Cover: Label Bleu
Band · 1984 to 1988
Michel Portal Unit
Harry Pepl in the French jazz scene
In the Portal Unit, Harry Pepl played with greats of European and American jazz: Michel Portal, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Liebman, Daniel Humair, Jean-François Jenny-Clark, Mino Cinelu, Joachim Kühn and George Lewis. The group appeared at the Théâtre de la Ville and the Centre Pompidou in Paris; the live recording from Amiens was released in 1987 as “Men's Land” on Label Bleu.
Harry Pepl Guitarist of the group
At a glance
- Leader
- Michel Portal (bass clarinet, saxophone), 27 November 1935 to 12 February 2026
- Fellow players
- Jack DeJohnette, Dave Liebman, Daniel Humair, Jean-François Jenny-Clark, Mino Cinelu, Joachim Kühn, George Lewis, Christof Lauer
- First concert with Pepl
- 23 September 1984, former Schlachthof in Graz (Steirischer Herbst)
- Venues
- Théâtre de la Ville and Centre Pompidou in Paris, Amiens, Geneva, Le Mans
- Releases
- Turbulence (Harmonia Mundi, recorded 1986), Men's Land (Label Bleu, live in Amiens, 1987)
The road to France
Pepl had had contacts with the French scene since the early 1980s, among others through Daniel Humair; in Paris he also appeared with the trumpeter Eric Le Lann.1 Michel Portal had founded his Unit in 1971, with changing line-ups. The first concert with Pepl that can be reconstructed took place on 23 September 1984 at the former Schlachthof (slaughterhouse) in Graz, at the Steirischer Herbst: Portal, Pepl, George Lewis, Joachim Kühn, Jean-François Jenny-Clark and Daniel Humair. On 22 and 23 March 1985 the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris followed, as a quintet with Mino Cinelu, and later the Centre Pompidou.2
Turbulence and Men's Land
On Portal's album “Turbulence”, recorded in 1986 at the Studio S.E.I. in Paris, Pepl can be heard on the piece “Pastor”.3 On 30 May 1987 the Unit played at the 7th Festival International de Jazz d'Amiens in the Grand Théâtre of the Maison de la Culture: Portal, Dave Liebman, Pepl, Jean-François Jenny-Clark, Jack DeJohnette and Mino Cinelu. The live recording was released as “Men's Land” on Label Bleu; Pepl plays on the track “Ahmad The Terrible” and, on the CD, additionally on “Pastor”. Further concerts took place in Geneva and Le Mans, there with Christof Lauer. According to Kohler, both albums were honoured with awards.4
Freedom
In this scene Pepl played mainly free music with partly composed pieces. For him, Jack DeJohnette was the only musician with whom he understood each other immediately at the first rhythmic impulse. Pepl himself felt that his work in France was hardly noticed outside the country.5 In the 1990s he met Portal once more at the Inntöne festival, together with Wolfgang Reisinger, Franz Hackl and Toninho Horta; the year is recorded inconsistently in the sources.6
Parts
understood immediately at the first or second rhythmic impulse, so that everyone knew where the other was
The Austrian musician Harry Pepl is a man in demand internationally.
Releases
Questions and answers
What was the Michel Portal Unit?
The group of the French clarinettist and saxophonist Michel Portal, founded in 1971, with changing line-ups. From 1984 Harry Pepl played with it, mainly live in France.
Whom did Pepl play with in the Portal Unit?
Among others with Jack DeJohnette, Dave Liebman, Daniel Humair, Jean-François Jenny-Clark, Mino Cinelu, Joachim Kühn and George Lewis.
On which albums can Pepl be heard with Michel Portal?
On “Turbulence” (Harmonia Mundi) in the piece “Pastor” and on “Men's Land” (Label Bleu, live in Amiens on 30 May 1987) in the track “Ahmad The Terrible” and in the bonus track “Pastor”.
Where did the group perform with Pepl?
Among other places at the Schlachthof in Graz (1984), at the Théâtre de la Ville (1985) and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, in Amiens, Geneva and Le Mans.