Biography Peter Lehel
Born September 13th, 1965 in Karlsruhe, Germany
Composer, arranger, one of Germany`s leading saxophone players
Musical Studies
- Music University in Stuttgart, Germany
- Ferenc Liszt Music University in Budapest, Hungary 1988-96
Jazz Awards
- Baden - Württemberg in 1997 (one of the most valuable jazz awards in Germany)
- 2nd place in 1996
- Prize of German CD Critics
(September 2000 for CD PIPES & PHONES "suites" and 2006 for CD Hoppel Hoppel Rhythm Club
"Vol. 2"))
- 1st prize at international competition Jazz and Churchorgan for the best group Pipes and Phones (August 2001, Hannover
Germany)
- Donation Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg 2004
- Professorship at Music University Shengyang, China
2007
Featured Soloist
/ Composer /
Arranger
- in different international working groups like Barbara Dennerlein Trio,
Oláh Kálmán from Hungary, Beeble Brox USA,
Siiri Sisask Estonia, Ulisses Rocha European Brazil Trio
- composer / arranger for international featured soloists like Sabine Meyer, Wolfgang Meyer, Henning Wiegräbe, Albrecht
Breuninger, Paquito d´Rivera, Barbara Dennerlein a.o.
Composer and Performer
- with classical orchestras like Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, Wuerttemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn, Budapest Chamber
Symphony, Artisfact Chamber Orchestra,
Rheinland-Pfalz Staatsphilharmonie a.o.
- recordings playing on countless CDs as a guest musician
- Producer of more than 70 published CDs with his original music
Teaching
- Music School Ettlingen since 1991,
- University of Music Karlsruhe since 2004
(Saxophone, Bigband, Jazz Theory)
- clinics all over Germany,
- Masterclasses in China (Beijing, Shengyang, Hangzou, Dalian)
- Guest professor Shengyang Music University
Touring
- USA, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, Caribean Islands, Spain, Italy, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, Romania, Switzerland,
Austria, Turkey, Greece, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Arabic Countries, Egypt, Israel, Oman, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Jamaica
About his musical ideas
As a saxophone player Peter Lehel is standing in the heritage of the great tenor & soprano saxophonist John Coltrane and other modern players.
With his compositions he is working on combining more advanced classical composition techniques and forms with the free spirit of modern jazz
improvisation.
His work includes pieces for jazz quartet, saxophone quartet and quintet, bigband, church organ & saxophone, string quartet, jazz quartet with string orchestra,
chamber music and symphony orchestra with jazz soloists.
As a arranger he has been working for Barbara Dennerlein (CD "Change of Pace"), Trio Clarone with Sabine Meyer & Paquito dRivera.
He is leader of his own groups like Peter Lehel quartet, Pipes & Phones. He is member of the especially in South Korea wellknown group SaltaCello, Hoppel Hoppel
Rhythm Club - Jazz For Kids. He is regularly working with several String Orchestras like Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, Artisfact String Orchestra and with Symphony Orchestras like Staatsphilharmonie
Rheinland-Pfalz.
He founded the well-acclaimed Jazz Ensemble of State of Baden-Württemberg.
As a sideman he is working with jazz giants like Barbara Dennerlein, Oláh Kálmán from Hungary, Monika Herzig from USA, Ulisses Rocha from Brazil.
He has recorded countless CDs as a sideman and more than 70 CDs with his original music.
Peter Lehel Quartet
The quartet of the saxophone player Peter Lehel (Jazz Award Baden -Württemberg in 1997) has celebrated the 20th anniversary in autumn 2016.
This means more than 600 concerts, almost 400 titles and the release of 13 CDs and 2 DoubleCD.
This quartet is the steady working band of Peter Lehel and refers to the tradition of the great jazz quartets.
The compositions especially written for the quartet procure moods and sound pictures which deliver the source for versatile possibilities of expression and much space
for the soloists.
Yon can hear clearly structured passages as well as more free concepts of playing.
The quartet`s sound is enriched for example by Lehels lyrical bassclarinet and by the masterly bowed acoustic bass of Mini Schulz.
The musicians are well aware of the jazz history and of the european classical music.
This leads - in addition with joy of playing and improvising - to the unique profile of the quartet.
Diskography Peter Lehel Quartet
2016 "Missa in Jazz"
2015 "Chamber Jazz"
2014 "The Clarinet"
2013 "I Wish You Love"
2012 „Song of Praise“ with Chamber Choir Baden-Wuerttemberg
2012 „Bone Talks“ with Henning Wiegräbe, trombone
2009 „Choro e Bossa Nova“ with Wolfgang Meyer, clarinet
2007 "Soul Balance" with String Orchestra Artisfact
2007 "Boleros" with Wolfgang Meyer, clarinet
2004 "Live At
Birdland"
2003
"Moods"
2000 "Ballads"
1998 "Heavy Rotation"