Saturday, March 12, 2016: Folks, I am really in shock from hearing news of the unexpected and very sad death of my good friend Lutz Büchner! I really didn’t want to say it on the internet after receiving the horrible news in communications with our mutual good friend and fellow musician / bandmate Heinz Lichius. This is so hard to get my head around and accept it but I know it’s true that Lutz suffered a fatal heart attack while on tour in Tokyo Japan with his beloved NDR-bigband with Peter Erskine on the band - I can see Lutz’ smile and hear his voice and music in my mind like it was yesterday - and we spoke and played together so many times. So now I see the news releases are already out on the news FEEDS from the NDR, Hamburger Abendblatt etc. and a few too-early mentions on the Facebook, so I know it’s time to write a few words for those of you who might not know of Lutz Büchner, as follows: As Joe Gallardo the great trombonist and long-time colleague of Lutz’ said in email to me last night: “As you well know, Lutz was first of all a great human being and secondly, he was a masterful player. Lutz was my brother. We will all miss him.” - The very first time I met Lutz was in 1995 on a rainy night in Hamburg Eimsbüttel at the Thursday night weekly jazz session in Jazzclub Birdland - I had heard him the week before and pushed my Hammond organ on the wheels through the rain to the club and got there real early, Hr. Reichert the owner opened up the club and I was telling Mr. Reichert I came the week before but didn’t get to play so “early bird gets the worm...and maybe I’ll get to play with Lutz Büchner!” - well we did it and by good luck my friend Joris Dudli the great drummer was there - it was magic from the first hit. That’s where it started, I was living in Hamburg to play music and write tunes - like so many musicians following in the footsteps of The Beatles, by invitation of my sponsor Knut Benzner journalist moderator on the NDR. From then on together with main man Heinz Lichius drums who I had met just before when Heinz came over to meet me one afternoon - Heinz had recommended to check out Lutz, one of the finest rising musicians on the Hamburg scene. We had a lot of great times together on the bandstand and off from that time on - we played in Hamburg and his hometown of Bremen - turned out to be that Lutz was a real life jazz angel who saved my life at least twice, one time involving bringing me to the hospital / krankenhaus and translating to me what they were about to do to me - we escaped out the side door and the doctor came to our gig that night! I met Lutz’ Mom and Dad beautiful people when they came to hear us play in Bremen at Studio club April 7, 1998 - and most recently our last gigs together with my favorite musicians Michael Leuschner, (Heinz Lichius of course) “Fiete” Ernst-Friedrich Fiete Felsch NDR horn section brothers along with Joe Berger guitar, probably best gig of my life - Lutz was so happy to have found his love with his wife Bettina and he was always crazy about his son Asmus and his step daughters by Bettina, the happiest I have ever seen him, he glowed in the dark he had that much joy! -- Back in 2005 I had an idea, I said to my long-time girlfriend Jennifer: Lutz is one of the greatest saxophonists I ever heard, I want to feature him on a CD release, he could be making a great record every day! I couldn’t believe that he didn’t have any feature albums out at that point - so I discussed it with Knut Benzner and we all co-produced a recording session for this purpose in the famous Studio 1 at NDR, the NDR SESSIONS Projekt was born, with the addition of “Joe G” / Joe Gallardo on trombone and Heinz Lichius and myself, Rudolf Grosser at the controls big SSL console, we started playing in the morning and I played through the magic bass amp belonging to Lucas Lindholm - the boys took one long coffee break and other than that we recorded tunes all day long - I am so grateful that I’ll always have this recording date together with Lutz, of course later on Lutz came out with more records - but this one for me is my special keepsake that went down with the blessings of NDR with the help of Knut Benzner and Axel Dürr. So many stories I can tell you, but most importantly everybody loved Lutz, I know there are a lot of tears flowing now around Hamburg and Bremen, my heart goes out to Lutz’ Family, Friends and Musicians music brothers and sisters! The 2nd to the last time we played together, I hadn’t seen Lutz for a while and he told me about a real miracle of survival when he was driving on the autobahn with Bettina and the kinder all his happy Family in the car, I think there was ice on the road - a car slammed in to the back of his car demolishing the car, but Lutz’ horns were in the trunk - they all got crushed but it saved his Family! They were all shaken up but OK - the lucky star was shining over them, and even though Lutz is not with us physically anymore, his lucky star will always be shining - he was competely dedicated to the NDR-bigband family of musicians and his own Family - always a huge inspiration to me as a person and master musician, rest in peace my very special good friend Lutz Büchner - my deepest and most sincere condolences go out to Lutz’ Mom and Dad and Bettina and his son Asmus and step children by Bettina - all the folks who know and love Lutz, sincerely, Jon Hammond
L to R Michael Leuschner, Heinz Lichius, Lutz Büchner, Jon Hammond, 'Fiete' Ernst-Friedrich Fiete Felsch
L to R Joe Gallardo, Heinz Lichius, Jon Hammond, Lutz Büchner, 'Rudy' Rudolf Grosser - NDR SESSIONS Projekt
Regina Niteclub L to R (Barry Finnerty's guitar neck), Lutz Büchner tenor, Jon Hammond organ on Grosse Freiheit
Newessbar Hamburg Altona L to R Lutz Büchner, Heinz Lichius, Joe Berger, Jon Hammond, Olaf Gödecke
Foto by Gunther Zint in INDRA - L to R Joe Berger, Heinz Lichius, Lutz Büchner, Jon Hammond
Special thanks to Nicolai Ditsch for shooting this film with Lutz!: Youtubes of every song we played in Auster Bar Hamburg going backwards Jon Hammond Band http://youtu.be/BqtFWKBeC0c “Cooking at The Auster Bar”http://youtu.be/9P8yZiXgWfI “Tribute to Cannonball - Mercy Mercy Mercy”http://youtu.be/MdQi8mAslzE “Tribute to Bobby Timmons - Moanin’ / Blues”http://youtu.be/jtAaQLH_BYk “Late Rent - Them Song” http://youtu.be/orpLWd66-Hw “No X-Cess Baggage Blues” http://youtu.be/LFhxrDs6PbQ “Lydia’s Tune - Bossa Nova”http://youtu.be/MxpIJesOJXQ “Pocket Funk” http://youtu.be/q4_lNnwzxrU “Auster Blues and Jazz *WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: Cooking at The Auster Bar Jon Hammond Band With NDR Horns - Jon’s archive http://ia802300.us.archive.org/27/i...
Lutz Büchner wurde 47 Jahre alt. © NDR / Steven Haberland Fotograf: Steven Haberland
Report / Obituary from Stefan Gerdes NDR: https://www.ndr.de/orchester_chor/b... - Stand: 12.03.2016 15:00 Uhr - Lesezeit: ca.4 Min. Trauer um Lutz Büchner “Der Saxofonist Lutz Büchner ist am 11. März während einer Japan-Tour der NDR Bigband im Alter von 47 Jahren an den Folgen eines Herzinfarkts verstorben. Es war ein großes Glück für die NDR Bigband, den Menschen und Musiker Lutz Büchner seit 22 Jahren in ihren Reihen zu haben. Er war ein grandioser, ein wahrhaft bedeutender Saxofonist mit einer unverkennbaren, einzigartigen Spielweise, die selbst dem ältesten und schon oft gehörten Jazzstandard immer wieder neue Seiten abgewinnen konnte. Vor allem aber brachte er auch seine Persönlichkeit in die Band ein: seinen Humor, sein ausgeglichenes Temperament und sein großes Interesse an allen Dingen des Lebens, das weit über die Musik hinaus reichte. Lutz Büchner war ein echter Teamplayer, vor und hinter den Kulissen.
Knuth: "Er lebte leidenschaftlich für und mit Musik"
Joachim Knuth, NDR Programmdirektor Hörfunk: "Die Nachricht vom Tod Lutz Büchners macht mich sehr betroffen. Ich habe ihn als einen liebenswürdigen Menschen erlebt, der leidenschaftlich mit und für Musik lebte. Lutz Büchner hatte den Jazz im Blut. Er liebte den spielerischen Umgang mit der Musik, die Improvisation. Der Tod dieses beeindruckenden Saxofonisten ist für die NDR Bigband, für den NDR, ein großer Verlust. Meine Gedanken sind in diesen Stunden bei der Familie und den Freunden Lutz Büchners." Programmhinweis
In Erinnerung an Lutz Büchner stellen wir in der Sendung am 20. März ab 22.05 Uhr einige seiner schönesten Aufnahmen mit der NDR Bigband vor. -- Fasziniert von Miles Davis
Lutz Büchner wurde am 5. August 1968 in Bremen geboren. Er interessierte sich schon früh für Musik, bekam klassischen Klarinettenunterricht und entdeckte als Teenager nach einem Konzertbesuch den Jazz. Als er den Trompeter Miles Davis hörte, faszinierte ihn die Möglichkeit, sich auch jenseits der geschrieben Noten auf eine ganz persönliche Weise ausdrücken zu können. Dieser improvisierten, sich immer neu erfindenden Musik wollte er sich widmen.
Lutz Büchner kam nach Hamburg und studierte Saxofon bei Herb Geller, dem damals bekanntesten Solisten der NDR Bigband. Schon bald spielte er dort im Saxofonsatz - zunächst als Gast, seit 1994 als festes Mitglied. In den Mittelpunkt zog es ihn, den eher besonnen Menschen, dabei nicht so sehr. Aber wenn das Scheinwerferlicht auf ihn zeigte und er zum Solo ansetzte, dann entwickelte sein Spiel eine ganz besondere Wirkung: Mit geschlossenen Augen stand er da, die Töne flossen ebenso überraschend wie logisch aus seinem Instrument, sein ganzer Körper schien sich dabei in Musik zu verwandeln.
In seinem Spiel steckte besondere Tiefe
Viele Gäste der NDR Bigband haben ihn und sein Spiel so erlebt und geschätzt: Jazzgrößen wie Al Jarreau, Bobby McFerrin, João Bosco, Omar Sosa oder Abdullah Ibrahim genossen es, wenn Lutz Büchner neben ihnen spielte. Der Amerikaner Dale Wilson widmete ihm und seinem Saxofon-Kollegen Fiete Felsch eine ganze Big-Band-Suite, und die Komponistin Maria Schneider wollte ihn nach einem Besuch bei der NDR Bigband am liebsten gleich nach New York mitnehmen. Es waren nicht nur seine technischen Fertigkeiten und seine nahezu grenzenlosen Ausdrucksmöglichkeiten, mit denen Lutz Büchner so begeisterte. In seinem Spiel steckte eine besondere Tiefe. "Es ist sein Sound", sagte Maria Schneider einmal, "Lutz berührt mich."
Solistische Höhenflüge und zarte Lyrik
In der Improvisation spiegelt sich ja immer der ganze Mensch. So konnte Lutz Büchner auf dem Tenorsaxofon unendlich packend, mitreißend und kraftvoll spielen. Unvergessen ist sein solistischer Höhenflug in der Duke-Ellington-Hommage "Diminuendo, crescendo and crescendissimo in blue", in der er minutenlang ein loderndes Feuer immer neu entfachte, bis die Zuschauer bei einem Auftritt der NDR Bigband in New York am Schluss buchstäblich aus den Sitzen gerissen wurden. Seine andere, lyrische Seite war besonders stark auf der Klarinette zu hören, auf der er zu den außergewöhnlichsten Stimmen des modernen Jazz zählte, vielleicht sogar weltweit. Intim und zart, wie gehaucht schwebten die Töne in die Luft, jeder von ihnen hatte Bedeutung.
Nicht nur in der NDR Bigband, auch in eigenen Formationen waren sein ausgeprägtes Spiel und seine ausgefeilten Kompositionen zu hören. Mit seinem Quartett (mit Sandra Hempel, Heinz Lichius und Pepe Berns) trat Lutz Büchner 2005 bei den 2. Hamburger Jazztagen in der Kampnagel-Fabrik auf. Im selben Jahr entstand mit dem Trio Connex (mit Björn Lücker und Philipp Steen) ein gleichnamiges Album, und 2006 erschien seine vielbeachtete, von der Kritik hochgelobte CD "Ring".
"Mein Ziel ist es", hat Lutz Büchner einmal gesagt, "ganz im Moment zu spielen." Wir verdanken ihm viele unvergessliche Momente. Mit ihm verlieren wir einen lieben Menschen, einen großen Künstler und einen wunderbaren Kollegen.
Stefan Gerdes
Redaktion NDR Bigband/Jazzredaktion
Google Translation of Stefan Gerdes’ obituary of Lutz Büchner: Trauer um Lutz Büchner -- The saxophonist Lutz Büchner died on March 11 during a Japan tour the NDR Bigband at the age of 47 years to a heart attack. It was a great happiness for the NDR Bigband, to have the man and musician Lutz Büchner for 22 years in its ranks. He was a magnificent, truly significant saxophonist with an unmistakable, unique play that even the oldest and often included jazz standard could abgewinnen new pages repeatedly. Above all, he also expressed his personality in the band a: his humor, his even temperament and his great interest in all things in life, which extended far beyond the music. Lutz Büchner was a real team player, before and behind the scenes.
Knuth: "He lived passionately and with music"
Joachim Knuth, NDR program director Radio: "The news of the death Lutz Büchner makes me very concerned I have experienced him as an amiable man who lived passionately and music Lutz Büchner had the Jazz in the blood He loved the playful use of... the music, the improvisation. the death of this impressive saxophonist for the NDR Bigband, for NDR, a great loss. My thoughts are at this time with the family and friends Lutz Büchner. "
program Note
Daughter Lutz Büchner we in the mission on March 20, from 22:05 some of his most beautiful recordings with the NDR Bigband ago.
Fascinated by Miles Davis
Lutz Büchner was born on August 5, 1968 in Bremen. He took an early interest in music, got classical clarinet lessons and discovered as a teenager after a concert jazz. When he heard the trumpeter Miles Davis, he was fascinated by the opportunity to express themselves beyond the written notes on a very personal way. he wanted to devote himself to this improvised, always reinventing music.
Lutz Büchner came to Hamburg and studied saxophone with Herb Geller, the then famous soloists the NDR Bigband. Soon he was playing in saxophone sentence - initially as a guest, since 1994 as a permanent member. In the center, he moved, the more prudent people, not so much. But when the spotlight was on him and he started to Solo, then developed his game a very special effect: With eyes closed, he stood there, the sounds flowed as surprising as logically from his instrument, his whole body seemed to be doing in music to transform , -- In his game put special depth
Many guests of the NDR Bigband have him and his game so experienced and appreciated: jazz greats such as Al Jarreau, Bobby McFerrin, João Bosco, or Omar Sosa Abdullah Ibrahim enjoyed it when Lutz Büchner played next to them. The Americans Dale Wilson dedicated to him and his saxophone colleagues Fiete Felsch a whole big band suite, and the composer Maria Schneider wanted to take him for a visit to the NDR Bigband prefer equal to New York. It was not just his technique and its almost limitless expressive possibilities with which Lutz Büchner enthusiastic way. In his play put a special depth. "It is his sound," Maria Schneider once said, "Lutz touched me."
Soloistic booms and delicate poetry
In the improvisation so the whole man always reflects. So Lutz Büchner could play endlessly enthralling, exciting and powerful on the tenor saxophone. Unforgotten is his solo flight of the Duke Ellington Tribute "diminuendo, crescendo and crescendissimo in blue", in which he several minutes a blazing fire always rekindled until the audience literally at a performance of the NDR Bigband in New York at the end of the Sitting were torn. His other, lyrical side was particularly strong to listen to the clarinet, on which he was one of the most extraordinary voices of modern jazz, perhaps the world. Intimate and delicate, like breathy floated the sounds in the air, each of them had meaning.
Not only in the NDR Bigband, even in his own formations were heard his strong play and his polished compositions. With his quartet (Sandra Hempel, Heinz Lichius and Pepe Berns) joined Lutz Büchner 2005 at the 2nd Hamburg jazz days in the Kampnagel factory. In the same year (with Björn Lücker and Philipp Steen) was created with the trio Connex a self-titled album, and in 2006 he released his highly acclaimed, highly acclaimed by critics CD "Ring".
"My goal is," Lutz Büchner once said, "to play the very moment." We owe him many unforgettable moments. With him we lose a loved one, a great artist and a wonderful colleague.
Stefan Gerdes
Editorial NDR Big band / jazz editorial
Missing Man Formation - Jon Hammond Band with Lutz Büchner front and center
formation of Jon Hammond Band ever, could be!
L to R: Joe Berger, Michael Leuschner, Heinz Lichius, Lutz Büchner, Jon Hammond, Fiete Felsch - Big Dankeschön to the fine musicians and all the people who came to our concert in Auster Bar! - JH *special dankeschön Frank & Torsten of Auster Bar HH
Jon Hammond Band in Schnulze die Kneipe Harburg (part of Hamburg) Heinz Lichius drums Sandra Hempel guitar, Jon Hammond XK-1 organ, Lutz Buechner sax
