Werner Baumgart

Werner Baumgart (born January 5, 1927 ; † June 17, 2009 in Kuppenheim ) was a German jazz musician ( alto saxophone , tenor saxophone , later also baritone saxophone , clarinet and oboe ) who also emerged as an arranger and composer.

Live and act

Baumgart led his own band in his native town in 1947. In 1949 he joined Kurt Henkels and his Leipzig Broadcasting Orchestra as a saxophonist and arranger. As such he wrote u. a. a legendary arrangement by Ray Nobles Cherokee in the style of progressive jazz , with solos for himself (on tenor saxophone) and Horst Fischer (trumpet). The Amiga label recorded the piece in January 1950, released it in the West and even made the Henkels band known among jazz fans in western countries. The arrangement also attracted attention in Paris.

In 1951 he left Leipzig and went to Stuttgart with Horst Fischer , where Erwin Lehn was just putting together his Südfunk dance orchestra . There he was active as a saxophone leader, soloist and arranger. Together with Gerry Weinkopf , he introduced new timbres to the orchestra, for example the combination of flute and oboe that was made popular by Bud Shank and Bob Cooper , for which he was particularly recognized in the readers' poll of “jazz-echo” (supplement to “Gondel” magazine) . He also took with Alice Babs and with the band Mr Martin's by Martin Böttcher on.

In 1958 he decided to switch to the new Südwestfunk dance orchestra, which had been founded by Rolf-Hans Müller ; there he found a new sphere of activity and also the opportunity to go on tour abroad. He was also involved in recordings for Ariola by Kurt Henkels and recorded with Horst Jankowski .

With his own “Big Band Baden-Baden” he produced various long-playing records for the SWF and MPS , such as Glen Miller 2000 and Jazz Rock and Sweet . In 1983 Baumgart became a ship musician and was hired as head of the dance band on the MS Astor . He later performed with Lionel Hampton ; At the end of the 1980s he founded a jazz swing group . He composed pieces such as Trombone Serenade , Lady Charleston , Miss Melody and Relax .

Werner Baumgart, who also arranged for Willy Berking , died on June 17, 2009 in Kuppenheim-Oberndorf.

Lexical entries

• Jürgen Wölfer : Jazz in Germany. The encyclopedia. All musicians and record companies from 1920 until today. Hannibal, Höfen 2008, ISBN 978-3-85445-274-4 .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Republished on the album Deutscher Musikrat Musik in Deutschland 1950–2000: Big Bands 1950–2000
2. ↑ ^{a b} Gerhard Conrad Werner Baumgart: An already forgotten German jazz musician? Jazz Podium 3/2012: 38-41