Throughout his career, saxophonist Peter Brötzmann was often labeled as “the loudest, heaviest free-jazz player of them all” by the media. However, his music and artistic philosophy extended far beyond mere pyrotechnics. Brötzmann captivated a devoted international audience with his personal soundworld, despite eschewing catchy hooks that appealed to mainstream listeners.
From the mid-1960s onwards, Brötzmann’s seismic sound influenced the development and global spread of European free-improvised jazz, as well as its intersections with avant-rock, electronics, and folk music from around the world. He was also a skilled visual artist and printmaker, often incorporating his own artwork into his album covers.
I vividly recall my first awe-inspiring encounter with Brötzmann on stage at the iconic 100 Club in London in 1980. He stood there as a barrel-chested, walrus-mustachioed firebrand, leading the South African bassist and drummer duo of Harry Miller and Louis Moholo-Moholo. Together, they created a hair-raisingly exhilarating sound that I likened to being caught in a violent storm in my review for The Guardian.
Despite his intense energy, Brötzmann possessed subtler sensibilities and emotional depth. In the 1980s, he skillfully blended reflective empathy with raw power in Derek Bailey’s Company improv events. He also brought forth rock-infused ferocity when collaborating with guitarist Sonny Sharrock and bassist/producer Bill Laswell in the punk-jazz quartet Last Exit.
Brötzmann’s collaborations spanned across genres and eras. He performed with piano revolutionary Cecil Taylor in Berlin in 1986, paid tribute to the late free-sax pioneer Albert Ayler in his Die Like a Dog album in the 1990s, and even gained admiration from former US President Bill Clinton. In an interview, Clinton revealed his surprise admiration for Brötzmann, calling him “one of the greatest [tenor sax players] alive.”
Despite facing the challenges of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the early 2000s, a nightmare for wind players, Brötzmann persisted in pushing boundaries through his demanding musical experimentation and relentless touring. He continued to collaborate with old friends and newfound admirers from the German, Dutch, British, Japanese, and US improvisation scenes.
Born in Remscheid, Germany, Brötzmann’s family had a classical music background. However, as a teenager, he developed a secret passion for jazz, listening to it clandestinely on the American Armed Forces Radio late at night. While visual art initially captured his focus, he eventually taught himself clarinet and saxophone, immersing himself in the local jazz scene. He became an assistant to the pioneering video artist Nam June Paik in Wuppertal and a dedicated follower of the Fluxus movement.
By 1965, Brötzmann had formed a free-jazz group with bassist Peter Kowald and drummer Sven-Åke Johansson. He toured Europe with avant-garde composers Carla Bley and Mike Mantler the following year and became a founding member of the Globe Unity Orchestra led by pianist Alex von Schlippenbach.
In 1967, Brötzmann self-produced his debut album, “For Adolphe Sax,” with Kowald and Johansson. The 1968 release of the groundbreaking album “Machine Gun” further solidified his status as a European free-music icon. Joining a European octet that included fellow saxophone revolutionaries Willem Breuker and Evan Parker, Brötzmann pushed the boundaries of music-making. Evan Parker recalled his experience from that landmark session, remarking on the challenge of playing at such a high level alongside Brötzmann: “I was clinging on, just trying to make sense of playing at that level. Brötzmann was someone who rode the waves of nature all his life and defied its laws too.”
Brötzmann’s collaborations with like-minded musicians in Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK fostered cross-continental musical bonds. He co-founded the indie label FMP (Free Music Productions) and, alongside pianist Fred van Hove and drummer Han Bennink, formed a trio that was influential both in terms of musical range and theatrical appeal. Periodically, they were joined by Don Cherry, Albert Mangelsdorff, and Misha Mengelberg.
Brötzmann’s virtuosity extended across a range of reed instruments, including the clarinet, various saxophones, and the Hungarian tarogato. He ventured into unaccompanied solo performances and engaged in captivating duets with his son Caspar, a guitarist, and Japanese singer-songwriter Keiji Haino.
In 1997, Brötzmann formed the Chicago Octet/Tentet, a large ensemble that gained significant acclaim. In 2009, the ensemble reconvened in Oslo, and that same year, Brötzmann recorded with Toshinori Kondo and Paal Nilssen-Love. Throughout the following years, he released notable albums, including collaborations with Masahiko Satoh and Sonny Sharrock, displaying both his improvisational prowess and melodic sensitivity.
In 2012, a documentary entitled “Peter Brötzmann: Soldier of the Road” directed by Bernard Josse was released, providing valuable insights into his life and artistic journey. Brötzmann’s final recording captured a vivacious unrehearsed performance at the Berlin jazz festival in 2022.
In his last interview, published in the German newspaper Die Zeit, Brötzmann highlighted how his background in fine arts, particularly painting, shaped his openness to experimentation. His collaboration with visual artist and composer Naim June Paik heavily influenced his mindset, with Paik constantly encouraging him with the phrase “just do it.” Brötzmann’s creative spirit remained undimmed until the end.
Brötzmann is survived by his son, Caspar, and daughter, Wendela. His legacy as a groundbreaking jazz saxophonist, born on March 6, 1941, and departing on June 22, 2023, will continue to inspire future generations.
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