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Wolfgang Schlüter

Originally trained as an orchestral timpanist and percussionist Schlüter, motivated by a concert by Lionel Hampton, changed to vibraphone in 1952. In 1953 Michael Naura inquired if Wolfgang likes to join in founding the "Michael Naura Quintet", which he did. The two went on to share the stage for half a century. Shortly before Wolfgang received an offer to take the post of first drummer in the Dublin Radio Orchestra, but because of that concert by Lionel Hampton he was infected by the "jazz-bacillus". The contract had been returned without a signature. A stroke of luck for the German musical world. In the coming decades he develops as one of the most famous German jazz musicians, who also earned an excellent international reputation including becoming one of the few Germans who made ​​it into the Critics Poll of the greatest American jazz magazine DownBeat.

Later he was considered the most important Jazzvibraphonist of Europe - a position that is not seriously in dispute until today.

Schlüter had already played together in sessions with great jazz musicians, but he became a professional only with the Naura Quintet, which belonged until 1963 to the trend-formations in Germany. Monthly club engagements followed, with rehearsals in the afternoons. "A tough, but educational time," says Schlüter. "And a beautiful time."

After seven years engagements as soloist with the orchestras of Kurt Edelhagen, Erwin Lehn and Paul Kuhn followed. In 1965 Wolfgang Schlüter until 1995 joined the NDR Tanzorchester of which the NDR Big Band evolved from. Wolfgang played the first concert of the NDR Big Band, and on July 1st, 2012 also their 1000th concert during Jazz Baltica.

For 18 years he was additionally a professor at the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre. Many of his students are now well-known musicians. For example the Hammer Klavier Trio members Boris Netsvetaev, Phil Steen and Kai Bussenius with whom he builds the Wolfgang Schlüter Quartet and plays concerts and festivals although he is nearly blind since 2004 due to an eye-stroke. But this didn't stop him in playing an active role in today's German jazz scene. Proof is his latest recording in 2012 with his quartet and the NDR Big Band together with the live performance at Jazz Baltica.

Awards

2001 - German Jazz Price (Albert Mangelsdorff-Preis)


Tags

3
Album Review

Wolfgang Schlüter Quartet & NDR Bigband: Visionen

Read "Visionen" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Visionen may be the best big band recording that went largely unheard in 2012. The music itself was hiding in plain sight, available for purchase from the usual on-line mega-stores (i.e. Amazon.com) and download sights (i.e. iTunes), but the record received scant attention in jazz circles, and the majority of the attention it did receive came from sources fairly close to home for this Hamburg-based project. Wolfgang Schlüter--Germany's elder statesman of the vibraphone--and his highly interactive band, ...

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1

Event

A Jazz Piano Celebration, April 4, 2013: Alan Broadbent, Ayako Shirasaki, Boris Netsvetaev, Wolfgang Schlüter Quartet, Hammer Klavier Trio

A Jazz Piano Celebration, April 4, 2013: Alan Broadbent, Ayako Shirasaki, Boris Netsvetaev, Wolfgang Schlüter Quartet, Hammer Klavier Trio

Source: Jan Matthies Music Management

Jan Matthies Music Management is celebrating its 5th birthday, dedicating the evening to Solo Jazz Piano and Trio. The artists of Jan Matthies Music Management all come together at the prestigious Laeiszhalle in Hamburg, Germany. 20.00 – 20.30 Alan Broadbent, solo & trio “one of the greatest living jazz pianists" – The Los Angeles Times about the 2-time Grammy winner. In 2010 he received another Grammy nomination alongside Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis und Hank Jones for »Best Improvised ...

"Schlüter is still swinging like hell." - JAZZthing, Sept. 2012

"The now 78-year-old musician was to be experienced with his Bigband program at the Jazz Baltica line-up and wowed the audience with his lively style of play, his daringly fast passages and his lyrical style." - Jazzthetik, Sept. 2012

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Visionen

Skip Records
2013

buy

Visionen

Skip Records
2012

buy

Swing Kings

Moers Music
2001

buy

Dualism

Moers Music
1982

buy

Videos

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