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Many artists included Bert Kaempfert compositions in
their repertoire.
Here is a selection of available
CDs.
The
Anita Kerr Singers –
Bert Kaempfert Turns Us On
# WWCCM08132
Release Date: June 6, 2007
1968 saw the release of the album "Bert Kaempfert Turns Us On". The well-known American musician Anita Kerr arranged a selection of Kaempfert hits specially for her group of singers, as well as composing the song For Bert by way of homage. This outstanding production has now been put out on CD by Collectors' Choice in the USA and is also available here in Germany.
Tracks:
L.O.V.E.
Two Can Live On Love Alone
Remember When (We Made These Memories)
Strangers In The Night
A Swingin’ Safari
The World We Knew (Over And Over)
I Can’t Help Remembering You
Spanish Eyes
Danke Schoen
Wonderland By Night
Lady
For Bert
Christopher Dell – The World We Knew
Celebrating Bert Kaempfert
# ACT 9449-2
Release Date: January 26, 2007
Well known in the jazz world as, i.a., a leading vibraphone player and winner of many an award over the years, Christopher Dell has collaborated with Siegfried Loch to produce this CD featuring an extremely fine line-up: Christof Lauer (saxophone), Carsten Daerr (piano), Oliver Potratz (bass), Eric Schäfer (drums) together with Ladi Geisler as guitarist, renowned from Bert Kaempfert's orchestra for his "Knackbass". Here Dell not only plays vibraphone but has arranged Kaempfert's songs in a style all of his own.
Tracks:
Don’t Talk To Me
Danke Schoen
A Swingin’ Safari
Strangers In The Night
Afrikaan Beat II
Wiedersehn
It Makes No Difference
Spanish Eyes
Afrikaan Beat I
Geh nicht vorbei (I Can’t Help Remembering You)
The World We Knew (Over And Over)
Love After Midnight (90 Minuten nach Mitternacht)
More information and order
Strangers
in the Night –
The Music of Bert Kaempfert
Directed by Jiggs Whigham & Special Guests
# 06 025 171 389 7 - Polydor
Release Date: November 17, 2006
Following the highly successful staging of a superlative concert, it was soon clear to everyone that this exceptional meeting of top-notch musicians just had to be preserved as a souvenir for all time. Hence the present CD, containing, as it does, a cross-section of this concert programme. Not only is Jiggs Whigham one of the world's leading trombonists but also a much sought-after bandleader and professor of music, an artist who time and again is called upon to direct international big bands and orchestras of high repute. Here, as musical director, having taken great care in the choice of those with whom he wished to collaborate, Jiggs has succeeded in creating a dialogue with Bert Kaempfert that is quite without parallel.
Officially chief conductor of Hessischer Rundfunk’s big band, Jörg Achim Keller handed over the musical direction of this unique project and, in his capacity as one of the best arrangers, took up the challenge, performing the task in masterly fashion: without losing sight of the "Kaempfert touch", his arrangements have lent a new dimension to the music.
The top-class musicians of the Hessischer Rundfunk’s big band were augmented with an equally top-class string ensemble and thus transformed into an orchestral formation. Also imperative for Bert Kaempfert: the choir! Here the Berlin Voices were able to demonstrate their undoubted abilities, and this not just as a backing group. And, the crème de la crème in this line-up, the virtuoso instrumentalists who also performed as soloists with Bert Kaempfert in his day: Ack van Rooyen (flugelhorn / trumpet), Herb Geller (saxophone / flute) and Ladi Geisler (bass guitar).
Sylvia Vrethammar, the eminently likeable and superb jazz singer from Sweden, was invited by Bert Kaempfert to appear as guest star at his concerts as from 1979, since she performed his compositions in precisely the way he had imagined. And it was not difficult to persuade Sylvia to join as vocalist again: after all, the soft spot she has for Bert’s songs remains with her to the present day.
And last but no means least, young artists such as the much-loved pianist and entertainer Joja Wendt, Marc Secara und the Berlin Voices prove once again that Bert Kaempfert's music is not only timeless but cuts across all and every generation, too.
remember when... –
Paul Kuhn meets Bert Kaempfert
(Edel Records)
Released: October 20, 2003
In 2000, the idea of paying homage to a great composer is born. From the wealth of compositions that Bert Kaempfert wrote during his lifetime, Paul Kuhn selects some of the great instrumental hits and some wonderful songs that were interpreted by the greatest American stars at that time. Paul Kuhn writes excellent new arrangements for the selected repertoire.
In spring 2001, Paul Kuhn begins work in the studio. He assembles an excellent full orchestra formation with strings. In addition to the Ute-Mann-Singers, he also invites some carefully selected, extraordinary instrumental soloists and song interpreters, allowing them enough freedom for their solo contributions.
And
so we meet two companions of Bert Kaempfert’s again: the trombone
player Jiggs Whigham and the trumpeter Ack van Rooyen. We encounter Paul
Kuhn as a pianist as well as a singer. His special version of Strangers
In The Night deliberately has nothing to do with the famous Sinatra
interpretation. He does not arrange this hit of the century for a big
orchestra, but returns to his well-known trio formation. With the compositional
homage For Bert, written by Anita Kerr,
Greetje Kauffeld commemorates Bert Kaempfert with an incredible swing!
The lyrics of Remember When inspire Paul
Kuhn to perform a duet with the unique singer. The vocalists Georgie
Fame, Carry Sass and Peter Douglas respect the original hit versions
by Nat “King” Cole, Shirley Bassey and Vic Damone, without
copying them. Bertold Marschat and Markus Wienstroer demonstrate that
improvisation of a composition can lend it new color.
Paul
Kuhn has managed to arrange these Bert Kaempfert songs with such fine
feeling in his own style. They sound new and fresh, yet they are not
too different from the highly regarded original. By listening carefully
to this delightful compilation of instrumental and vocal recordings,
you discover that everyone involved enjoyed the experience immensely.
It is a meeting of thoroughbred musicians in honor of a great composer!
This year Bert Kaempfert would have celebrated his 80th birthday. Content / Edel Records are releasing this CD for this anniversary. A special way of paying tribute to Bert Kaempfert.
Particular thanks go to Paul Kuhn who commemorates his great colleague with such sensitivity and respect. He has once more succeeded as an arranger, bandleader and interpreter in producing an extraordinarily good album of an international standard.
Click here for details of song titles.
Spanish
Eyes – Various Artist
(Bear Family Records)
Released: October 16, 2003
One of the most successful songs by German musician Bert Kaempfert was – and still is – Spanish Eyes. Its journey towards becoming an evergreen was by no means predictable. Instead, its triumphal march around the world proved to be long and laborious.
Kaempfert’s Spanish Eyes went round the world and was released in over 500 different versions: including those sung and played by world famous interpreters and orchestra leaders such as Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Billy Vaughn and Ray Conniff. That must be a record. There are also various printed editions, ranging from concertina arrangements to ones for a Russian balalaika ensemble complete with domra and bayan. Spanish Eyes received numerous awards and today, along with Kaempfert’s most popular song Strangers In The Night, it is among the hundred most successful hits of the 20th century.
In October 2003, Bear Family Records had released a CD with 24 remarkable versions of Moon Over Naples (Spanish Eyes). The exciting story of the complicated launch of this evergreen has been documented in a comprehensive booklet.
Ten
Of The Best „Brass Dreams”
(# 9033/3 - EWOTON)
Ten Of The Best is the name of an international line-up – comprising ten of the world's finest trumpet players with rhythm-section backing. In addition to the incomparably high quality of their musicianship, a further strong point lies in this ensemble's choice of repertoire which ranges from classical works to hits from the world of pop and entertainment. Alongside compositions by Bach, Purcell, Gershwin and Stevie Wonder, they also feature Bert Kaempfert's Spanish Eyes and Strangers in the Night.
Order now: www.e-webshopping/spaeth-schmidt.de
Dean Martin
In a series called “Collectors’ Choice Music”, EMI-Capitol Music released numerous CDs under the title of “Dean Martin on Reprise”, each combining 2 original albums by this great entertainer on one CD. The three Kaempfert songs that Dean Martin used in his repertoire are also included on these “2 on 1” CDs with the following order numbers: Welcome To My Heart (# CCM-260-2), I Can’t Help Remembering You (# CCM-259-2), Take Me (# CCM 253-2).
Bobby Hackett
In 1963 Bobby Hackett played a complete album with 12 Kaempfert compositions. The album “Bobby Hackett Plays The Music Of Bert Kaempfert” has now been re-released in the United States under the Sony Records label in the “Collectable Jazz Classics” series, along with the album “Bobby Hackett Plays The Music Of Henry Mancini” on a “2 on 1” CD. It is an interesting compilation with the following 12 songs: Danke Schoen / Wonderland By Night / A Swingin’ Safari / The Bass Walks / Mexican Market Day / Now And Forever / Bert’s Tune / Afrikaan Beat / Sunday In Madrid / Only Those In Love / Take Me / The Happy Trumpeter (# COL-CD-7411).
The Bert Kaempfert Story
In honor of the great composer and band leader Bert Kaempfert “The Bert Kaempfert Story – A Musical Biography” was released under the Polydor Label, his record company since 1955. It included two CDs, compilations of a selection of his greatest hits and unforgettable melodies. A musical biography, sung by international stars and played by Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra. These CDs also include nine Kaempfert cover versions, released on CD for the first time.
Click here for more information.
Helmut
Zacharias
EMI has released an extravagant 4-CD luxury set entitled “Danke Schön, Helmut Zacharias – Die Retrospektive” in honor of this great artist, compiled of 100 songs ranging from swing to waltz, folk song and film hits, chanson and opera from the 60s and 70s. Bert Kaempfert's hit, Danke Schoen is also included, not only since the song title is fitting for this edition, but also as a symbol of the cooperation and friendship between these two musicians (# 7243 5 37610 2 8 – EMI).
All CDs are available over the Internet (for example, from AMAZON or JPC). Click here for the links.
