On the death of James Last: The king of all rumpus room – Tagesspiegel

17:35 clock By Christian Schröder

James Last has contributed with its Happy Music for easing of the Federal Republic. Now he has died. An obituary.

superlatives he disliked. James Last has sold 80 million disks, more than any other band leader of the world. Nevertheless, he fought against a “star” to be called. “I am a musician,” he stood talking in front of you. Stars, were the other. People like Stevie Wonder, Abba, Nirvana, Mozart or Beethoven, whose pieces he coverte. And if load chose the songs that he wanted to arrange and record, he has, as he assured, never squinted to target groups. “I’ve only ever played the music like myself. The band and I enjoy it, that people notice. “

James Last, who is now dead at the age of 86 years in Florida, has always understood as a service provider. The art consisted in both the music, but to be the audience needs. He has described as his job: “Translate. The audience reinziehen in the music. “The load has more than half a century long done, from the Adenauerära up in the third term of Angela Merkel in. Because the Germans – and not only them, especially many fans he had in England – reinziehen willingly let into his music, load rose a hallmark on to a sort of VW Beetle of the entertainment industry – reliably good and always on the go

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For the first time James Last was adopted in the 90s with a farewell tour of the stage. In order then again to begin a concert tour and again and again. He was an addict, addicted to the affection of his audience, and addicted to the music. Its really very last farewell round, titled “The Last Tour”, took him in April this year for the umpteenth time in the Berlin O2 World. “Just a very big store,” he said of the somewhat inhospitable Hall. “Let’s see if we can get the full. But I promise, the mood will be good “

Elf albums per year

The idea that made the son of a Gasablesers the most successful band leader of the world was as simple as it is ingenious.: the Potpourrisierung of Pop. As the dance orchestra begin to die out, he is the first to arrange the hits of The Beatles, Cliff Richard or the Byrds for an instrumental formation. 1965 appears his first “Non Stop Dancing” album, in which the title, backed by party noises merge seamlessly. There are musty times, and load contributes to easing by allowing re-enact current hits and sing in between, dance and clap his musicians.

“I have done nothing more than to play the music of teenage instrumental and suddenly she was then also for the parents acceptable and was sold. “At the peak of his productivity published load up to eleven albums per year, he always puts new series of plates on which” Classics up to date “,” Trumpet à gogo “,” Happy Beach Party “or” Captain James asks hot to dance “. “While in one hall the strings for a Classics-LP were at work, rehearsing in another studio, the choir for a new beach party album, again a corner next was the most recent” Non Stop Dancing “mixed. I was so snowed under with work that I barely had time to perceive my ever-growing popularity. Born

1929 in Bremen as Hans load “

From” Hans “to” James ” had already enthusiastic early for the Jazz Happy-Music-God later. He begins training at the Army Music School Bückeburg and is lucky enough to be sent when the war ended not on the front, but home. From appearances in American Army clubs he plays himself up to a commitment as a bass player in a dance orchestra of Radio Bremen, change to NWDR to Hamburg, is repeatedly elected German “jazz bassist of the year”. Wirtschaftswunderjahre. Last tour with the violinist Helmut Zacharias Europe, composed for Freddy Quinn, Caterina Valente and Peter Alexander.

But that’s not enough for him. “I did not want to spend the rest of my life in so predictable paths and be the man in the background, the fingers enrolled sore for others,” he said. Therefore can be the bassist of absence and signed a contract with the record company Polydor, which is looking for a successor for the hapless big band leader Bert Kaempfert the sender. The label missed load a new name: James. “They said that sounds internationally. Funnily enough, the English called me later Hansi, and the Germans used to call me James. “

Elvis James Last ballad” Fool “sung, Quentin Tarantino took his panpipes play” The Lonely Shepherd “in the soundtrack of the movie” Kill Bill “. A Hipster’s load remained until the end. The rappers Fettes Brot have visited him in Florida and with the song set “Call me” a monument “. You’re so nervous, I’m loose and solved” In America James Last was always something to do, came to play golf he barely.