The Piano Boogie Woogie Allstars
ULLI KRON – MARC GALPERIN – JÖRG HEGEMANN – PETER HEGER

Playing Boogie Woogie on two pianos with at least two piano-players is an old tradition reaching back to the beginnings of this kind of music in the early twenties of the last century. In the course of the decades it has been taken care of this tradition and especially in the German-speaking parts of Europe this music gained a rennaissance. Among many of the upcoming pianists four of the most established ones (having an average stage-expierience of more than 20 years) have united for the PIANO BOOGIE WOOGIE ALLSTARS for presenting to the audience a musically as well as optically delicacy.

Ulli Kron, born in Wuppertal, Germany, in 1966, even yet became an etablished Blues-, Swing-, and Boogie Woogie piano player in the European Jazz scene.

In the beginning strongly influenced by the "classical" Boogie Woogie, Ulli Kron has become more and more Blues- and Swing-orientated. Through his early developed personal style he soon won a claim from well-known American and British Blues singers and instrumentalists.

Ulli Kron played countless solo performances as well as concerts with different line-ups up to a Big Band. Meanwhile he appeared in jazzclubs, on festivals, in radio and TV shows in more than a dozen European countries between Ireland and Hungary, Norway and Greece. In 1989 he released his first album "Friday Night Mood" which was followed by nine more productions on his label Blues Bear Records. Furthermore he participates on several other CD's and appeared on stage with stars of Blues like Angela Brown, Jeanne Carroll, Janice Harrington, Albert C. Humphrey, Dave Peabody, Little Willie Littlefield, "Mr. Supercharge" Albie Donnelly and Bob Hall. In 2005 Ulli is celebrating his 20th anniversary on stage.

Marc Galperin , born 1957, got hooked on Boogie Woogie since 1976. He became well-known in the Rhein-Main-Neckar area within a very short time appearing as a soloist as well as bandleader of the „Southern Boogie Boys“ and the „Boogie Jumpers“. His permanent source of inspiration is the huge Boogie-Woogie scene of the Hamburg area to which he cultivates extending personal contacts. Furthermore he spots on a number of piano players but never forgot to create a style of his own. His preference is playing together with other pianists on two pianos.

Jörg Hegemann hails from Witten, Germany. Also born in 1966 he is one of the few pianists who is completely into the "classical" Boogie Woogie, playing the style of Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis and Pete Johnson.

After listening to a Boogie Woogie concert in 1983 he got hooked on this music and started self-taughed playing piano in 1986. At the end of that year he did his first concert, formed the well-known band "Chicago Four", and appeared in jazzclubs, pubs, radio and TV shows.

Meanwhile Jörg Hegemann works more as a soloist and duo pianist in which his success is increasing. His repertoire contains Boogie Woogie classics as well as originals played in the manner of the "good old days". His breath-taking way of playing always makes a special event out of his concerts. He also released four albums which show his electrifying style of playing.

It is hard to imagine not to have Peter Heger in the South-German Boogie Woogie and Ragtime scene. Musically very versatile, the inventor of the “Bavarian Boogie Woogie” is not only appearing solo. He is touring with the Dixieland-Band “Amper-Stompers” as well as together with various Blues and Gospel vocalists. Besides his main-job as a piano teacher at the music school of Erding he worked as composer, producer and soloist at the public Bavarian TV.

Since 1987 Peter Heger organizes and promotes Boogie Woogie and Blues Festivals in several South-German Cities, that have become amongst the most important in their manner in Germany.

During his time at the conservatory in Munich he loved to play interpretations of classical composers like Bach or Chopin. But his great passion since childhood were the hot and lively rhythms. His linking beween classical piano music and powerful Boogie Woogie is inimitable.