He is accepted by the music critic and conquered the hearts of true jazz fans with his legendary group GALAXIE DREAM BAND. Gunter Hampel is an unbelievable creative artist, who is open for all kinds of music and trends. With his various projects as a solo artist, with his duo and trio formations, quartets, quintets, with his 20 piece orchestra or with Big Bands.
Since 1995 Gunter Hampel works together mostly with blood young super talented musicians. The new ensemble GUNTER HAMPEL EUROPEAN TRIO and the with rap singers enlarged formation NEXT GENERATION (7-, 9- or 11 piece band) turns on the new generation itself and because of their professional and fresh knowledge; they enthusiast their audience, no matter if they are young or old. Since three years the EUROPEAN TRIO is in action everywhere the music of Gunter Hampel is allowed to unfold totally. Who never experienced Hampel’s GALAXIE BAND (1972-1996), here he receive its dignified succession. The young, fresh group create an own, unmistakable sound and musical far-sightness, a consistent development of Hampel’s life work. Very relevant Gunter Hampel was honoured with the most important credit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his lifetime work on June, 23rd 2009. The state minister for culture and sciences of Niedersachsen, Mr. Lutz Stratmann, hand over Gunter Hampel the award “Verdienstkreuz am Bande des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland”. „You had marked in more than 50 years the German and European jazz decisively and you are a co-founder of Free Jazz. But most important you defined yourself as a mediator between America and Europe and helped to increase this music become an own style”, Stratmann explained in his laudation. The minister caught up stations of a multi-facet life and work of Gunter Hampel as a composer, arranger, improvisation master and multi-instrumentalist in his speech. Already at age 11 he wrote own compositions. He rules not only the saxophone, the flute, the bass clarinet and the piano, he is also acclaimed by the International jazz critic as one of the best 10 vibraphonists in the world. With jazz legends as Gerry Mulligan and Dizzy Gillespie he performed in front of International audiences an with music greats like John Cage, Kenny Clarke and Don Cherry he developed the new jazz idiom. Over all Gunter Hampel made a wide reputation in the field of music education. A pedagogical and didactic concept in order of the German government he leads till today and follow up its meaning in own initiative further on. Since the beginning of the 70ties it is a matter of concern for Gunter Hampel to impart joy for jazz to young people and introduce the youth to creative ensemble playing.
Press quote
"Gunter Hampel continues to be active at jazz-leading edge"
All About Jazz - New York City
AT THE LIMIT OF THE POSSIBLE
What an unusual guest in Göttingen's Junkernschänke: Gunter Hampel, a Göttingen born Multi-Instrumentalist, who is enjoying the respect as well of the American as of the European Jazzscene, offered with his „European Trio“ first rate Free Jazz. Johannes Schleiermacher, tenor saxophone and Bernd Oezsevim, drums proofed with over- bubbling creativity and joyous performing that you need have no fears to count them in as „Young Lions“ of the global jazz scene . The quiet opening into the concert was carried out by Hampel with his piece „Smiling Energy“ on his bass clarinet, before Oezsevim ringed in a swing-rhythm with the first „dropping bombs“ of the bass drum. A basis which Schleiermacher used for an extended improvisation, which gained even more attraction when he threw the spontaneous improvised musical motives forwards and backwards with Gunter Hampel: an act of free rein creativity far off tonality but even catchy for ears not being used to listen to jazzmusic like this. No one can do this better. Impossible for anyone to do this better! It is absolutely enjoyable that the European trio has found it's own style, which leaves no doubt about their skills. The 3 musicians spared no trouble as well, to combine the most different sound-colors with each other and seemed to be spontaneous to decide which number of their repertoire they would play next.
Rusty garden-door
Hampel soon changed from his roaring bass clarinet to the vibraphone and flute, Schleiermacher managed the peak of his solo with his mouthpiece alone, while Oezsevim produced sounds, which reminded me of a rusty garden-door. Beautifully crazy, but qualitively above all at the outer limits of what is possible. Tirelessly and for a long time Hampel is taking care of sponsoring promising young talents. This engagement , so proofs the "European Trio" , is functioning extraordinary, remarkably excellent., Jonas Rhode, Göttinger Tageblatt, June-09
Already in 1997 Gunter Hampel was awarded for his outstanding artistic work with the “Niedersächsische Staatspreis” and in 2007 he was decorated at the Jazzfest Berlin with the renowned “Albert-Mangelsdorff-Preis (German jazz prize). With his group THE GUNTER HAMPEL EUROPEAN TRIO he is again very active in the U.S. and in Europe. Together with Johannes Schleiermacher on tenor-, alto-, and soprano sax and Bernd Oezsevim on drums Gunter Hampel is creating music on the edge of our time. Mister Hampel uses the vibes as no one else in the world, his fans and listeners experience the art of improvisation in perfection. Beside his vibraphone play he is a master of the bass clarinet and the flute.
A remarkable trio! You can engage this marvellous trio and other projects of Gunter Hampel from now on over our agency JAZZMEDIA & MORE for your international event programs. Please contact us over: JAZZMEDIA Bookingform
