Albert Mangelsdorff

The encounter of the greatest German jazz musician, the trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff and the unsurpassed drummer, percussionist and musical globetrotter Reto Weber with his Percussion Orchestra, which included the African percussionist Nana Twum Nketia (who died in 1994) and the Iranian zarb player Keyvan Chemirani, was a great stroke of luck. This constellation has existed since the beginning of the 90s, with occasional reinforcement from another wind instrument player, usually the saxophonist Chico Freeman. The band has performed throughout the world and at all important music festivals. One high point was their concert at the Montreux Jazz Festivals in 1994, which you can listen to on the CD "Live At Montreux." It is a brilliant masterpiece with a multicultural basis, free improvisation, and creative and virtuoso performances.
To be frank, nothing more needs to be said about Albert Mangelsdorff. He is without doubt the most renowned German jazz musician internationally and has enjoyed this reputation for decades. No one else has influenced and dominated German jazz history as decisively as he has. His unmistakable trombone style revolutionized the discipline of this instrument in the 70s. Experiments with voices produced effects unknown until then and created blown multiphone, noise-like sounds as if they were the most natural things in the world, a kind of refined game with chords.