Max Greger, Musician & band leader, Dies at 89

Dead Famous

Dead, Max Greger, born April 2, 1926 in Munich, Giesing and died August 15, 2015 of cancer in Munich, he was a German jazz musicians, saxophonist, big band leader and conductor.

Actually Max should take over the parental butcher shop. 1936 his grandfather gave him, however, an accordion and thus laid the foundation for the musical development of the then ten year olds.

In addition to attending a junior high school Max Greger graduated in clarinet and saxophone at the Munich Conservatory .

As 18-year-old Max Greger was 1944/45 drafted towards the end of World War II for military service.

Shortly after the war, he played one of the first Germans especially in American officer casinos and has thus, together with his longtime companion Hugo Strasser , a pioneer of the German swing and jazz scene of the postwar period. In 1948 the establishment of its first own ensembles under the name of Max Greger sextet.

He played during the day mainly Volkstümliches for Bayerischer Rundfunk and evening in American clubs.

First recordings with their own dance and pop compositions like on mountain heights, rock’n’roll boogie, lovers trumpets, Max & Sax, looping Blues, Nobody kisses like you, teenagers Cha Cha Twist and rock followed immediately, as well as extensive tours of Germany and Europe.

As the first western band for 35 years Max Greger was allowed in 1959 a tour in the Soviet Union start.

From 1963 to 1977, the bandleader had a solid contract with the ZDF. Greger was at this time a regular guest at major ZDF Live Shows like forget-me, the golden shot, 3 times 9 or Musik ist Trumpf.

The Thomas-Reich -Komposition Up to Date, performed by his orchestra is, from Saturday’s current gym used as the theme song of the ZDF.

1970 witnessed the Japanese his appearance at the German parliament at the World’s Fair in Osaka is the only German orchestra.

Max Greger died on August 15, 2015, at age 89.