Events, Updates, New Releases
Strangers in the Night –
Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra
(Re-Release)
In memoriam Rolf Ahrens
(June 13, 1922 – March 19, 2009)
On 19 March 2009 Bert Kaempfert’s long-time friend and associate passed away at the age of eighty-six.
The first time Rolf Ahrens and Bert Kaempfert’s paths met came at the end of World War II, when they played at, amongst other venues, the Tarantella Bar in Hamburg’s Hotel Esplanade. Very soon their relationship developed beyond a purely professional collaboration and the two musicians became close friends.
Anniversary CD: The Complete Concert 1979
Bert Kaempfert &
His Orchestra – Live
Feat. Sylvia Vrethammar (voc),
Ack van Rooyen (Tr,Flugelhorn),
Herb Geller (Sax, Flute), Jiggs Whigham (Tb)
CD # 0-06025-1782617-5
Universal Music
Release Date: 28.09.2008
The CD is also available to vinyl fans as a double LP 
(# 178 261-8)
Although Bert Kaempfert had a live audio taping done in June 1979 in the context of the TV recording of Bert Kaempfert – In Concert, this historic material was neither processed in its entirety nor was it ever released.
The present anniversary CD, comprising 23 tracks, 11 of which have never been released before, is dedicated to this fabulous musician and his fans.
Order now
For more information about this CD, click here
Anniversary Concert: Strangers in the Night – The Music of Bert Kaempfert
Jiggs Whigham directs the Berlin Jazz Orchestra and the Frankfurt Strings – together with star vocalists Sylvia Vrethammer, Marc Secara and the Berlin Voices as well as with some of Kaempfert’s former fellow musicians as soloists: Ladi Geisler, Ack van Rooyen and Herb Geller.
North-German Radio (NDR) staged an anniversary concert on 5 October in Hamburg’s Kehrwieder Theater. This was recorded live and broadcast as a major celebration at 8 p.m. on 19 October in the radio series Sonnatakte on NDR 90.3.
From 11 p.m. until midnight on 11 October, Radio Berlin Brandenburg (rbb) in its radio series Late Night Jazz broadcast a recording of the concert given on 15 February in Berlin’s Grosser Sendesaal.
More Information: www.ndr.de/903/ | www.kulturradio.de
Hamburg pays tribute: A Bert-Kaempfert-Platz for Hamburg
Bert-Kaempfert-Platz was officially opened at noon on 15 October 2008.
Bert-Kaempfert-Platz was officially opened at noon on 15 October 2008.
Following addresses given by Hamburg’s Senator for Culture, Karin von Welck, and other leading representatives of the city, the new street sign was then unveiled. All present were treated to a concert performed on the square by the Hamburg Police Band directed by Kristine Kresge, after which the ceremony drew to a close to the accompaniment of melodies by Bert Kaempfert and with the serving of refreshments.
Commemorative Plaque for Bert Kaempfert
Unveiled on 21 June 2008 on the building housing the Spielbank Hamburg
The Working Group for Urban Development of the Patriotische Gesellschaft von 1765 has honoured the world-famous composer, arranger and bandleader Bert Kaempfert with a commemorative plaque. This was unveiled at 11 o’clock on 21 June 2008 on the building housing the Spielbank Hamburg at Stephansplatz 10. It was here in the Tarantella Bar of the former Hotel Esplanade where after the Second World War the musical career of the composer, arranger and bandleader began.
Concert Tour 2008 – A Retrospect
This time the fabulous Berlin Jazz Orchestra, with Jiggs Whigham at the helm, presented Bert Kaempfert’s internationally renowned compositions live in Frankfurt/M.(February 12), Hamburg (February 13), Düsseldorf (February 14) and Berlin (February 15). Some impressions on the concert tour we have compiled for you here.