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.
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1988 · Other · DE
press review (Collage, compiler not named): „Cracked Mirrors“: Kritiken aus Deutschland, Österreich, Frankreich, Großbritannien und Japan
various (incl. Ken Hyder, Christa Wörner, Robert Urman)
Collage of reviews of “Cracked Mirrors” arranged around a concert photo of Harry Pepl: the review „Ausdrucksstark“ [“Expressive”] with the note on the quarterly list of the German Record Critics’ Award (German award for outstanding recordings, chosen by a jury of critics), concert reviews from Esslingen and Linz, a French review, an English one by Ken Hyder (“a marvellous feel of understatement”) and a Japanese CD review. This collection is the source of the often-quoted verdict on Pepl as one of the most innovative guitarists in Europe.
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Harry PEPL’s natural and attractive playing on his MIDI guitar creates constant “aha” moments and marks him out as one of the most innovative guitarists in the whole of Europe.
The jazz guitarist Harry Pepl proves to be a master of sound painting with his new album “Cracked Mirrors”
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1988 · Review
Fanfare (US-Magazin für Plattenkritik): Kritik zu „Volver“ (ECM 1343), Fanfare Band 12, Nr. 1
Edward Strickland
In Fanfare, the American record review magazine, the critic Edward Strickland reviews the ECM album “Volver” by Enrico Rava and Dino Saluzzi.
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Rava’s contribution to the title track is appropriately subdued, his muted trumpet briefly recalling Miles Davis; Pepl’s guitar adds a great deal to the mood, and the support from Furio Di Castri (bass) and Bruce Ditmas (drums) is understated and exemplary. He recommends the record.
Harry Pepl’s guitar adds greatly to the moody mix
The American critic Edward Strickland in 1988 in Fanfare magazine on the ECM album “Volver” by the Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava and the Argentine bandoneon player Dino Saluzzi (recorded in October 1986), on which Pepl plays guitar
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10 January 1988 · Portrait · DE
Kleine Zeitung: „Feldzug mit der Gitarre“
Otmar Klammer
Portrait on page 18 of the Graz guitar professor who, according to the newspaper Le Monde, was called a „Gigant der Improvisation“ [“giant of improvisation”].
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It traces his path from the Austrian Aces through commercial bands, the Fledermaus bar and the ORF Big Band (ORF: Austria's public broadcaster) to the professorship, and mentions recordings with DeJohnette, Holland, Saluzzi and Portal. Remarks by Scofield and Abercrombie about Pepl are also on record.
The guitar professor in Graz is regarded internationally as one of the best in his field.
He's great, he's like a machine gun
The American jazz guitarist John Abercrombie (ECM) on Pepl’s blistering speed, meant as praise; reported in the Kleine Zeitung, a daily from Graz, in 1988
John Abercrombie
Giant of improvisation
Le Monde
internationally sought-after master of improvisation
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8 March 1988 · Report · DE
APA-Basisdienst (Austria Presse Agentur), Rubrik APA JAZZ NEWS: „Jazz aus Österreich“
initials „hmf/fwi/ca“
Record column on Austrian jazz: Air Mail with Wolfgang Puschnig, Harry Pepl, Wolfgang Reisinger and Mike Richmond, successful abroad as well, releases “Light Blues” on PolyGram.
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“Cracked Mirrors” with Herbert Joos and Jon Christensen was initiated and co-financed by the Graz arts association gamsbART and taken over by ECM (the renowned European jazz label).
“Cracked Mirrors” is the name of the LP featuring the three jazz musicians in truly outstanding form.
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April 1988 · Review · DE
daily newspaper (title not preserved): „Versierte Gefährten“ (Musikantendreieck der Extraklasse im Posthof)
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Concert review of the appearance of Harry Pepl with Jon Christensen and Herbert Joos at the Posthof in Linz on 20 April 1988. The author praises the intensity, sensuality and sharpness of the compositions, the compellingly played solos and the astonishing use of electronics, and announces the trio’s forthcoming ECM (the renowned European jazz label) record. With a photo by Nöbauer.
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Austrian jazz’s guitar great, of a standing that helps to set the tone not only in Europe
Harry Pepl brings electronics into play in an astonishing way.
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22 April 1988 · Review · DE
daily newspaper (title not preserved): „Glanzvolle Dreieinigkeit“
Robert Urman
Review of the concert at the Posthof in Linz: the new trinity around Harry Pepl with Herbert Joos and Jon Christensen.
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Urman describes breathtaking string artistry, birdsong and synthetic flute sounds, lovingly coloured poetry down to a hint of Gil Evans, and an electronically generated fullness of sound on an orchestral scale. On the day of publication, a Friday, the trio was still playing at the Hotel Mader in Katsdorf.
Gems of contemporary jazz, wittily crafted by a top-class trio
The three offered breathtaking string artistry, virtuosically realised visions of wilful electronic mobilisation
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May 1988 · Press release · DE
ECM Records, Munich (press release): Harry Pepl / Herbert Joos / Jon Christensen: „Cracked Mirrors“
ECM Records
Two-page press information from the label on the album (ECM 1356, CD 833 472-2, LP 833 472-1), with the line-up: Pepl on guitar, Roland MIDI guitar system and piano, Joos on flugelhorn, Christensen on drums.
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The text describes the album as a sequence of broken genres, from parodied pianistic bliss and alienated Alpine folk music to free jazz in the spirit of Ornette Coleman, and emphasises the evidently meaningful use of electronics.
three musicians meet who are able to improvise with a great deal of sensuality and warmth even in advanced playing techniques.
This album certainly runs completely against the wind of the zeitgeist.
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14 June 1988 · Report · DE
APA-Basisdienst (Austria Presse Agentur), Rubrik APA JAZZ NEWS: „Erfolge für Harry Pepl“
initials „A“
Report on the international response to “Cracked Mirrors” with Herbert Joos and Jon Christensen and to the LP “Volver” with Dino Saluzzi and Enrico Rava.
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Appearances at Scandinavian festivals and concerts in Japan are announced for the following year. Pepl says he began playing without any concrete idea of the sound.
His new album “Cracked Mirrors”, recorded with Herbert Joos and Jon Christensen, has caught the attention of international critics.
created, as it were, out of nothing
Harry Pepl
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17 August 1988 · Review · FR
Le Monde: „Michel Portal: « Men's land »“
F. M. (wahrscheinlich Francis Marmande)
Record review in Le Monde, the Paris daily, of Michel Portal's Amiens recording “Men's Land” (Label Bleu).
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The review calls the line-up “particularly well chosen” and lists Jack DeJohnette, Dave Liebman, Mino Cinelu, Harry Pepl and Jean-François Jenny-Clark. It is signed with initials, very probably “F. M.” for Francis Marmande, the paper's jazz critic.
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27 August 1988 · Other
Music Week (British music trade magazine): „New Albums“ (Neuerscheinungen vom 30. August bis 2. September 1988)
The new-release list of the British music trade magazine includes “Cracked Mirrors” by Harry Pepl, Herbert Joos (printed “Joss”) and Jon Christensen for the week beginning Tuesday, 30 August 1988, as a jazz album on ECM/New Note, LP ECM 1356, CD 833 472-2. It is a trade listing of the British release, not a review.
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PEPL, Harry/Herbert JOSS/Jón CHRISTENSEN CRACKED MIRRORS ECM/New Note ECM 1356/8334722"CD"
Entry in the “New Albums” list of the British music trade magazine Music Week for the week of 30 August to 2 September 1988: British release of “Cracked Mirrors” on ECM/New Note, LP ECM 1356, CD 833 472-2. “JOSS” and “Jón” as printed, meaning Herbert Joos and Jon Christensen; a listing, not a review
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30 August 1988 · Report · DE
APA-Basisdienst (Austria Presse Agentur), Rubrik APA JAZZ NEWS: „Schallplattenpreis für Harry Pepls ‚Cracked Mirrors‘“
initials „hmf/fwi“
Report: the ECM album “Cracked Mirrors” with Herbert Joos and Jon Christensen received the German Record Critics’ Award (German award for outstanding recordings, chosen by a jury of critics) in the jazz category of the quarterly list.
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The last Austrian jazz musician honoured in this way before Pepl was Werner Pirchner for the double album “EU”.
Great success for the guitarist Harry Pepl, a lot of attention for Austrian jazz.
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September 1988 · Programme booklet · DE
Jazz Festival Willisau, Programmheft 1988: „Jazz in Willisau: Coming Dates“
On p. 110, under “Jazz in Willisau: Coming Dates”, the programme of the 14th Jazz Festival Willisau (canton of Lucerne, Switzerland) of 1 to 4 September 1988 announces a double concert by Airmail (Harry Pepl, Wolfgang Puschnig, Mike Richmond, Wolfgang Reisinger) and Depart (Harry Sokal, Heiri Känzig, Jojo Meyer) for Saturday, 3 December 1988, at 8 p.m. at the Mohren. According to the concert list, poster and press documentation of the Willisau Jazz Archive, the Ray Anderson Quartet played that evening; whether Air Mail's concert was cancelled or postponed is not known.
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8 September 1988 · Portrait · DE
Die Steirische: „Vitaler Klangmaler“ (Das Künstlerporträt: Harry Pepl)
Heimo Steps
Portrait on page 12 by the manager of gamsbART (Graz concert promoter), written on the occasion of the German Record Critics’ Award (German award for outstanding recordings, chosen by a jury of critics) for “Cracked Mirrors”.
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Among other things, it tells of the time with DeJohnette in Paris, the film music with Benny Goodman and planned projects in Graz.
His musical paintings are a pleasure to listen to, not least because sensuality and warmth are inherent in them.
He is one of my favourites
Having grown up with the accordion, he does not deny our own musical tradition and lets it flow into his music.
The great stylistic diversity and his unmistakably idiosyncratic playing, not to mention his perfect command of the instrument, make even the most prominent fellow musicians rave.
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4 October 1988 · Report · DE
APA-Basisdienst (Austria Presse Agentur), Rubrik APA JAZZ NEWS: „Große Konzertreihe mit Jazz und zeitgenössischer Musik in Graz“
initials „hmf/fwi“
Preview of the autumn programme of gamsbART (Graz concert promoter, directed by Heimo Steps) at the Catholic student centre Münzgraben.
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The December programme includes a “special evening” with Pepl, Herbert Joos and Jon Christensen, who received the German Record Critics’ Award for “Cracked Mirrors”, initiated by gamsbART (the text inconsistently gives 16 November). Pepl is also named as a guest on Wolfgang Puschnig’s album “Pieces Of The Dream”.
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9 December 1988 · Interview · DE
Wochenpresse (no. 49): „Saitensprünge“
Wolfgang Kralicek
Two-page portrait with an interview around Pepl’s Austrian tour in December 1988. It describes how “Cracked Mirrors” came about in the Wachau studio, with the drums added afterwards in Oslo, the Montreux and ECM (the renowned European jazz label) period with Pirchner and DeJohnette, and Pepl’s work in his home studio in Hernstein. The albums of 1988 are named.
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I couldn’t care less that it’s called jazz.
“Wurscht” (literally “sausage”) is Viennese for “it makes no difference”. Said in an interview during his Austrian tour in December 1988, about his music being labelled jazz
Harry Pepl
The Austrian musician Harry Pepl is a man in demand internationally.
They were all thrilled. A sensation, really.
On the Jazzzwio’s performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland, in 1981, in an interview in 1988
Harry Pepl
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15 December 1988 · Review · DE
Stuttgarter Zeitung: „Jazz im Zauberspiegel“ (Dieselstraße: Joos-Pepl-Oxley)
lind
Concert review of the trio of Herbert Joos, Harry Pepl and Tony Oxley at the Dieselstraße culture and communication centre in Esslingen.
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The author begins with critical questions about volume, the playback tape and hidden themes and then describes a bewildering game of free jazz and balladic romanticism, in which the audience accepted Pepl’s guitar synthesiser as an enrichment; he refers to the record “Cracked Mirrors”.
accepted Harry Pepl’s guitar synthesiser as an imaginative enrichment of the sound
in a piece like “Schikaneders Delight” there was also quite definitely a Mozartean cheerfulness at play.
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17 December 1988 · Review · DE
Eßlinger Zeitung (weekend edition): „Perkussives“ (Joos, Pepl und Oxley)
Christa Wörner
Review of the year-end concert of the series “Jazz in der Dieselstraße” with Herbert Joos, Harry Pepl and Tony Oxley: catchy melodies and folk-song-like passages frame abstract structures, played with and against the electronics.
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By way of his guitar, Pepl also plays trumpet and piano and manages a drum solo on the guitar; Joos recalls Chet Baker, and Oxley shapes the European character of the music.
European jazz? The trio of Herbert Joos, Harry Pepl and Tony Oxley provided an example of it.
In this way Pepl managed to play a dazzling drum solo on the guitar.
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19 December 1988 · Report · DE
APA-Basisdienst (Austria Presse Agentur), Jahresrückblick „Pop, Rock, Jazz“: „Österreichs Jazz wurde international“
initials „hmf/fwi/ca“
Review of the year by the Austria Presse Agentur: in 1988 Austrian jazz had finally become international.
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First place goes to Pepl’s German Record Critics’ Award for “Cracked Mirrors”, followed by Wolfgang Puschnig’s “Pieces Of The Dream”, Karl “Bumi” Fian and the Muthspiel brothers.
Austrian jazz has finally become international. Guitarist Harry Pepl received the German Record Critics’ Award for “Cracked Mirrors”, recorded with Herbert Joos and Jon Christensen.
Austria Presse Agentur