George Gruntz

George Gruntz (24 June 1932 – 10 January 2013) was a Swiss jazz pianist, organist, harpsichordist, keyboardist and composer known for the George Gruntz Concert Big Band, and his work with artists such as Phil Woods, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Don Cherry, Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin and Mel Lewis.

Gruntz, who was born in Basle, Switzerland, was also an accomplished arranger and composer, having been commissioned by many orchestras and symphonies. From 1972 to 1994 he served as artistic director for the JazzFest Berlin.

Discography

 * Mental Cruelty (Jazz Soundtrack), 1960 (released 2003)
 * Renaissance Man a.k.a. 30 + 70: The One Hundred Years of George Gruntz, 1961–2000 (Compilation, released 2002)
 * George Gruntz Quintet – Bach Humbug! Or Jazz Goes Baroque, 1964
 * Jazz Goes Baroque, 1964
 * Jazz Goes Baroque 2 – The Music of Italy, 1965
 * Noon in Tunisia, 1967
 * Drums and Folklore: From Sticksland with Love, 1967
 * Saint Peter Power, 1968
 * The Band – The Alpine Power Plant, 1972
 * 2001 Keys – Piano Conclave, 1973
 * Monster Sticksland Meeting Two – Monster Jazz, 1974
 * Eternal Baroque, 1974
 * The Band (Recorded Live at the Zürich Schauspielhaus), 1976
 * Percussion Profiles, 1977
 * Living Transition. With Radio Big Band Leipzig, 1986
 * George Gruntz Trio – Serious Fun, 1989
 * The George Gruntz Concert Big Band, 1978 (with Elvin Jones)
 * Live at the "Quartier Latin" Berlin, 1980
 * Theater, 1984 (ECM)
 * Happening Now, 1987
 * First Prize, 1989
 * Blues 'n Dues Etcetera, 1991
 * Beyond Another Wall: Live in China, 1992
 * Cosmopolitan Greetings, 1992 (composition for big band, libretto by Allen Ginsberg)
 * Ray Anderson – Big Band Record, 1994
 * George Gruntz Trio with Franco Ambrosetti – Mock-lo-Motion, 1995
 * The MPS Years, 1972–1981 (Compilation, released 1996)
 * Sins'n Wins'n Funs – Left-cores and Hard-core En-cores, 1981–1990 (Compilation, released 1996)
 * Liebermann, 1998
 * Merryteria, 1999
 * Live at JazzFest Berlin, 1999
 * George Gruntz Percussion Ensemble – Expo Triangle, 2000
 * Global Excellence, 2001
 * Ringing the Luminator – Piano Works II, 2004
 * George Gruntz / Peter O. Chotjewitz – The Magic of a Flute, 2004
 * Tiger by the Tail, 2006
 * ''Pourquoi pas? Why Not?, 2008
 * Matterhorn Matters, 2010
 * George Gruntz with the NDR Bigband and Tom Rainey – Dig My Trane – Coltrane’s Vanguard Years (1961–1962), 2012