Chronology
Life and work year by year. Every entry is documented; we welcome additions and corrections.
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1960s
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1964
First record release: “Skinny Minny / Olymp”
Vienna
With the dance and beat band The Austrian Evergreens, the single “Skinny Minny / Olymp” is released on the Rex Roval label, recorded live on the stage of the Albert-Sever-Saal in Vienna-Ottakring, Austria, the later Star Club Wien (Vienna youth club). On the A-side Hannes Patek sings his signature tune from the Star Club; for the B-side Pepl composes, in next to no time, the instrumental “Olymp”, a hard-rocking piece in the style of the Shadows’ “Apache”. It is the earliest composition by Pepl documented on record.
Recordings
1970s
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1976
ORF Big Band: “Leave Me”
Vienna
The ORF Big Band (ORF: Austria's public broadcaster) under Richard Österreicher recorded the LP “Leave Me” with Pepl as a soloist, featuring his piece “Salt and Pepl”.
Recordings
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July 1979
Recording of “Austria Drei”
Munich
The quartet Austria Drei, with Werner Pirchner, the Austrian composer and vibraphonist, Adelhard Roidinger and Todd Canedy, recorded the album at FUN Studio in Munich; it was released on EGO in 1980. Herbert Joos painted the cover.
Recordings
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26 October 1979
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1 December 1979 to 2 December 1979
Recording of “Gegenwind”
Bisamberg near Vienna
The Jazzzwio recorded the album “Gegenwind” in a small studio on the Bisamberg near Vienna. ECM (the renowned European jazz label) and ENJA (Munich jazz label) turned it down; Mood Records (Stuttgart-based jazz and rock label) took over the tape.
Recordings
1980s
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29 May 1980 to 30 May 1980
Recording of Runo Ericksson's Omnibus
Lindau, Switzerland
The album was recorded at Phonag Studio in Lindau (Switzerland) with Runo Ericksson, Charlie Mariano, Pepl, Werner Pirchner, the Austrian composer and vibraphonist, Bruno Brandenberger and Marc Hellmann. It was released in 1981 on Four Leave Records.
Recordings
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24 November 1980 to 28 November 1980
The String Summit in Baden-Baden
Baden-Baden, Mainz
At the New Jazz Meeting Baden-Baden under Joachim-Ernst Berendt, Pepl played in the duo “Hargang” with Wolfgang Dauner. The album “One World in Eight” was released in 1981 on MPS. Berendt announced the final concert in Mainz on Friday, 28 November 1980, with „noch nie gehörte Klänge“ [“never-before-heard sounds”]; the SWR lists the meeting in its chronology as the “String Meeting”.
Recordings
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1981
Rome: soundtrack “Fantasma d'Amore”
Rome
According to Kohler, Pepl recorded jazz versions of the main theme for Dino Risi's film in Rome with Benny Goodman, Peter Witte and Charly Antolini (music by Riz Ortolani).
Recordings
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March 1981
Recording of “The Loss”
Bisamberg near Vienna
The quintet with Leszek Zadlo, Pepl, Werner Pirchner, the Austrian composer and vibraphonist, Wayne Darling and Brüning van Alten recorded at Schmetterling Sound Studios on the Bisamberg. The album was released in 1982 on Bellaphon; the band soon fell out.
Recordings
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November 1981
Recording of “Schattseite”
Ludwigsburg
Adelhard Roidinger's album was recorded at Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg under Manfred Eicher (ECM 1221, 1982) and is named after the novel by Franz Innerhofer. Pepl plays guitar.
Recordings
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June 1982
ECM recording with Jack DeJohnette
Ludwigsburg
On a Sunday afternoon in June 1982 the Jazzzwio recorded for ECM with Jack DeJohnette at Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg; the producer was Manfred Eicher. Dave Holland had actually been scheduled but dropped out.
Recordings
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1 April 1983
ECM album with “Air, Love & Vitamins”
Munich
The album “Werner Pirchner / Harry Pepl / Jack DeJohnette” (ECM 1237, renowned European jazz label) was released and contains “Air, Love and Vitamines”, Pepl's best-known piece. Kohler and mica (Austria's music information centre) name the German Record Critics' Award (German award for outstanding recordings, chosen by a jury of critics), the Österreichisches Musiklexikon a nomination.
Recordings
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2 February 1985 to 4 February 1985
Recording of “Prayer for Peace”
Ludwigsburg
Air Mail recorded the debut album at Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg (Moers Music 02032, producer Burkhard Hennen) with Pepl, Puschnig, Richmond and Reisinger.
Recordings
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1986
Michel Portal: recording of “Turbulence”
Paris
The recording was made in Paris at Studio S.E.I.; Pepl plays on “Pastor”. The album was released on Harmonia Mundi and was highly praised in France.
Recordings
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October 1986
Enrico Rava and Dino Saluzzi: “Volver”
Ludwigsburg
In October 1986 the quintet recorded at Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg, followed by a three-month European tour. The album was released on 1 October 1987 on ECM (the renowned European jazz label); “Ballantine for Valentine” is Pepl's only piece on it.
Recordings
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February 1987
Recording of “Cracked Mirrors”
Wachau, Oslo
At the suggestion of Heimo Steps (gamsbART, Graz concert promoter), Pepl recorded with Herbert Joos in a studio in the Wachau; Jon Christensen added the drums afterwards in Oslo. gamsbART advanced the costs, and ECM (the renowned European jazz label) reimbursed them later.
Recordings
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30 May 1987
Michel Portal: “Men's Land” in Amiens
Amiens, France
Live recording on Saturday, 30 May 1987, in the Grand Théâtre of the Maison de la Culture d'Amiens (France) at the Festival International de Jazz d'Amiens, with Portal, Dave Liebman, Pepl, Jenny-Clark, DeJohnette and Cinelu. The CD sleeve calls it the “7th Amiens International Jazz Festival”; the photographer Guy Le Querrec counts it as the 6th edition. Radio France (France's public radio broadcaster) records the concert. According to the catalogue note of the INA (Institut national de l'audiovisuel, the French archive for radio and television), the band also plays Pepl's “Comète”, which his son Daniel Pepl identifies as “Halley's Comet Light Blue Blues”. The piece does not appear on “Men's Land” and survives only in this radio recording. France Musique broadcast excerpts on 1 November 1987.
Recordings
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8 July 1987 to 9 July 1987
Air Mail live at the Schlachthof Wels
Wels
The live recording for “Light Blues” was made on 8 and 9 July 1987, with Pepl, Puschnig, Richmond and Reisinger; Robert Riegler is the band's third bassist.
Recordings
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March 1988
“Jazz und Stories” with Peter Turrini
Graz
At the ORF Studio Graz (ORF: Austria's public broadcaster), the pieces “Air, Love and Vitamines” and “Radlbremser” were recorded live and later released as bonus tracks on “Light Blues”.
Recordings
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30 May 1988
“Cracked Mirrors” released on ECM
Munich
ECM 1356 (renowned European jazz label) was released as LP and CD. It is the first album on which Pepl makes distinctive use of the Roland MIDI guitar. It received the German Record Critics' Award (the Österreichisches Musiklexikon speaks of a nomination).
Recordings
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November 1989
Recording of “Schönberg Improvations”
Vienna
In nine days instead of six, the album was made at the Wiener Konzerthaus, one of Vienna’s two great concert halls, on the Bösendorfer (Vienna piano maker) computer grand piano 290 SE with Dave Liebman, Wolfgang Reisinger and Johannes Enders. Pepl played the piano tracks in via MIDI guitar.
Recordings
1990s
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1991
Recording grant from austro mechana for the Harry Pepl Quartet
Vienna
In 1991 austro mechana, the Austrian collecting society for mechanical reproduction rights, promised the Harry Pepl Quartet a recording grant of 50,000 schillings from its social and cultural funds. The report to the Austrian parliament on the blank cassette levy still lists it among the outstanding commitments at the end of 1991. In June 1992 the quartet recorded the album “N.Y.C. Impressure” in New York.
Recordings
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4 June 1992 to 5 June 1992
Recording of “N.Y.C. IMPRESSURE”
New York
A few days after a concert at the Knitting Factory (New York music club for jazz and the avant-garde), the album was recorded in New York with Claus Stötter, Paul Nowinski and Jojo Mayer. In the liner notes Pepl speaks of his “Realtime-Composing”. The album was released in 1994 on Extraplatte (Vienna independent label); the dating varies between 1992 and 1994.
Recordings
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1994
“Beginnings” with Abstract Truth and a personal showcase at the Porgy & Bess
Vienna, New York
Pepl recorded the album “Beginnings” with Paul Zauner, John Purcell, Kenny Davis and Ronnie Burrage (Amadeo, former Vienna label for jazz and classical music, PAO Records (label of the trombonist and INNtöne festival founder Paul Zauner)). In the same year he had a three-day personal showcase at the Porgy & Bess (Vienna jazz club) in Vienna; on one of the evenings he played with Wolfgang Mitterer, according to Mitterer's chronology also with Gene Jackson.
Recordings
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May 1994
CD recording for STUDIO PERCUSSION graz
Straßengel near Graz
At the OPUS studio in Straßengel near Graz, STUDIO PERCUSSION graz recorded the three works by Pepl, Muthspiel and Pokorn (Extraplatte (Vienna independent label) EX 242-2).
Recordings
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November 1995
Piano album “Consequence”
Vienna
In November 1995, twelve freely improvised piano pieces were recorded at the Bösendorfer (Vienna piano maker) factory in Vienna. The album remained unreleased during his lifetime and was released on 15 May 2020.
Recordings
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10 March 1996
Piano album “Flow”
Vienna
Twelve real-time compositions were recorded in a single take on the Steinway in the Brahmssaal of the Vienna Musikverein (PAO Records, label of the trombonist and INNtöne festival founder Paul Zauner). It is the last album he oversaw in his lifetime.
Recordings
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1999
“Frischwärts” and the Christmas CD
Hernstein
In his cellar studio Pepl recorded “Frischwärts”, playing everything himself: drums, and while drumming he also struck a drum sample pad with additional sounds, which makes the recording very dense and intense. On top came electric guitar with distortion and a MIDI trumpet sound, and acoustic guitar. He burned the “Weihnachts-CD 1999, Vol. 1” with ten titles, including “Fugendichtung”.
Recordings
2000s
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2001
“Light Blues” reissued
Vienna
The CD “Light Blues” by Air Mail was reissued in the series Austrian Jazzart on Universal/EmArcy with two bonus tracks.
Recordings
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2003
Two Goodman and Jazzzwio releases
Vienna
In 2003 the concert recording “Live at Miles Smiles” was released in the series Austrian Jazzart, along with the CD/DVD “Farewell” with Benny Goodman, recorded at the Tivoli (amusement park and concert venue) in Copenhagen.
Recordings
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2004
Wolfgang Muthspiel: “Air, Love & Vitamins”
Pepl's student Wolfgang Muthspiel released an album on Quinton Records with Marc Johnson and Brian Blade, with Pepl's composition as the title piece. The “Schönberg Improvations” were reissued in the same year on Universal/EmArcy.
Recordings
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5 August 2004 to 8 August 2004
Creation of “Dedicated to Michel Noiret's Stockhausen”
Hernstein
Between 5 and 8 August 2004 Pepl recorded the piece, inspired by an ARTE film about the dancer Michèle Noiret, with drums, a double bass sample and electric guitar. It was not released until 2020, on “Volume One”.
Recordings
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2007
Christian Muthspiel: “Against the Wind”
Christian Muthspiel released a tribute album with the music of Werner Pirchner, the Austrian composer and vibraphonist, and Harry Pepl on Universal/EmArcy.
Recordings
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January 2009
“Live In Concerts” released
Vienna
The 1981 Montreux live recording, together with the 1984 Innsbruck recording and video, was released on Universal/EmArcy as CD and DVD. It was reviewed by Kurier, Kronen Zeitung, Austria’s largest-circulation daily, and Concerto.
Recordings
2010s
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2014
“Olymp” on “Schnitzelbeat Volume 1”
Pepl's composition “Olymp” from 1964 was reissued on the compilation of Austrian rock ’n’ roll and beat rarities.
Recordings
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2016
“The Balsam Project” on “Faces And Stories”
On Wolfgang Puschnig's compilation, the duo with Pepl from the 1988 album “Pieces Of The Dream” was reissued.
Recordings
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25 October 2019 to 26 June 2021
Live recordings for the album “Live”
Vienna, Villach
The band recorded concerts at the Porgy & Bess (25 October 2019, July 2020), at the Blue Tomato (24 October 2020) and at the Bambergsaal Villach (26 June 2021). In August 2020 Franz Hautzinger played the trumpet on “Kunst II” in his home studio in France.
Recordings
2020s
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7 June 2024
“Live At H15 Studio” by the Kresten Osgood Quintet
Copenhagen
On the LP, featuring a live recording from the Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2023, the quintet plays Pepl's “The Halley's Comet Light Blue Blues”.
Recordings