Axel Zwingenberger
He never sings, he just plays piano, but how! You can’t escape the magic of his music, when he hits the keys powerfully, swinging the basses of the grand piano with his left hand, delivering pearly runs and trills in the treble with his right. Axel has absorbed the music of his American idols of the pioneer days of Blues and Boogie Woogie, enriched with his own ideas and sounds, thus creating his personal expression and propelling a development which has made him a role model for several generations of Boogie pianists. His powerful, as well as soft and sensitive touch captivates piano lovers world wide. They appreciate his unfailing musicality, his seemingly unstoppable inspiration in improvisation, and joy of playing. He has specialized in this musical style, which is probably the most pianistic form of early Jazz and Blues. He explores its world of sound and emotion, which trademarks folk music as well as the improvised music (Jazz). His extensive concert tours have led him into more than 50 countries on four continents. He has issued recordings of a variety which is unique in this field of music, they are even documented in public libraries.
Of corse, as the host, Axel is there every year!