Umbrella Jazzmen
| Umbrella Jazzmen | |
|---|---|
 50 years Umbrella Jazzmen in 2012, v. l. right, above: Tüllmann, discomfort, Richter, Rothkegel; below: Seidel, Wetzel, Wollschläger |
|
| General information | |
| origin |
 Berlin (West)
|
| Genre (s) | New Orleans Jazz / Dixieland |
| founding | January 29, 1962 |
| Website | umbrella-jazzmen.de |
| Founding members | |
| Eckhard "Ecki" Seidel | |
| Wolfgang Richter | |
| Detlef Lück (until 1975) | |
| Bernd Weber (until 1962) | |
| Klaus "Monty" Wentzlaff † (until 1975) | |
| Reiner Ahrens (until 1962) | |
| Current occupation | |
Trombone, vocals, blues harp , band leader
|
Eckhard "Ecki" Seidel |
banjo |
Wolfgang Richter |
Trumpet |
Peter Tüllmann (since 2008) |
Clarinet, soprano saxophone
|
Dr. Ralf Rothkegel (since 1992) |
Piano , arrangement and composition
|
Niels Unease (since 1988) |
| Ingomar Wollschläger (since 1976) | |
Drums |
Thomas "Tom" Wetzel (since 1988) |
| former members | |
Drums |
Armin Krüger (1962–1965) |
Drums |
Klaus Gericke (1965–1967) |
Drums |
Frank Staratzke † (1967–1988) |
Trumpet, singing |
Peter Möhle (1975-2008) |
| Niklaus "Niki" Frei (1970–1975) | |
piano |
Martin Piepkorn † (1975–1988) |
clarinet |
Thomas Zumpe † (1963–1964) |
clarinet |
Wolfgang Franke b. Schmahl (1975–1981, 1986–1992) |
clarinet |
Detwin Johannsen (1981–1986) |
double bass |
Bernd Faskel (1962–1967) |
double bass |
Jürgen Nielebock (1967–1972) |
Bass guitar |
Rudolf Svatunek (1972–1974) |
double bass |
Uwe Geres (1974–1976) |
Vocals, harmonica
|
Fredo Fleischmann (1972–1975) |
Sousaphone |
Dieter Strauss (2006-2008) |
 |
|
The Umbrella Jazzmen are a Berlin amateur jazz band founded in 1962 , which has made a name for itself in the Berlin jazz scene through numerous appearances in jazz clubs and at individual events. Participation in national and international jazz festivals and events made the Umbrella Jazzmen known beyond the city limits.
Band history
The band's roots go back to the late 1950s. In 1958, the then 18-year-old banjo player Wolfgang Richter joined the Candlelight Serenaders . In 1960 the jazz band decided to give themselves a more appropriate name. In order to give the umbrella an unmistakable trademark, from then on they called themselves Umbrella Jazzmen . At that time, trombonist Eckhard Seidel played at the Hot Pipers and won with them in 1961, the Golden Horn of the district Wedding . On January 29, 1962, the two bands merged under the name Umbrella Jazzmen . This is considered to be the official birth of the "Umbrellas".
From then on, the six musicians performed regularly in jazz clubs , such as the egg shell on Breitenbachplatz . With the addition of a pianist (1970) and a singer (1972–1975), the band grew to eight members and in 1975 recorded their first studio album. After a personnel change in 1975 and 1976, and the associated change in style, the seven musicians produced their second studio album in July 1978 called Just let a smile be your umbrella! whose theme song became their band's anthem. In total, the band has produced a good dozen records.
From 1977 to 1983, the band took part in various events organized by the Press and Information Office of the Berlin Senate on advertising for Berlin. Their reputation, which they have now acquired, earned the Umbrella Jazzmen invitations to numerous events, including the press ball in Hanover in 1979, the Federal Chancellor Festival in 1979 in the Berlin Philharmonie , the German Film Prize in 1979 and 1980 and a concert in the Berlin Waldbühne in 1983.
The "Umbrellas" were the first West Berlin band to appear in 1979 at the renowned International Dixieland Festival in Dresden , where the audience spontaneously opened several hundred umbrellas as a show of sympathy during their acclaimed appearance in the Junge Garde . The musicians also took part in the 10th anniversary of the Dresden Festival in 1980, as well as in the 14th Old Jazz Meeting in Warsaw in 1980. Between 1980 and 1990, their own concerts in Warsaw, Dresden and Karl-Marx-Stadt and their own tour of the former ensued GDR with six concerts in Leipzig, Dresden, Riesa, Suhl, Potsdam-Babelsberg and Rostock. Further appearances took the band to the Netherlands and to France and Denmark.
But they also remained connected to the Berlin fan community. They organized their own concerts in the Fontane-Haus as well as on the Lübars family farm (both in the Märkisches Viertel ) and played regularly at the Franco-German folk festival in Reinickendorf and the Berlin Dixieland Festival (15 times between 1985 and 2007). Some appearances brought her together with well-known greats of the jazz scene, such as with Mr. Acker Bilk and the Dutch Swing College Band at the Hot Jazz Meeting in the Konzerthaus am Gendarmenmarkt in 1997, as well as with Chris Barber ’s jazz band at the Köpenicker Jazzsommer 1998 and 1999.
The Berliners remained welcome guests at the Dresden Dixieland Festival, where they took part in all five-year anniversary events from 1990 to 2010 and became popular with the public.
On September 22, 2012, the Umbrella Jazzmen celebrated their 50th anniversary with a concert in the Schmargendorfer Kreuzkirche , at which, in addition to many old companions, “Dr. Jazz “ Karlheinz Drechsel personally congratulated the band. With trombonist and singer Eckhard Seidel and banjo player Wolfgang Richter, two founding members are still active.
Development of the occupation
The band started with six musicians. After two new members on the drums, in 1967 she found a drummer in Frank Staratzke who would accompany the band for over 20 years. There were four changes on bass up to 1976. From 1970 Niki Frei enriched the band's sound with his piano. Singer Fredo Fleischmann joined as the eighth member in 1973, who completed his studies in Berlin and left the city again in 1975, so that the singing was again taken over by trombonist Eckhard Seidel, whose deep, rough voice is reminiscent of Louis Armstrong . In the same year three new musicians joined the group. Wolfgang Schmahl, formerly active with the Whoopies , took over the clarinet, pianist Martin Piepkorn previously played with the well-known Spree City Stompers , and the new trumpeter Peter Möhle was now also active as a singer. In 1976 the change of the band was completed by replacing the double bass with a sousaphone, played by Ingomar Wollschläger. With this personnel change, the style of the band also changed. Instead of hits like Wait, Just Wait a Little or Ice Cream , instrumental and more demanding pieces were played from then on.
From 1981 to 1986 Detwin Johannsen replaced the clarinetist Wolfgang Schmahl (later Franke). Since 1988 the pianist Niels Unbehagen has expanded the band's repertoire with his own compositions and arrangements, including the songs 20 Years (1990), Festival Jubilee (2000), Two-OO-Five (2005) and Birthday "40" Song (2010) ), which were composed especially for the anniversary events of the Dresden Dixieland Festival and were recorded on the official live recordings. Also in 1988 Tom Wetzel replaced the long-time drummer Frank Staratzke, who left for health reasons. Sousaphonist Ingomar Wollschläger was also represented by Dieter Strauss from 2006 to 2008 for health reasons. The last personnel change so far was the new trumpeter Peter Tüllmann in 2008. Otherwise, the Umbrella Jazzmen have been playing in the same line-up since 1992, when Ralf Rothkegel took over from Wolfgang Franke (née Schmahl) on the clarinet.
style
The style of the seven musicians is based on New Orleans jazz and musicians like Lu Watters , Bob Scobey or the Firehouse five plus two . The playing style of Bobby Hackett , Eddie Condon and Louis Armstrong also influenced the "Umbrellas". In the course of the long years of playing together, the band has managed to develop an independent and unmistakable sound.
useful information
Despite the numerous appearances and twelve of their own music albums, the band has remained an amateur band, that is, all members went or pursue a profession such as mechanical engineer, architect or judge. Due to the advanced age of the musicians, most of them are retired. Some were and are still active in other bands.
Discography
All albums are not available in public stores, but only from the band, if stocks are available.
| Albums | |||
| date | title | format | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Just Smilin 'in the Rain | LP | |
| July 1978 | Just Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella! | LP | |
| January 1982 | Live under the umbrella, 20 years of jazz, Vol. 1 | LP | live |
| February 1982 | Live under the umbrella, 20 years of jazz, Vol. 2 | LP | live |
| 1987 | 25 years of jazz - it was back then - 1962–1987 | MC | compilation |
| February 1991 | Report '91 | MC | |
| June 1992 | 30 years ... Nice celebration live from the "Eosander" 13.6.1992 | MC | live |
| August 1993 | On the threshing floor | MC | live |
| April 1996 | These Guys Will Bring The Sunshine | 2 × CD | |
| July 2001 | Down Below That Old Dixie Line | CD | |
| 2008 | For Your Love Called Jazz | CD | New edition of Report '91 |
| 2011 | Umbrellissimo! | CD | |
| Contribution to compilations | |||
| date | Title (Editor) | format | Available at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 |
Twenty years of RIAS-Club Eighteen "Jazz for All" (Berlin: ASA-Musik) |
LP | - |
| 1979 | International Dixieland Festival Dresden '79 | LP | - |
| 1990 | International Dixieland Festival Dresden 89/90 | CD | - |
| 04/12/2002 |
Morning pint - morning, noon, evening, night (Vol.1) (Pool Jazz - Schimmelpfennig & Friends) |
CD |
Weltbild.de ( Link ) jpc ( Link ) |
| 2005 |
35th International Dixieland Festival Dresden 2005 - Live recording (MCD Productions) |
CD | dixieland.de ( Link ) |
| December 04, 2009 |
Swinging Germany - Traditional Jazz and Swing in Germany (Moon Sound Records Ltd.) |
3 × CD | Weltbild.de ( Link ) Amazon.de ( Link ) |
| 2010 |
Internationales Dixieland Festival Dresden, Vol.13 - "the great jubilee" May 2010 (MCD Productions) |
2 × CD | dixieland.de ( Link ) |
| 2011 |
40th International Dixieland Festival Dresden 2010 - Live recording (audiolis Dresden) |
CD | dixieland.de ( Link ) |
| 07/27/2012 |
Jazz & Blues Award Berlin 2002 (Monopol Records, Monopol Verlag GmbH) |
MP3 | Amazon.de ( Link ) iTunes ( Link ) |
Web links
- Umbrella Jazzmen at Discogs (English)
- Umbrella Jazzmen in Facebook
Media
- Come Back Sweet Papa live in Zenner (Treptower Park) 2013 - video on Youtube
- Photos of the band in the Eierschale Berlin-Dahlem from 1967 and 1971 in eierschale-berlin.de
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Eckhard Seidel: Umbrella Jazzmen - References. Umbrella Jazzmen, accessed September 6, 2012 .
- ↑ Other members of the Hot Pipers : Hans-Georg Hentschel (tp), Jürgen Stephan (cl), Harry Prell (bj), Bernd Weber (b) and Wolfgang Ziska (dr) (source: Eckhard Seidel)
- ^ Founding member Reiner Ahrens still has the founding contract.
- ↑ a b The main author of the article is the son of founding member Wolfgang Richter. Much of the information comes straight from the band.
- ↑ Pictures of the Umbrella Jazzmen in the Berlin egg shell from 1967 and 1971 . In: eierschale-berlin.de . Retrieved September 11, 2012
- ↑ a b c d Eckhard Seidel: Umbrella Jazzmen - Discography. Umbrella Jazzmen, accessed September 11, 2012 .
- ↑ Open-air theater »Young Guard«. (No longer available online.) In: dixielandfestival-dresden.com. Archived from the original on December 18, 2014 ; Retrieved December 18, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Anniversary in Dresden - Dixieland Festival expects half a million guests. MDR , April 21, 2010, archived from the original on April 25, 2010 ; accessed on October 6, 2016 .
- ↑ a b Eckhard Seidel: Umbrella Jazzmen - cast. Umbrella Jazzmen, accessed September 11, 2012 .
- ↑ Homage to the cellar children 1955–1972: Sitemap - History. In: eierschale-berlin.de. Retrieved September 12, 2012 .
- ↑ Jazz band "Umbrella Jazzmen" guest in the Tempelhof town hall. Press release No. 062 from 2008-02-11. In: berlin.de. Retrieved August 26, 2012 .
- ^ Catalog of the DNB. German National Library , accessed on March 18, 2013 .
- ^ Various - Internationales Dixieland Festival Dresden 89/90 (CD). In: discogs.com. Retrieved March 18, 2013 .
