Gunter Hampel

Gunter Hampel (31 August 1937 – 18 May 2026) was a German jazz vibraphonist, clarinettist, saxophonist, flautist, pianist, and composer. He was instrumental in creating improvising jazz in Europe after World War II. He founded his own record label, Birth, in 1969. Inspired by his wife, vocalist Jeanne Lee, he pursued international collaboration and founded the Galaxie Dream Band. Hampel worked with younger musicians and in regular workshops for children and youth.

Life and career Hampel was born in Göttingen on 31 August 1937. He took piano lessons from age five. Hampel remembered that he first jammed on is accordion at age eight with an African-American soldier who lived with the family.

Discography Hampel made around 100 recordings, as soloist, leader and sideman.

Heartplants (SABA, 1965) Music from Europe (ESP, 1968) The 8th of July 1969 (Birth, 1969) Dances (Paris 1969) (Birth, 1969) Espace with Boulou Ferre (Birth, 1970) Spirits (Birth, 1971) Out of New York (MPS/BASF, 1971) Ballet-Symphony No. 5, Symphony No. 6 (Birth, 1971) Broadway/Folksong (Birth, 1972) Angel (Birth, 1972) Waltz for 3 Universes in a Corridor (Birth, 1972) I Love Being with You (Birth, 1972) Unity Dance (Birth, 1973) Journey to the Song Within (Birth, 1974) Celebrations (Birth, 1974) Ruomi (Birth, 1974) Out from Under (Birth, 1974) Cosmic Dancer (Birth, 1975) Enfant Terrible (Birth, 1975) Transformation (Birth, 1976) Vogelfrei (Birth, 1976) All Is Real (Birth, 1978) That Came Down on Me (Birth, 1978) Flying Carpet (Kharma, 1978) Reeds 'n' Vibes with Marion Brown (Improvising Artists, 1978) Freedom of the Universe with Jeanne Lee (Birth, 1979) Oasis with Jeanne Lee (Horo, 1979) All the Things You Could Be If Charles Mingus Was Your Daddy (Birth, 1980) Wellen/Waves (FMP, 1980) Life on This Planet (Birth, 1981) A Place to Be with Us (Birth, 1981) Companion (Birth, 1982) Gemini (Birth, 1983) Jubilation (Birth, 1985) Dialog with Matthias Schubert (Birth, 1992) Time Is Now (Birth, 1992) Celestial Glory (Birth, 1992) Next Generation (Birth, 1995) Koln Concert One (Birth, 1997) Koln Concert Part 2 (Birth, 1997) Solid Fun with Christian Weidner (Birth, 1998) The 8th of September (Birth, 1999) Survivor (Birth, 2001) Earthlings (Birth, 2001) The Way Out (Birth, 2003) Zeitgeist (Birth, 2006) Celestial Travellin'...and Other Ways to Get Around (Birth, 2006) Stellar Dust (Birth, 2008) Vibes Vibes (Birth, 2009) Lifer (Birth, 2009) Solo Concert – Brandenburg Concerto (Birth, 2012) Holy Lights + Human Rights (Birth, 2014) Fukushima (Birth, 2014) Psychedelic Lullaby for Artificial Babies (Birth, 2014) Bounce (Intuition 2017)

Awards In 1978 Hampel was noted as "New Star" on the vibes by the reviewers from the Down Beat who had declared him a romantic before. He received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany on 23 June 2009.