Bernd Rabe (musician)

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Bernd Rabe (born June 17, 1927 in Hanover ; † March 18, 2001 in Stuttgart ) was a German musician who had been one of the best alto saxophonists and clarinetists in the jazz and big band scene since the 1950s.

His playing was influenced by the great alto saxophonists of cool jazz , Art Pepper , Lee Konitz and Paul Desmond . He first became known nationwide in the New Jazz Group Hannover , which was formed in 1954 after the musicians were recorded in a studio production for the NWDR . The band was invited to the German Jazz Festival and, in 1957 , was sent to tour by the German Jazz Federation as "probably the most modern ensemble in northern Germany".

From 1958 Rabe played in Erwin Lehn's Südfunk dance orchestra, where he developed into one of the main arrangers of this orchestra. As a master of his field and specialist in large orchestras (e.g. big band with strings), he has participated in a large number of productions, has written for many German and international stars ( Caterina Valente , Peter Alexander , Grit van Hoog and others) and orchestras ( including Rias Big Band , NDR Big Band ). His reputation as a jazz composer and arranger was also excellent. His jazz group, the Bernd Rabe Swingtet , was one of the leading ensembles in Germany. Until his death, Rabe worked as an active musician, composer and arranger in the successor orchestra of Erwin Lehn, the SWR Big Band , where he was leader of the saxophone setting.

literature

  • Otto J. Groeg: Who's Who in the Arts . Vol. 2: N-Z, Who's Who-Book & Pub., 1978, p. 77
  • Historical commission of the ARD: "When the jazz band is playing": From Schlager, Swing and Operetta - On the history of light music in German radio: Symposium of the Historical Commission of ARD and West German Radio on June 28th and 29th, 2005 in Cologne . German Broadcasting Archive, ed. v. Westdeutscher Rundfunk , 1st edition, Verlag für Berlin-Brandenburg, Berlin 2006, p. 84 ISBN 3-86650-603-1

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ W. Knauer, "Play yourself, man!" The history of jazz in Germany. Reclam, Stuttgart 2019, p. 188
personal data
SURNAME Raven, Bernd
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German jazz musician
DATE OF BIRTH June 17, 1927
PLACE OF BIRTH Hanover
DATE OF DEATH March 18, 2001
Place of death Stuttgart