Alexander Von Schlippenbach
b. Alexander von Schlippenbach, 7 March 1938, Berlin, Germany. Schlippenbach studied piano and composition at school, and his early jazz-related interests were in boogie-woogie and blues piano. After a period influenced by musicians such as Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk, he began playing free jazz in the '60s. He worked with Gunter Hampel in 1963 and Manfred Schoof (1964-67) and in 1966 set up the Globe Unity Orchestra to play his composition Globe Unity at the Berlin Jazz Festival. The orchestra's impact enabled him to resuscitate it the following year and on frequent occasions since; over the '70s and '80s, the Orchestra has established itself as the world's leading free jazz big band, its ranks including many outstanding European players (Schoof, Kenny Wheeler, Peter Brötzmann, Albert Mangelsdorff, Peter Kowald) as well as occasional US guests, such as Steve Lacy and Anthony Braxton. In 1970, Schlippenbach formed a quartet with Evan Parker, with whom he has since produced much challenging music both in and out of the Globe Unity Orchestra and in a regular trio (with Paul Lovens). He has also worked frequently in a duo with drummer Sven Ake Johansson. In 1988 Schlippenbach formed the Berlin Jazz Composers' Orchestra and in 1990 recorded the remarkable duo SMOKE with Sunny Murray. A tireless organizer and electrifying improviser—whose speed and power of execution recall Cecil Taylor—Schlippenbach has long been one of the major figures of the European free jazz scene.