Albert Mangelsdorff

Albert Mangelsdorff (September 5, 1928 in Frankfurt, Germany – July 25, 2005 in Frankfurt) was one of the most accredited and innovative trombonists of modern jazz who became famous for his distinctive technique of playing multiphonics.

Biography
Mangelsdorff was born in Frankfurt. He was given violin lessons as a child and was self-taught on guitar in addition to knowing trombone. His brother, alto saxophonist Emil Mangelsdorff, introduced him to jazz during the Nazi period (a time when it was forbidden in Germany). After the war Mangelsdorff worked as a guitarist and took up trombone in 1948.

Early years
In the 1950s Mangelsdorff played with the bands of Joe Klimm (1950–53), Hans Koller (1953–54) (featuring Attila Zoller), Jutta Hipp (1954–55), as well as with the Frankfurt All Stars (1955–56). In 1957 he led a hard bop quintet together with Joki Freund which was the nucleus of the Jazz-Ensemble of Hessian Broadcasting (with Mangelsdorff as its musical director until 2005). In 1958 he represented Germany in the International Youth Band appearing at the Newport Jazz Festival. In 1961 he recorded with the European All Stars (further recording in 1969). In the same year he formed a quintet with the saxophonists Heinz Sauer, Günter Kronberg, and bassist Günter Lenz and drummer Ralf Hübner which became one of the most celebrated European bands of the 1960s. In 1962 he also recorded with John Lewis ("Animal Dance"). After touring Asia on behalf of the Goethe-Institut in 1964 his quintet recorded the album "Now Jazz Ramwong" later that year which made use of Eastern themes. He also toured the USA and South America with the quintet. After Mangelsdorff's involvement in the European free jazz movement Kronberg left and the quartet remained (1969–71).

1970- 2005
During the early seventies the quartet was revived with Sauer, Buschi Niebergall and Peter Giger (1973–76). At the same time Mangelsdorff was exploring the new idiom with Globe Unity Orchestra, but also with many other groups (e.g. the trio of Peter Brötzmann). At that time he discovered multiphonics, long solistic playing and experimental sounds.

He performed as unaccompanied trombonist in an impressive concert set. In the 1970s he made first solo recordings and collaborated with Elvin Jones (1975, 1978), Jaco Pastorius and Alphonse Mouzon (1976), John Surman, Barre Phillips and Stu Martin (1977) and others. In 1975 he was co-founder of the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble that existed for more than 30 years, and recorded duo albums with Wolfgang Dauner (from 1981). In 1976 Mangelsdorff started teaching jazz improvisation and style at Dr. Hoch's Konservatorium in Frankfurt.

In the 1980s and 1990s Mangelsdorff continued to perform in solo and small settings, also playing with the Reto Weber Percussion Ensemble and Chico Freeman. Together with French bassist Jean-François Jenny Clark he founded the German-French jazz ensemble. In the 1990s he was also touring and recording with pianist Eric Watson, bass player John Lindberg and drummer Ed Thigpen and a second quartet with Swiss musicians and Dutch cellist Ernst Reijseger.

In 1995 he replaced George Gruntz as musical director for the JazzFest Berlin. Since 1994 the Union of German Jazz-Musicians awards a regular prize in Mangelsdorff's honor, the Albert-Mangelsdorff-Preis.

In 2007 the album Folk Mond & Flower Dream was re-released on CD. This album, produced by Horst Lippmann in 1967, was the last recording of the Albert Mangelsdorff Quintett. For more than twenty years the original master tapes of the recording seemed to be lost until they were found in spring 2007 in the archives of Horst Lippmann.

Discography

 * Albert Mangelsdorff & Attila Zoller: Jazz Salon Dortmund 1957; Metronome MEP 1136; Attila Zoller (g), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb). 1957
 * Albert Mangelsdorff und seine Frankfurt All Stars feat. Hans Koller: Rhein-Main-Jump; Jazztone J1246; Emil Mangelsdorff (as), Hans Koller (ts), Joki Freund (ts), Karl Blume (bs), Pepsi Auer (p), Peter Trunk (b), Rudi Sehring (dr), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb). 1958
 * Albert Mangelsdorff Jazztett: A Ball With Al; Philips 760001PV (EP); Dusko Goykovich (tp), Emil Mangelsdorff (as), Joki Freund (ts), Pepsi Auer (p), Peter Trunk (b), Rudi Sehring (dr), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb). 1958
 * Albert Mangelsdorff und das Jazzensemble des Hessischen Rundfunks: Die Opa Hirchleitner Story; Brunswick EPB10815 (EP); Dusko Goykovich (tp), Emil Mangelsdorff (as), Joki Freund (ts), Pepsi Auer (p), Peter Trunk (b), Rudi Sehring (dr), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb, gt). 1958
 * Albert Mangelsdorff Jazztett: Modern Jazz; Neckermann 944/13 (EP); Dusko Goykovich (tp), Emil Mangelsdorff (as), Joki Freund (ts), Pepsi Auer (p), Peter Trunk (b), Rudi Sehring (dr), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb, gt). 1958
 * Albert Mangelsdorff & John Lewis & The Zagreb Jazz Quartet: Animal Dance; Atlantic SD1402 (CD: Atlantic Records AMCY 1100); Albert Mangelsdorff (tb), John Lewis (p), Karl-Theodor Geier (b), Silvje Glojnaric (dr). 1962
 * Albert Mangelsdorff Quintett: Tension; CBS 62336,L+R LR41001; CD:CDLR71002; Günther Kronberg (as, bas), Heinz Sauer (ts), Günter Lenz (b), Ralf Hübner (dr), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb). 1963
 * Albert Mangelsdorff Quintett: Now Jazz Ramwong; CBS 62398 L+R LR41007; CD: CDLR 71001; Günther Kronberg (as, bas), Heinz Sauer (ts, ss), Günter Lenz (b), Ralf Hübner (dr), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb). 1964
 * Jazzensemble des Hessischen Rundfunks: Atmospheric Conditions Permitting; ECM 517 354-2. 1967-1993
 * Albert Mangelsdorff Quintett: Folk Mond & Flower Dream; CBS 63162; Günther Kronberg (as), Heinz Sauer (ts, ss), Günter Lenz (b), Ralf Hübner (dr), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb). 1967
 * ZoKoMa (Zoller - Konitz - Mangelsdorff): ZoKoMa; MPS Records 15170; Attila Zoller (g), Barre Philips (b), Stu Martin (dr), Lee Konitz (as, multi-vider), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb). 1968
 * The German All Stars: The German All Stars - Live At The Domicile Munich; CBS S66217; Albert Mangelsdorff (leader, tb), Ack van Rooyen (tp), Manfred Schoof (tp), Rudi Fuesers (tb), Rolf Kühn (cl), Emil Mangelsdorff (as, fl), Gerd Dudek (ts), Heinz Sauer (ts), Willi Johanns (voc), Wolfgang Dauner (p), Günter Lenz (b), Ralf Hübner (dr). 1968
 * Albert Mangelsdorff und das Jazzensemble des Hessischen Rundfunks: Wild Goose; MPS Records 15229; Emil Mangelsdorff (as, fl), Heinz Sauer (ts, as), Joki Freund (ts, ss, arr) Günter Kronberg (as, bas), Günter Lenz (b), Ralf Hübner (dr, darbouka, tamb), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb), Colin Wilkie (vcl, g), Shirley Hart (vcl). 1969
 * Albert Mangelsdorff And His Friends: Albert Mangelsdorff And His Friends; MPS Records 15210, 68068; Duo-Aufnahmen with Don Cherry, Lee Konitz, Elvin Jones, Karl Berger, Wolfgang Dauner, Attila Zoller. 1969
 * Albert Mangelsdorff - John Surman: Room 1220; Konnex KCD 5037; Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (b), Daniel Humair (dr), Eddie Louis (org), John Surman (bs), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb). 1970
 * Albert Mangelsdorff Quartett: Let It Never End, MPS Records; Heinz Sauer (ts, as), Günter Lenz (b), Ralf Hübner (dr), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb). 1970
 * Albert Mangelsdorff Quartett: Diggin' - Live AT Dug, Tokyo; Three Blind Mice TBM5; Besetzung wie Let It Never End. 1971
 * Mangelsdorff - Whigham - Persson - Hampton: Trombone Workshop; MPS; Jiggs Whigham (tb), Ake Persson (tb), Slide Hampton (tb), Albert Mangelsdorff (tb), George Gruntz (p), Isla Eckinger (b), Tony Inzalaco (dr). 1971
 * Elements; FMP; with Peter Brötzmann, Fred Van Hove, Han Bennink. 1971
 * Trombirds; MPS Records; (solo). 1972
 * The Wide Point; MPS Records (with Palle Danielsson (b), Elvin Jones). 1974
 * Tromboneliness; MPS Records; (solo). 1976
 * Trilogue, Live at the Berlin Jazz Days, MPS Records 0068.175, with Jaco Pastorius (b), Alphonse Mouzon (d).1976
 * MUMPS: A Matter of Taste. MPS Records (Albert Mangelsdorff (tb, g, vcl), John Surman (bs, bcl, ss, p, synth), Barre Phillips (b, vcl), Stu Martin (dr, synth). 1977
 * Triplicity. SKIP (with Arild Andersen (b)m Pierre Favre (dr)). 1979
 * "Albert Live in Montreux" MPS Records (with Jean-François Jenny-Clark (b), Ronald Shannon Jackson (dr)) 1980
 * Albert Mangelsdorff Solo; MPS Records. 1982
 * Two Is A Company; Mood; (with Wolfgang Dauner). 1982
 * Art Of The Duo; Enja; (with Lee Konitz). 1983
 * Andrea Centazzo Mitteleuropa Orchestra Doctor Faustus Ictus with Albert Mangelsdorff (tb), Enrico Rava (tp), Gianluigi Trovesi (as, bcl), Theo Jörgensmann (cl) Franz Koglmann (tp), u.a.
 * Hot Hut; EMI (with Dauner (p), Anders Jormin (b), Elvin Jones (dr)). 1985
 * Purity; Mood (solo). 1990
 * Mangelsdorff/John Lindberg/Ed Thigpen/Eric Watson Quartet: "Afterstorm"; Black Saint. 1993
 * Albert Mangelsdorff & Reto Weber Percussion Orchestra: "Live at Montreux" double moon; (mit den Perkussionisten R. Weber, Nana Twum Nketia, Keyvan Chemirani). 1994
 * Mangelsdorff/Wolfgang Dauner-Quintett: "Hut Ab!" 1997
 * Shake, Shuttle And Blow"; Enja (with Bruno Spoerri, Reto Weber, Christy Doran). 1999
 * United Jazz + Rock Ensemble… Plays Albert Mangelsdorff; Mood. 1999
 * Albert Mangelsdorff & Alois Kottmann: Denk ich an Bosnien für Posaune und Streicher; Miniaturen für Violine und Posaune. Melisma 7239-2, Oestrich-Winkel.
 * Old Friends; Act (with Klaus Doldinger, Schoof, Dauner, Eberhard Weber, Wolfgang Haffner). 2000
 * Music for Jazz Orchestra; SKIP (with der NDR Big Band). 2003
 * Jazzensemble des Hessischen Rundfunks: Perpetual Questions; hrmj. 2005