Wolverines Jazz Band of Bern
| Wolverines Jazz Band of Bern | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Genre (s) | Hot jazz |
| founding | 1961 |
| Current occupation | |
| Markus Hächler since 2019 | |
| Rudolf Knöpfel | |
| Martin Sterchi since 2015 | |
| Heinz Geissbühler since 1976 | |
| Walter Sterchi | |
| Fred Lüthi since 1973 | |
| Rolf Rebmann since 2009 | |
| former members | |
Cornet , leader |
Hans Zurbrügg 1964–2012 |
Drums |
Christian Ott 1970-2009 |
Clarinet, soprano saxophone , tenor saxophone
|
Beat Uhlmann 1961–2014 |
piano |
Hansjörg Ryser 1961–1975 |
clarinet |
Hanspeter Füchter 1964-1969 |
Trumpet |
Michel Burkhard 1961–1963 |
bass |
Hans Loosli 1961–1965 |
bass |
Rese Margot 1966-1972 |
Drums |
Rolf Wildi 1961–1969 |
Trumpet |
Heinz Bühler † 2011-2019 |
The Wolverines Jazz Band of Bern is a Swiss Dixieland band that has existed since 1961.
history
The band was formed in Boll, a farming village in the Bernese Mittelland between Vechigen and Stettlen , initially under the name Boll Street Stompers . The Wolverines from Chicago became their role model. The Wolverines from Bern had their first major public appearance at the 16th Zurich International Jazz Festival in 1966. Due to the positive response at the concerts, the band converted their practice room at Bern Lorrainestrasse 38 into the first Bern jazz club in 1967. “For the idealistically minded eight, it's not about money. Even the applause can be a reward for them, ”said Jürg Solothurnmann .
Freer improvisations in 1970 lead to a break with the band leader at the time, Hans-Peter Füchter, who relied on fixed arrangements. Since then, the band, which consists only of amateurs, has performed with a very stable "frontline" that has not changed in the last few decades. The long-time cornet player and leader, Hans Zurbrügg, only left the band in 2012 and was replaced by trumpeter Heinz Bühler . From 2015 Martin Sterchi took over from Beat Uhlmann, who died in 2019.
In addition to concerts throughout Switzerland, there were increasing commitments to elect the Swiss Girl (1967) in the Bern Kursaal and in the stadium before the games of the BSC Young Boys or SC Bern , but since the early 1970s also invitations to national and international festivals. There were also engagements in television programs, for example in the pilot program of Beni Thurnheer's Glückskugel or in Vico Torriani 's New Year's Eve show The Double Angel .
The band played increasingly with musicians like Ben Webster or T-Bone Walker and also preferred prominent musicians like Wallace Davenport or Ralph Sutton for some of their 27 record productions. For the 50th anniversary, clarinetist Anat Cohen and trumpeter Byron Stripling were invited.
Discographic notes
- The Wolverines Bern (10 "Lp, Turicaphon AG 25-136. 1967. With a band portrait by Jürg Solothurnmann)
- Wolverines Jazz Band (P + O Records, 1970–1985)
- Wolverines Jazz Band After A Hot Dixie-Night (Philips, 1971)
- Wolverines Jazz Band Feat. Wild Bill Davison (Pan 1974)
- Wolverines Jazz Band + Bill Allred , Feat. Barrett Deems (Pan, 1982)
- Wolverines Jazz Band Feat. Milt Hinton (ex libris, 1983)
- Wolverines Jazz Band 35 Years (1996, with John Allred , Joe Ascione , Dave Cliff , Phil Flanigan, Antti Sarpila , Mark Shane, Byron Stripling, Bob Wilber )
- Wolverines Jazz Band 40th Anniversary (Arbor Records 2000, with Frank Capp , Duffy Jackson , Scott Robinson , Arvell Shaw , Clark Terry )
- Wolverines Jazz Band 45 Years (LC, 4 CDs, 1961-2006)
literature
- Bruno Spoerri (Ed.): Jazz in Switzerland. History and stories . Chronos-Verlag, Zurich 2005, ISBN 3-0340-0739-6
Web links
- 50 years of Wolverines Jazz Band Bern (portrait of Ulrich Roth)
Individual evidence
- ↑ cit. n. Brigitta Niederhauser Still insatiable Der Bund , October 12, 2011
- ↑ After an accident in 2009, a replacement had to be found for the long-standing, now paraplegic drummer Christian Ott.
- ↑ Bern's cultural agenda