Press archive
What was written and broadcast about Harry Pepl: reviews, portraits, interviews and obituaries, with summary and source. The originals are protected by copyright and kept in the archive; we provide them to researchers and the press on request.
Filters active
14 entries filtered · CSV of the filtered entries
Newest first · Oldest first
-
5 February 2024 · Portrait
European Jazz Masters Of The Past (Blog): „European Jazz Masters Of The Past #2: Harry Pepl“
Wulf Müller
Detailed biographical essay by the former producer at PolyGram Austria and co-founder of “Jazz Live”, with photographs from the family collection. Müller first met Pepl in 1984 at an Air Mail concert in Vienna. He describes the Jazzzwio and the time with Benny Goodman, the making of the “Schönberg Improvations”, whose idea Pepl brought to his office, and the solo piano record “Flow” from 1996, recorded without corrections. Some biographical details, such as his birth and the start of his teaching in Graz, differ from the documented sources.
a very humble, charismatic and private person with a great sense of humour. Someone who was constantly looking for new ideas
While Harry was building his reputation as one of Europe’s most interesting and unique guitarists
He swings like hell
Harry Pepl on Benny Goodman
Musically, I still find this album exciting, challenging and powerful.
Harry sat down at the piano, which he never really learned to play, nor practised, and plays, let’s the music flow through him.
After a few moments I don’t feel time anymore. An emotion of happiness floats through me and the sounds stream on their own
Harry Pepl
the most spectacular record of one of the most original guitar players of European Jazz in those years
Andreas Felber
-
3 August 2019 · Interview
christianmuthspiel.com (ORjazzTRA Vienna, Interviews): Interview zum ORjazzTRA Vienna
Christian Muthspiel names four concerts in Graz that made him a jazz musician: Albert Mangelsdorff solo, the Carla Bley Big Band, the Art Ensemble of Chicago and the duo of Harry Pepl and Werner Pirchner.
And not to forget the fourth concert: Harry Pepl and Werner Pirchner.
Christian Muthspiel
-
13 November 2012 · Review
ECM Reviews (Between Sound and Space: ECM Records and Beyond): „A second look: Pirchner/Pepl/DeJohnette (ECM 1237)“
Tyran Grillo
Reassessment of the 1983 ECM (the renowned European jazz label) album, almost a year after his own critical review of 20 December 2011. After readers objected, Grillo writes, he kept returning to the album and had not initially given it the attention it needed. He now highlights the depth of Pepl's talent, the interplay between Pepl and Pirchner as the core of the trio and Pepl's solos, and calls the record “this curious little gem”; only on the processing of the Ovation guitar does he stand by his first opinion.
I simply did not give this date the attention it deserves.
The depth of Pepl’s talent, now that I’m more familiar with it, is immediately evident in the spaciousness of his evocations.
-
20 December 2011 · Review
ECM Reviews (Between Sound and Space: ECM Records and Beyond): „Pirchner/Pepl/DeJohnette: s/t (ECM 1237)“
Tyran Grillo
Mixed review of the 1983 ECM (the renowned European jazz label) album, recorded in June 1982 at Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg, with Werner Pirchner, Harry Pepl and Jack DeJohnette. The chorus effect of the Ovation guitar and the lack of rapport among the three musicians are criticised; Pepl’s solos and the closing piece “Better Times In Sight” are regarded as strengths. The page shows 10 February 2015 as the date of the update. Almost a year later, on 13 November 2012, Grillo revised his verdict in “A second look”.
When soloing, however, it sounds fantastic
-
8 July 2010 · Review
ECM Reviews (Between Sound and Space: ECM Records and Beyond): „Adelhard Roidinger: Schattseite (ECM 1221)“
Tyran Grillo
Review of Adelhard Roidinger's only ECM (the renowned European jazz label) album, recorded in November 1981 at Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg, with Heinz Sauer, Bob Degen, Harry Pepl, Werner Pirchner, Aina Kemanis and Michael DiPasqua. Grillo praises the airy, atmospheric sound, Pepl's soft guitar licks in the opening track and the Metheny-like picking in “Loveland”, and calls urgently for a reissue.
The fantastic sax solo and Metheny-esque picking lend even more elegance to the track’s progressive sound.
-
2010 · Other
Vienna Art Orchestra, The Big Band Years (Universal Music Austria): „Euro-American Dream Stories“
Wolfgang Lamprecht (englische Übersetzung: Matthias Goldmann)
Text by Wolfgang Lamprecht (University of Vienna) for the compilation “The Big Band Years” by the [Vienna Art Orchestra](ensemble:vienna-art-orchestra), written after the farewell party “Game Over” at the Porgy & Bess in Vienna in August 2010. Lamprecht describes how Mathias Rüegg's orchestra fostered distinct musical personalities who shaped European jazz and contemporary improvised music, and for the 1970s names [Werner Pirchner](person:werner-pirchner), Harry Pepl and [Leszek Zadlo](person:leszek-zadlo).
distinct music personalities, many of whom have helped shape the character of European jazz and contemporary improvised music
-
9 December 2005 · Obituary
organissimo (Jazzforum, Online): „Harry Pepl R.I.P.“
mikeweil (Moderator)
Post on the death of Harry Pepl in an English-language jazz forum. The moderator calls him one of Austria's most original jazz guitarists and recalls the Jazzzwio with Werner Pirchner, the ECM (the renowned European jazz label) album with Jack DeJohnette and Air Mail with Mike Richmond.
one of Austria's most original jazz guitarists
-
18 May 1985 · Review
The New York Times (Section 1, p. 10): „MUSIC: AUSTRIAN AVANT-GARDE“
John Rockwell
Review of the opening night of the festival “Beyond the Sound of Music: New Austria/New York” at the Ohio Theater in SoHo, at which the Jazzzwio with Harry Pepl and Werner Pirchner performed together with the drummer Don Moye. Rockwell heard the first set, 40 minutes long, and found the music pleasant but not significant enough for the opening of a festival series; the evening began about an hour late. The Wednesday of the festival week was 15 May 1985.
relaxed and cool, in the ECM Records manner
-
May 1985 · Programme booklet
Austrian Information (Austrian Press and Information Service, New York): Programm „Beyond the Sound of Music. New Austria / New York“ mit Fotos, Volume 38, Nr. 4, S. 5 bis 6
Picture page and daily programme of the New York festival. On Wednesday, 15 May 1985, at 7.30 p.m. at the Ohio Theater (66 Wooster Street, SoHo, New York), Hartmut Skerbisch (Austrian sculptor) shows his installation “Container”, Werner Pirchner, Harry Pepl and Don Moye as guest play jazz, and the Viennese composer Otto M. Zykan performs “Samples”. Further events: readings by Austrian writers on 13 and 14 May at the Deutsches Haus, 13 Austrian architects at the Austrian Institute (until 31 May), six photographers at the Arbitrage Gallery (until 8 June), the reading hosted by John Irving and Walter Abish (16 May), Dieter Kaufmann and Gunda König of the K und K Experimentalstudio (17 May), Ernst Schmidt Jr. with “Vienna Film 1896-1976”, Blizz Frizz with the New York guitarist Rhys Chatham, Armin Medosch with the ballet “The Warrior” (18 May), Austrian short films at the Millennium and Heinz Cibulka with “Metabolism/Rot.Weiss.Rot” (19 May), plus “Grid” actions by Othmar Krenn. The photo page shows Pepl with his guitar, Pirchner at the vibraphone and Moye in stage costume; the programme misprints Pirchner’s name as “Pircher”.
Werner Pircher, Harry Pepl, and F. Don Moye as guest play jazz
-
May 1985 · Report
Austrian Information (Austrian Press and Information Service, New York): „Beyond the Sound of Music. New Austria / New York, May 15th – May 19th 1985“, Volume 38, Nr. 4, S. 3 bis 4
Peter Vujica
Lead article on the festival “Beyond the Sound of Music. New Austria / New York” (15 to 19 May 1985), staged in New York by steirischer herbst (Styrian Autumn, the festival of contemporary art in Graz, Austria) together with the Austrian Institute and the New York art space The Kitchen to mark the 40th anniversary of Austria’s regained independence. Festival director Peter Vujica (translated by Donald Friedman) describes steirischer herbst as a festival of resistance against routine and repression and lists the New York artists who had appeared in Graz, from Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass and Steve Reich to Robert Wilson, Trisha Brown, Nam June Paik, Carla Bley and the Art Ensemble of Chicago; New York, he writes, is now the long overdue return visit. The opening concert on 15 May at the Ohio Theater is given by Harry Pepl and Werner Pirchner with Don Moye. Then come readings by H. C. Artmann (Viennese poet), Wolfgang Bauer (Graz playwright), Ingeborg Day, Alfred Kolleritsch (editor of the Graz literary magazine manuskripte) and Jürg Laederach, presented by the American novelists John Irving and Walter Abish, Rhys Chatham with the Graz group Blizz Frizz, the K und K Experimentalstudio with songs based on poems by Selma Meerbaum, as well as exhibitions of photography and architecture and films. The cover shows the 1972 poster “Auf, zum steirischen herbst!” (“Off to the Styrian Autumn!”).
The opening event on May 15th at the Ohio Theater will be shared by the Jazz Musicians, Harry Pepl and Werner Pirchner
Artists from Styria and all over Austria meet with their friends in New York.
-
April 1985 · Other
DownBeat (US-Jazzzeitschrift, gegründet 1934): „European ECM“: Werner Pirchner, Harry Pepl, Jack DeJohnette (ganzseitige Vorstellung, Heft April 1985, Vol. 52, Nr. 4)
DownBeat, the leading US jazz magazine (founded in Chicago in 1934), presented the ECM album by Werner Pirchner, the Austrian composer and vibraphonist, Harry Pepl and Jack DeJohnette (ECM 1237) on a full page, p. 11, of its April 1985 issue, with a picture of the cover: “Austrians Pirchner and Pepl join with drummer Jack DeJohnette to create a highly original and accessible trio sound.” It highlights the electronic effects of Pepl’s Ovation guitar blending with Pirchner’s vibraphone and marimba. The album was presented in the “European ECM” series of the New York import distributor PolyGram Special Imports, together with four other albums from the renowned European jazz label ECM. According to the masthead, the issue went on sale on Friday, 15 March 1985.
Austrians Pirchner and Pepl join with drummer Jack DeJohnette to create a highly original and accessible trio sound.
From the full-page presentation of the ECM album in DownBeat, April 1985, in the “European ECM” series of the US distributor PolyGram Special Imports
PolyGram Special Imports, European ECM
The electronic effects of Pepl’s ovation guitar blend with Pirchner’s tenor vibes and marimba to form a rich overlay
From the full-page presentation of the ECM album in DownBeat, April 1985, in the “European ECM” series of the US distributor PolyGram Special Imports
PolyGram Special Imports, European ECM
-
16 March 1985 · Review
Billboard (US-Musikfachzeitschrift mit den Branchen-Charts, gegründet 1894): Album Reviews, Jazz-Fusion: „Werner Pirchner / Harry Pepl / Jack DeJohnette“ (Recommended)
In its issue of Saturday, 16 March 1985 (vol. 97, no. 11), Billboard, the US music trade magazine founded in 1894 and home of the industry’s leading charts, reviews the ECM album (ECM 1237, via PolyGram Special Imports) on p. 66 in its Album Reviews under Jazz-Fusion and rates it “Recommended”, Billboard’s label for new releases the editors expect to chart in their format and for albums of superior quality. The unsigned capsule review calls Pirchner a mallet stylist, Pepl an acoustic guitarist and DeJohnette a timemaster, and describes a delicate, mood-rich chamber jazz record that recalls the strongest early productions in this vein by Manfred Eicher, founder and producer of ECM. At the same time, DownBeat presented the album on a full page in its April 1985 issue; this has its own entry in the press archive.
a delicate chamber jazz set rich in moods; recalls producer Eicher’s strongest early forays into this stream
Unsigned capsule review in the Album Reviews under Jazz-Fusion, rated “Recommended”, of the ECM album by Werner Pirchner, Harry Pepl and Jack DeJohnette; Manfred Eicher is the founder and producer of ECM
1983 date teaming mallet stylist Pirchner, acoustic guitarist Pepl and timemaster DeJohnette
Unsigned capsule review in the Album Reviews under Jazz-Fusion, rated “Recommended”, of the ECM album by Werner Pirchner, Harry Pepl and Jack DeJohnette
-
9 March 1985 · Report
Cash Box (US-Musikfachzeitschrift mit eigenen Charts): Jazz: „On Jazz“, Abschnitt „Label Hopping“ (Vol. 48, Nr. 39)
Lee Jeske
In his jazz column, Lee Jeske reports under “Label Hopping” the ECM releases that PolyGram Special Imports is bringing to the USA, among them “Werner Pirchner/Harry Pepl/Jack De Johnette”, the US edition of the album ECM 1237. It is a news item, not a review; a week later Billboard recommended the album in its Album Reviews.
And the Special Imports side of PolyGram gives us, on ECM, […] and “Werner Pirchner/Harry Pepl/Jack De Johnette.”
Lee Jeske in his jazz column in Cash Box on the ECM releases that PolyGram Special Imports brought to the USA, among them the trio album with Werner Pirchner and Jack DeJohnette (ECM 1237); a news item, not a review
-
27 June 1981 · Report
Billboard (US-Musikfachzeitschrift mit den Branchen-Charts, gegründet 1894): International: „15th Montreux Begins July 3“ (Vol. 93, Nr. 25)
Short news item in the “International” section on the 15th Montreux International Jazz Festival (Switzerland) from 3 to 19 July 1981, with the programme of every evening. For the guitar day on Sunday, 12 July, Billboard lists Harry Pepl alongside James “Blood” Ulmer, Philippe Cauvin, Raphael Fays, Kilimandjaro, Biréli Lagrène, Lee Ritenour, Larry Coryell and Harri Stojka. That evening Pepl played with Werner Pirchner as the Jazzzwio; the item names only him.
(12) James “Blood” Ulmer, Philippe Cauvin, Raphael Fays, Kilimandjaro, Bireli, Lagrene, Harry Pepl, Lee Ritenour, Larry Coryell, Harri Stojka
Programme of the 15th Montreux International Jazz Festival (Switzerland) in Billboard; “(12)” stands for Sunday, 12 July 1981, the festival’s guitar day. Pepl played there with Werner Pirchner as the Jazzzwio; Billboard names only him. Spelling as printed