Axel Zwingenberger

**Axel Zwingenberger** (born 7 May 1955, Hamburg, Germany) is a blues and boogie-woogie pianist He is said to be one of the best boogie-woogie musicians in the world.

## Biography

Zwingenberger was born in Hamburg, Germany. He had eleven years of piano training. In 1973 he listened to recordings of boogie-woogie pianists Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis, and Pete Johnson. He joined piano playing partners Hans-Georg Moeller, Vince Weber and Martin Pyrker. In 1974, he played at the First International Blues-and-Boogie Woogie Festival of the West German Radio Station in Cologne which was followed by Hans Maitner's annual festival Stars of Boogie Woogie in Vienna.

1975 Zwingenberger signed his first recording contract.Since then he made recordings with  famous artists like Lionel Hampton, Jay McShann, Big Joe Turner, Lloyd Glenn, Joe Newman, Sippie Wallace, Mama Yancey, Champion Jack Dupree, Sammy Price, Ray Bryant, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Vince Weber, and the Mojo Blues Band, among others. In spring 2009 he renewed his relationship with Charlie Watts, drummer of The Rolling Stones. Together with bassist Dave Green, they played concerts labeled as 'The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie'.

Being a steam engine fan since childhood he also edited a book with his own photos of steam engines. (Axel Zwingenberger, _Vom Zauber der Züge_ - _The Magic of Trains_ photo book - )

## Selective discography

|Year|Title|Solo albums|Label|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1996|_Boogie Back To New York City_|solo - live|Vagabond|
|1992|_Boogie Woogie Classics_|solo|Polygram Int'l|
|1985|_Boogie Woogie live_|solo - all original compositions by A.Z.|Vagabond|
|1980|_Power House Boogie_|solo|Vagabond|
|1978|_Boogie Woogie Breakdown_|solo|Telefunken|
|2012|_The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie - Live in Paris_|w/ Ben Waters, p + voc, Charlie Watts, dr & Dave Green, b|Eagle Rock Records, UK|
|2012|_The Joy of Boogie Woogie_|w/ Keito Saito, p|Quatre Mains Records, Japan|
|2010|_The Magic of Boogie Woogie_|w/ Charlie Watts, dr & Dave Green, b|Vagabond|
|2009|_Lady sings the Boogie Woogie_|w/ Lila Ammons, voc|Vagabond|
|2008|_Saxy Boogie Woogie_|w/ Big Jay McNeely, sax & The Bad Boys|Vagabond|
|2004|_Groovology_|w/ Gottfried Boettger, p|Vagabond|
|1999|_Brothers in Boogie_|w/ Torsten Zwingenberger, dr|Vagabond|
|1999|_The Boogiemeisters_|w/ Vince Weber, p + voc|Vagabond|
|1996|_Swing the Boogie!_|w/ Jay McShann, p + voc|Vagabond|
|1982|_The Boogie Woogie Album_|w/ Lionel Hampton Orchestra|Vagabond|
|1978|_Let's Boogie Woogie All Night Long_|w/ Big Joe Turner, voc - German Record Award 1979|Vagabond|
|1976|_Boogie Woogie Session '76 live in Vienna_|w/ Hans-Georg Möller, Martin Pyrker & Torsten Zwingenberger|EMI|
|2000|_Vol. 10: Kansas City Boogie Jam_|w/ Big Joe Duskin, voc, Sammy Price, p, Jay McShann, p|Vagabond|
|1999|_Vol. 9: Red Hot Boogie Woogie Party_|w/ Red Holloway, sax & voc, Mojo Blues Band - live|Vagabond|
|1993|_Vol. 8: Heat It Up_|w/ Red Holloway, sax & voc, Mojo Blues Band|Vagabond|
|1992|_Vol. 7: Champion Jack Dupree sings Blues Classics_|w/ Champion Jack Dupree, voc, Mogens "Basse" Seidelin, b, Michael Strasser, dr|Vagabond|
|1990|_Vol. 6: On Stage with Champion Jack Dupree_|w/ Champion Jack Dupree, voc & Torsten Zwingenberger, dr|Vagabond|
|1988|_Vol. 5: Champ's Housewarming_|w/ Champion Jack Dupree, voc, Mojo Blues Band|Vagabond|
|1987|_Vol. 4: The Blues Of Mama Yancey_|w/ Estella "Mama" Yancey, voc|Vagabond|
|1986|_Vol. 3: An Evening with Sippie Wallace_|w/ Sippie Wallace, voc - live|Vagabond|
|1985|_Vol. 2: Between Hamburg & Hollywood_|w/ Big Joe Turner, voc, Joe Newman, tp & voc, Lloyd Glenn, p, Torsten Zwingenberger, dr|Vagabond|
|1984|_Vol. 1: Sippie Wallace_|w/ Sippie Wallace, voc|Vagabond|

Zwingenberger also appeared on _Just For A Thrill_ by Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings

## Books

- Richard Cook & Brian Morton: _Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings_, Penguin, first issue 1992, 8th 2006,
- Colin Larkin: _The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz_, Guinness Books UK, from 1992 on,
- Peter Silvester: _The Story Of Boogie Woogie - A Left Hand Like God_, Quartet Books UK, 1988, updated issue 2009, Scarecrow Press,

## Other websites

- Axel Zwingenberger's homepage
- Interview with Axel Zwingenberger