Dave Pike-Noise Silence-Gentle Noise Featuring Volker Kriegel (1969)

To the general public, Volker Kriegel is virtually unknown. However, in the late 1960s, he was a very popular guitarist in Germany and much of Europe thanks to his self-taught skills on the six-string guitar and other instruments like the Indian sitar. In fact, he is considered one of the fathers of European jazz-rock. A sociologist by profession, he played in various jazz bands and even released several solo albums, as well as contributing to albums by other artists, such as Don "Sugarcane" Harris's "Keep On Driving" (1971). One of his greatest contributions was to vibraphonist Dave Pike's band on the excellent album "Noisy Silence", which had a major impact in the late 1960s. This album offered a sweeping exploration of jazz through the avant-garde sounds of the time, including a dazzling version of Frank Zappa's "Mother People". However, it is the track "Mathar" that stands out on this album, a strange sitar-rock-jazz fusion that elevates the visionary nature of this LP. Later, Kriegel would found his own band, the Orchestra Mild Maniac, with whom he recorded several well-received albums. In the following years, he formed other bands and collaborated with prestigious musicians, recording dozens of excellent albums, until years later he retired to found his own record label and collaborate with the band Passport. He also directed films, ran radio stations, wrote, and illustrated children's books, among other activities. Volker Kriegel based his style on fusing different musical frameworks from various cultures, a style that could be classified as progressive jazz.