Axel Zwingenberger

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
YearTitleSolo albumsLabel1996Boogie Back To New York Citysolo - liveVagabond1992Boogie Woogie Classics soloPolygram Int'l 1985Boogie Woogie livesolo - all original compositions by A.Z.Axel Zwingenberger: Boogie Woogie Piano Solo: transcription of the CD VRCD 8.85007 - Vagabond1980Power House BoogiesoloVagabond1978Boogie Woogie BreakdownsoloTelefunkenYearTitleCombinationsLabel2012The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie - Live in Parisw/ Ben Waters, p + voc, Charlie Watts, dr & Dave Green, bEagle Rock Records, UK2012The Joy of Boogie Woogiew/ Keito Saito, pQuatre Mains Records, Japan2010The Magic of Boogie Woogiew/ Charlie Watts, dr & Dave Green, bVagabond2009Lady sings the Boogie Woogiew/ Lila Ammons, vocVagabond2008Saxy Boogie Woogiew/ Big Jay McNeely, sax & The Bad BoysVagabond2004Groovologyw/ Gottfried Boettger, pVagabond1999Brothers in Boogie w/ Torsten Zwingenberger, drVagabond1999The Boogiemeistersw/ Vince Weber, p + vocVagabond1996Swing the Boogie!w/ Jay McShann, p + vocVagabond1982The Boogie Woogie Albumw/ Lionel Hampton OrchestraVagabond1978Let's Boogie Woogie All Night Longw/ Big Joe Turner, voc - German Record Award 1979Vagabond1976Boogie Woogie Session '76 live in Viennaw/ Hans-Georg Möller, Martin Pyrker & Torsten ZwingenbergerEMIYearTitleAxel Zwingenberger & The Friends Of Boogie Woogie - SeriesLabel2000Vol. 10: Kansas City Boogie Jamw/ Big Joe Duskin, voc, Sammy Price, p, Jay McShann, pVagabond1999Vol. 9: Red Hot Boogie Woogie Partyw/ Red Holloway, sax & voc, Mojo Blues Band - liveVagabond1993Vol. 8: Heat It Upw/ Red Holloway, sax & voc, Mojo Blues BandVagabond1992Vol. 7: Champion Jack Dupree sings Blues Classicsw/ Champion Jack Dupree, voc, Mogens "Basse" Seidelin, b, Michael Strasser, drVagabond1990Vol. 6: On Stage with Champion Jack Dupreew/ Champion Jack Dupree, voc & Torsten Zwingenberger, drVagabond1988Vol. 5: Champ's Housewarmingw/ Champion Jack Dupree, voc, Mojo Blues BandVagabond1987Vol. 4: The Blues Of Mama Yanceyw/ Estella "Mama" Yancey, vocVagabond1986Vol. 3: An Evening with Sippie Wallacew/ Sippie Wallace, voc - liveVagabond1985Vol. 2: Between Hamburg & Hollywoodw/ Big Joe Turner, voc, Joe Newman, tp & voc, Lloyd Glenn, p, Torsten Zwingenberger, drVagabond1984Vol. 1: Sippie Wallacew/ Sippie Wallace, vocVagabond

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, 

References

 Other websites 
Axel Zwingenberger's homepage
Interview with Axel Zwingenberger

Category:1955 births
Category:Living people
Category:Blues pianists
Category:German pianists
Category:Boogie Woogie pianists