Axel Zwingenberger is the uncrowned king of boogie-woogie. Like no other, he knows how to bring real, authentic boogie-woogie to the stage through his powerful, dynamic and sensitive piano playing. It’s particularly groovy when his brother Torsten sits on the drums and captivates the listeners with his furious jazz drumming technique, which he developed himself.
In 2023, the “Boogie Woogie Brothers” celebrated their 50th live anniversary: They have been performing together on international concert stages since 1973. The two charismatic brothers simply have the feeling for earthy, straightforward boogie with its unbridled joy of life. As soon as Axel elicited the first sounds from the piano, as soon as Torsten let the brushes gently stroke the drums, the listeners went wild with enthusiasm. Anyone who has ever experienced a boogie concert by the brothers will understand why: the boogie is a twelve-bar antidepressant that immediately puts the listeners in a good mood. The sound not only fits perfectly, it blows you away! Axel’s musical partners included blues greats such as Sippie Wallace, Lloyd Glenn and the big band legend Lionel Hampton. Torsten jammed with jazz gods such as Harry Sweets Edison, Buddy Tate and Joe Pass, and together they played with, among others, Big Joe Turner, Champion Jack Dupree and Jay McShann.
Axel Zwingenberger plays boogie-woogie on the piano with unsurpassed drive, ingenuity and bluesy depth. This has made him a role model for numerous pianists who emulate him around the world. His love for boogie-woogie, his skills and his stage charisma have contributed to the fact that this music is as alive today as ever and has a great appeal, especially for young piano players. The name Axel Zwingenberger has now become internationally synonymous with boogie-woogie piano.
In recent years, Torsten has developed a new drumming technique that he calls “Drumming5point”. He operates up to five foot pedals simultaneously, combining drums with percussion in his own unique way and creating an incredible groove. He plays with many different band projects with which he can present his artistic and stylistic diversity.
More information about Axel Zwingenberger: www.boogiewoogie.net
