Hampel, Gunter

Hampel, Gunter, free-jazz inspired vibraphonist, clarinetist, flutist, saxophonist, pianist, composer; b. Gottingen, Germany, Aug. 31, 1937. He has promoted his music, an outgrowth of free jazz though usually quite tuneful, through his own Birth label since 1969.

His father was a pianist, and Hampel heard both local folk music and American jazz at an early age. He began playing and composing on piano from an early age, and took up clarinet at age 13. He began learning other reeds, and at age 17 was focusing on vibraphone and by 1958 was leading groups. He spent a year in the army, then attended the univ. at Brunswick. By the early 1960s he was playing around Europe with his own groups, mostly playing vibes. A personal milestone of sorts happened in 1964 during the Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop’s tour. Hampel put up Eric Dolphy in a house in Paris for a few days. They jammed together for long periods of time. At Dolphy’s suggestion they switched instruments for a while, Dolphy on vibraphone and Hampel on bass clarinet, and Dolphy encouraged him to pursue the bass clarinet. Hampel turned to free music almost exclusively, and toured in Africa, Asia andSouth America. He was also influenced by Willem Breuker and by Marion Brown, with whom he toured in 1968-69. Perhaps most importantly, in 1966 he met singer/poet/futurespouse Jeanne Lee, who plays a vital role in Hampers music to this day. These connections fell together in Hampel’s first major musical statement, July 8, 1969, a recording featuring Breuker, Lee, Anthony Braxton, drummer Steve McCall, and bassist Arjen Gorter, which marked the debut of Hampel’s Birth Records. He performed solo concerts at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games and at that year’s Berlin Jazz Festival. In 1971 he began a long-term association with Perry Robinson, who became a member of The Galaxie Dream Band which Hampel founded in 1973. Hampel and his players were also employed by the composers Hanz Werner Henze and Krysztof Penderecki to play their music. He has continued to compose and work with his Galaxie Dream Band through the 1990s. He has also written music for films.

Discography

Heartplants (1965); Music from Europe (1966); July 8, 1969(1969); People Symphony (1970); Out of New York (1971; w. Perry Robinson); Familie (1972); Unity Dance: European Concert (1973); Journey to the Song Within (1974); Enfant Terrible (1975); Cosmic Dancer (1975); Transformation (1976); All Is Real (1978); Live at the Berlin Jazz Festival (1978); Wellen-Waves: Berlin Soloflight (1980); Celestial Harmony (1981); Life on This Planet (1981); Companions (1982); Jubilation (1983); Fresh Heat: Live at Sweet Basil (1985).

—Lewis Porter/Matthew Snyder