Chronology
Life and work year by year. Every entry is documented; we welcome additions and corrections.
Filters active
1980s
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1980
Move to Hernstein
Hernstein
Around 1980 Pepl moved to Hernstein in Lower Austria, where he lived until his death and later ran his home studio. His piece “Hernstein 144” carries the address.
Life
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1980
“Clown und Poet” on Bavarian Broadcasting (BR)
Munich
In the recording “Clown und Poet” from the BR series “Heut' abend”, the clown Oleg Popov meets the actor Klaus Maria Brandauer, who recites texts by Henry Miller, Peter Brook, William Shakespeare, Hermann Hesse, Ernst Jandl and Peter Altenberg. According to the closing credits, the music is played by Olaf Kübler, Robert (Bob) Degen, Günter Lenz, Joe Nay and Harry Pepl, Pepl on his old Gibson Les Paul.
Media
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23 March 1980 to 25 March 1980
Concerts with the Vienna Art Orchestra
Vienna, Zurich, Basel
With the Vienna Art Orchestra, Pepl played in Vienna (Jazzspring), Zurich and Basel; in June 1980 the “Concerto Piccolo” tour of Austria followed.
Concerts
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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, Bruno Brandenberger and Marc Hellmann. It was released in 1981 on Four Leave Records.
Recordings
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September 1980
Jack DeJohnette sits in spontaneously at Saalfelden
Saalfelden
At the Jazzfestival Saalfelden, Jack DeJohnette stepped onto the stage during a Jazzzwio performance and played along spontaneously.
Concerts
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7 November 1980 to 8 November 1980
Concerts with Benny Goodman in Berlin
Berlin
Pepl played two concerts at the Berlin Philharmonie with Benny Goodman, Don Haas, Peter Witte and Charly Antolini. At the rehearsal on 6 November, “Harry Pepl's Blues” came about spontaneously. The live recording was not released until 1996.
Concerts
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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.
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, 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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12 July 1981
Jazzzwio at the Montreux Jazz Festival
Montreux
Pepl was called to the telephone in Graz during a lesson and agreed to appear at the guitar festival in Montreux, but as a duo with Pirchner. The concert on Sunday 12 July 1981 is regarded as the first big step in Pepl's international career. The live recording was released as an LP on WEA.
Concerts
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4 September 1981
Benny Goodman at the Tivoli, Copenhagen
Copenhagen
For a television show at the Jazzhus Slukefter, Pepl played with Goodman, Jimmy Maxwell, Svend Asmussen, Don Haas, Peter Witte and Charly Antolini. Goodman later sent him a photo with the dedication “for Harry, a great guitarist”. In 2006 the Porgy & Bess dated the concert film to 1980.
Concerts
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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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6 November 1981
Jazzfest Berlin
Berlin
The Jazzzwio played at the Metropol in Berlin. The first piece is called “Berlin '81, die Erste”.
Concerts
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1 April 1982
Austria Drei in Graz
Graz
Concert at the Studentenhaus Münzgraben with Michael Di Pasqua on drums, after which the trail of the band, as far as it can be reconstructed, goes cold.
Concerts
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May 1982
Jam session with Larry Coryell
Graz
Before his concert at the Münzl in Graz, the American guitarist Larry Coryell visited the jazz college in Graz, showed the students some new tricks and played a jam session with Harry Pepl, who, according to the Steirerkrone, greatly impressed him.
Teaching
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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 October 1982
Ars Electronica: “Jazz und Elektronik” (Jazz and Electronics)
Linz
At the Ars Electronica evening “Jazz und Elektronik” in the Great Hall of the Brucknerhaus in Linz, Pepl plays in the Ars Electronica Workshop Ensemble with François Jeanneau, Wolfgang Dauner, Jasper van't Hof, Adelhard Roidinger and Daniel Humair; Alphonse Mouzon's quartet also performs. The programme calls Pepl “one of the leading jazz guitarists in Europe”.
Concerts
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2 October 1982
German Jazz Festival Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main
Pepl and Pirchner played in the Großer Saal of the Alte Oper, including titles such as “Wiener essen Frankfurter”.
Concerts
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17 October 1982
Donaueschingen with the Vienna Art Orchestra
Donaueschingen
Pepl played in “Johnny tritt ab, No Jazz Opera in two parts” as part of the Donaueschingen Music Days; the guest was John Surman. It is the last traceable collaboration with the Vienna Art Orchestra.
Concerts
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December 1982
Bratislava Jazz Days
Bratislava
At the PKO Hall in Bratislava, Pepl played the standard “St. Thomas” with the formation “The International Conclave”; the live recording was released in 1983 on the double LP “Bratislava Jazz Days 1982”.
Concerts
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1983
Air Mail finds its line-up
Vienna
After rehearsals with the bassist Jean-Paul Celea, the line-up of Pepl, Wolfgang Puschnig, Mike Richmond and Wolfgang Reisinger emerged in autumn 1983. The band took its name from the bassist Richmond, who was flown in.
Ensembles
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1 April 1983
ECM album with “Air, Love & Vitamins”
Munich
The album “Werner Pirchner / Harry Pepl / Jack DeJohnette” (ECM 1237) was released and contains “Air, Love and Vitamines”, Pepl's best-known piece. Kohler and mica name the German Record Critics' Award, the Österreichisches Musiklexikon a nomination.
Recordings
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3 June 1983
ORF “Ohne Maulkorb”
Vienna
The Jazzzwio appeared in the ORF programme “Ohne Maulkorb” (Szene Wien) with songs and interviews. An excerpt was released in 2009 on the DVD “Live In Concerts”.
Media
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1984
Full professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz
Graz
Pepl was appointed full professor of jazz guitar at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz; Die Steirische gives 1982. His students included Wolfgang Muthspiel, Peter Havlicek, Guido Jeszenszky, Alexander Machacek and Martin Siewert.
Teaching
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22 January 1984
Pirchner, Pepl, Di Pasqua concert in Salzburg
Salzburg
The poster “Jazz im Theater” announces Werner Pirchner, Harry Pepl and Michael Di Pasqua on Sunday 22 January 1984, 8 pm, at the Elisabethbühne Salzburg; the archive of Salzburg’s Jazzit lists the evening in its concert history, with Pirchner on vibraphone and marimba.
Concerts
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25 March 1984
Jazzzwio in the Conservatory Hall, Innsbruck
Innsbruck
The Innsbruck live recording of Sunday 25 March 1984 forms the second part of the release “Live In Concerts”.
Concerts
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May 1984
Air Mail in Moers
Moers
Air Mail made their breakthrough at the Moers jazz festival, with Karl “Bumi” Fian as guest. The debut “Prayer for Peace” was released in 1985 on Moers Music.
Concerts
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23 September 1984
Portal Unit at the Schlachthof in Graz
Graz
Pepl's first reconstructible concert with Michel Portal, George Lewis, Joachim Kühn, Jean-François Jenny-Clark and Daniel Humair. Festivals in France followed.
Concerts
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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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March 1985
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22 March 1985 to 23 March 1985
Théâtre de la Ville, Paris
Paris
The Michel Portal Unit played as a quintet with Portal, Pepl, Jenny-Clark, Humair and Mino Cinelu. Further concerts followed at the Centre Pompidou and at the Paris Museum of Modern Art.
Concerts
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30 March 1985
Air Mail at the Jazzspelunke
Vienna
On Saturday 30 March 1985 Air Mail, with Pepl, Wolfgang Puschnig, Mike Richmond and Wolfgang Reisinger, played at the Jazzspelunke in Vienna. A recording of this evening exists.
Concerts
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12 May 1985
Concert at the Miles Smiles club
Vienna
On the Sunday before the flight to New York, the Jazzzwio played at short notice at the Miles Smiles club in Vienna, with the drummer Georg Polansky. The live recording was released on CD in 2003.
Concerts
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15 May 1985
New York: “Beyond the Sound of Music”
New York
On Wednesday 15 May 1985, Pepl and Pirchner, with Don Moye, played at the Ohio Theater in Soho at the festival “New Austria / New York”. The New York Times reviewed the festival on 18 May.
Concerts
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July 1985
Jazzzwio with Don Moye in Bolzano
Bolzano
Concert by Werner Pirchner, Harry Pepl and Don Moye at the Walther-Haus in Bolzano.
Concerts
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10 October 1985 to 23 October 1985
Jazzzwio concerts in Graz and Kindberg
Graz, Kindberg
Kohler names 10 October 1985 in Graz and 23 October 1985 in Kindberg as the last verifiable concerts of the Jazzzwio. After that their paths parted, and Pirchner turned to composition. A live recording from Niš dated 28 October 1985 is chronologically later still.
Concerts
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28 October 1985
Naissus Jazz 85 in Niš
Niš
The Jazzzwio played live in the hall of the Niš Symphony Orchestra, Yugoslavia, together with Barry Altschul and Walter Schmocker. The piece “The Theme” was released in 1986 on a Diskos compilation.
Concerts
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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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24 May 1986
Air Mail in St. Gerold
St. Gerold
ORF Studio Vorarlberg recorded a concert by Air Mail in St. Gerold.
Concerts
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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; “Ballantine for Valentine” is Pepl's only piece on it.
Recordings
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10 October 1986
Rava/Saluzzi Quintet with the NDR Bigband
Hamburg
During the European tour, the quintet of Enrico Rava and Dino Saluzzi, with Harry Pepl, played together with the NDR Bigband at the Fabrik in Hamburg-Altona.
Concerts
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13 October 1986
Rava/Saluzzi Quintet at “Jazz in Gütersloh”
Gütersloh
Concert at “Jazz in Gütersloh”, with Bob Moses instead of Bruce Ditmas on drums.
Concerts
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February 1987
Recording of “Cracked Mirrors”
Wachau, Oslo
At the suggestion of Heimo Steps (gamsbART), 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 reimbursed them later.
Recordings
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30 May 1987
Michel Portal: “Men's Land” in Amiens
Amiens
Live recording at the 7th Festival International de Jazz d'Amiens with Portal, Dave Liebman, Pepl, Jenny-Clark, DeJohnette and Cinelu.
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, 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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20 April 1988
Cracked Mirrors live at the Posthof Linz
Linz
Concert of the trio Pepl, Joos and Christensen; Christensen was a guest of Pepl's in Hernstein for a considerable time and rehearsed with him.
Concerts
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22 April 1988
Trio Pepl/Joos/Christensen at the Hotel Mader, Katsdorf
Katsdorf
Two days after the concert at the Posthof in Linz, the trio with Herbert Joos and Jon Christensen played at the Hotel Mader in Katsdorf.
Concerts
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30 May 1988
“Cracked Mirrors” released on ECM
Munich
ECM 1356 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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December 1988
Joos, Pepl and Oxley at the Dieselstraße in Esslingen
Esslingen am Neckar
At the year-end concert of the series “Jazz in der Dieselstraße”, Pepl played with Herbert Joos and Tony Oxley at the Dieselstraße culture and communication centre in Esslingen; the Stuttgarter Zeitung and the Eßlinger Zeitung reviewed the concert.
Concerts
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10 December 1988 to 17 December 1988
Austrian tour with Herbert Joos and Tony Oxley
Austria
The tour schedule lists Mödling, Wörgl, Nüziders, Klagenfurt, Graz and Mauterndorf. Tony Oxley replaced Jon Christensen, who was unavailable; an ORF recording exists of the concert in Tamsweg on 15 December.
Concerts
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15 December 1988
Trio with Herbert Joos and Tony Oxley in Tamsweg
Tamsweg
On the Austrian tour, the ORF recorded the concert of Harry Pepl, Herbert Joos and Tony Oxley in Tamsweg; Ö1 broadcast the archive find in its Jazznacht in 2015.
Concerts
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1989
Cracked Mirrors at the Stadtgarten in Cologne
Cologne
The trio with Herbert Joos and Jon Christensen played at the Stadtgarten in Cologne, and television recorded the concert.
Concerts
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20 January 1989
Ten works at ORF Studio Tyrol
Innsbruck
Ten works by Pepl were premiered at ORF Studio Tyrol; the titles have not survived.
Works
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16 March 1989
“Ballade for Mr. Dinozo” at the Musikverein
Vienna
In the Brahmssaal, as part of the series “Freude an Musik”, the Ensemble Wien played Pepl's piece for strings, which is dedicated to Dino Saluzzi. The initiative came in 1988 from a telephone call by Josef Pitzek; Heckel, differing, names the Ensemble Kontrapunkte.
Works
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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 on the Bösendorfer computer grand piano 290 SE with Dave Liebman, Wolfgang Reisinger and Johannes Enders. Pepl played the piano tracks in via MIDI guitar.
Recordings
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14 December 1989
Premiere of “Grogos” in the Brahmssaal
Vienna
The commissioned work of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, a computer composition for the string quartet medium, was premiered, according to the programme booklet, by the Ensemble Wien. Pepl had handed over the score in person in November; Heckel names the Ensemble Kontrapunkte and “String I” for this evening.
Works