Peter Herbolzheimer Rhythm Combination & Brass

[Bluesman]

I've just discovered this amazing series of albums from the early 70's on MPS. Not available on CD but you can find them on the internet. Great funky small/big band with a stellar list of artists including Art Farmer, Phillipe Catherine, NHOP, Herb Geller, Kenny Wheeler and Dieter Reith.

Anybody else aware of these guys?

Edited April 7, 2007 by Bluesman

[sidewinder]

Yep ! This band packed a mighty punch, with the likes of Kenny Wheeler, Ack Van Rooyen etc. in the various lineups.

Their MPS album covers always seem to feature fizzing dynamite on the front - very fitting !

Don't miss that recent DVD on the 'other site' taken from German TV.

[Bluesman]

I'm listening to "Live at Ronnie Scotts" from 1974. What a blast! Dieter Reith is amazing on keyboards.

I wish I could replace my scratchy MP3's with a CD reissue. Is MPS ever going to get a proper reissue program?

[Bluesman]

OMG "Power Play" live in Munich 1973 is even better!

I can't recommend this enough. Can't believe I never heard this band before.

'This is the kind of orchestra which used to be called a power house band-it radiates power and vitality!Roaring brass,thunderous rhythms,a whole lot of different sounds-a real power house full of music.And presiding over it all, a man with a trombone,hair flowing over his collar-tough,sure of himself,a mountain of a man-PETER HERBOLZHEIMER.

He is the boss,principal composerand arranger for an ensemble which is unlike anything else in the world. Four trumpets, three trombones, one man on saxaphone and flute and a rhythm section normally consisting of six. They play a kind of jazz which makes virtually all other big bands sound old fashioned and a brand of rock which the specialist groups can only dream of.

The organ goes wild, the flute soars above the virtuoso accompaniment of the congas, the bongos, the rest of the percussion and the bass guitar;the ring of the trumpets carry the melody along-the overall effect is overwhelming. There are elements of rock and macumba,shades of gospel services and even voodoo rites, but the real idols here are figures like Bird and Diz and all the other gods of jazz world.When the improvisation begins theres no pop - just bop!'

Edited April 7, 2007 by Bluesman

[Claude]

Peter Herbolzheimer's bands were considered an institution in Germany in the 70's and early 80's, comparable to the status of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. His later albums were not well distributed, because they were released on small labels.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Herbolzheimer (discography)

http://www.peterherbolzheimer.de (homepage)

http://www.myspace.com/herbolzheimer (a couple of tracks to listen to)