Axel Zwingenberger

Zwingenberger was born in Hamburg, West Germany, and enjoyed eleven years of classical piano training. After listening to recordings by pianists Pete Johnson, Albert Ammons, Meade "Lux" Lewis, he became a boogie-woogie musician.{{cite web |last1=Prato |first1=Greg |title=Axel Zwingenberger |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/axel-zwingenberger-mn0000561065?e8c56c5470c850fb0fe26f317400880b |website=AllMusic |accessdate=7 September 2018}} In 1974 he performed with pianists Hans-Georg Moeller, Vince Weber and Martin Pyrker at the First International Blues and Boogie Woogie Festival in Cologne, West Germany. They also played at the Stars of Boogie Woogie and the Hans Maitner festival.

A year later he signed with a record label, which released his solo albums Boogie Woogie Breakdown, Power House Boogie, and Boogie Woogie Live. He has worked with Ray Bryant, Champion Jack Dupree, Lloyd Glenn, Lionel Hampton, Jay McShann, Joe Newman, Sammy Price, Big Joe Turner, Sippie Wallace, Charlie Watts, Vince Weber, Bill Wyman, and Mama Yancey. His publications include Boogie Woogie: Piano Solo, a book of twelve of his compositions transcribed.Axel Zwingenberger: Boogie Woogie: Piano Solo (1997) - {{ISBN|3-926398-01-9}}

A railfan since early childhood, he published photographs of steam locomotives in The Magic of Trains

Axel Zwingenberger, Vom Zauber der Züge - The Magic of Trains photo book - {{ISBN|3-926398-02-7}} and established a non-profit group with the German Foundation for the Protection of Historical Monuments which works for the preservation of trains, such as the steam-powered DR 18 201.

In spring 2009, with English pianist Ben Waters, he renewed his relationship with Charlie Watts, drummer of The Rolling Stones. With bassist Dave Green, they played concerts under the name The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie. In June 2012 they released their first album, Live in Paris (Eagle 2012), and performed in New York City at Lincoln Center and the Iridium Jazz Club.{{cite web |last1=Fricke |first1=David |title=Charlie Watts Rips the Joint With Boogie Woogie in New York |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/charlie-watts-rips-the-joint-with-boogie-woogie-in-new-york-233267/ |website=Rolling Stone |accessdate=7 September 2018 |date=3 July 2012}}

{{Reflist}}

• Cook, Richard and Morton, Brian. Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings, 8th edition. Penguin Books, 2006 {{ISBN|978-0-14-102327-4}}
• Kernfeld, Barry. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd edition, Vol 2. London: Grove, 2002{{ISBN|1-56159-284-6}}
• Larkin, Colin. The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz. Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Books, 1992 {{ISBN|0-85112-580-8}}
• Silvester, Peter J. The Story of Boogie Woogie – A Left Hand Like God. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-8108-6924-0}}

• [http://www.boogiewoogie.net/home_englisch.html Axel Zwingenberger's homepage]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110519081611/http://www.colindavey.com/BoogieWoogie/articles/axel.htm Interview with Axel Zwingenberger]
• {{IMDb Name|3625928|Axel Zwingenberger}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zwingenberger, Axel}}

Category:1955 births

Category:Living people

Category:Musicians from Hamburg

Category:Boogie-woogie pianists

Category:Blues pianists

Category:German jazz pianists

Category:21st-century German pianists