Jump to content

Ladi Geisler

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ladi Geisler
Background information
Birth nameLadislav Geisler
Also known as"Ladi"
BornNovember 27, 1927
Prague,Czechoslovakia
DiedNovember 19, 2011
Hamburg
GenresEasy listening,instrumental,jazz,big band
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Guitar, Bass guitar, trumpet, violin
Years active1945–2010
LabelsPolydor,Bear Family

Miloslav Ladislav "Ladi" Geisler(November 27, 1927 – November 19, 2011) was a German musician who established a high profile in the post-war German music scene. Best known for his work with pop musiciansBert Kaempfert,James LastandFreddy Quinn,Geisler developed the distinctive "Knack-Bass" percussive bass sound that helped popularize the Bert Kaempfert Orchestra. He later released numerous records under his own name.[1]

Life and work[edit]

As a child, Geisler received violin lessons and soon learned the trumpet. He first worked as an engineer in the electric company where his father was as a director. In the last phase ofWorld War II,Geisler was drafted into the German Air Force, where he worked on the combat aircraftHeinkel He 162.While on a mission, he was captured by the British and was interned in a Danish POW camp. With the help of a fellow prisoner, Geisler built an electric guitar and learned as aself-taughtplayer. His role model wasOscar Moore,guitarist of singerNat King Cole.In the camp he also made the acquaintance of the German musicianHorst Wende,who brought him after discharge to Germany and made him a guitarist of his "Horst Wende Trio."

Geisler did some work for theNWDR,and after the spin-off of theNDRin 1955, he received a permanent position as a guitarist in the NDR Dance Orchestra under the direction ofFranz Thon.Continuing to play with Wende, he signed a contract with the record companyPolydor.In addition, while appearing with the Wende band in the Hamburg night club "Tarantella," Geisler metFreddy Quinn,with whom he developed a long-term recording relationship. Until the early 1960s Geisler participated in numerous recordings with Quinn.

By this time, Geisler had already become a known guitarist. At NDR he was used in many ways, such as with the NDR Symphony Orchestra and at the premiere of a work byPierre Boulezat theEdinburgh Festival.In addition to Polydor, he also worked for other record companies and accompanied other singers likeEvelyn Künneke,Greetje Kauffeld,Friedel Hensch,Esther and Abi OfarimandHildegard Knef.

From composer andbig bandleaderJames Last,he bought a late 50sGibson EB bass guitar,with which he developed his legendary "Knack bass" sound that would become an integral feature in theEasy Listeningorchestra ofBert Kaempfert.Later, he used aFender Jazz Bassmodel. Most recently, he used aFender Precision Basswhen he was invited to live or recording sessions. Geisler's knack bass sound was a treble staccato bass guitar sound in which the bass string was plucked with apickand immediately suppressed to cancel out any sustain.

In 1958, he recordedHappy Guitar / Samba estrella,his first solo record with the record companyTelefunken.Geisler lent his guitar amplifier toThe Beatlesfor their 1961 recording session withTony Sheridan(produced by Kaempfert), after the band's own equipment proved to be inadequate for recording purposes.[2]ForPhilipsandAriola,but mainly withPolydor,he recorded until 1965 several more solo albums, partly with the Polydor band "The Playboys". Under their label, he reached in 1961 No. 19 in the German charts with the cover of world hit Wheels. As a freelance musician, he was sought after by all the leading German record companies and worked, in some years, up to 1500 gigs. In 1988 and 1990 he went on tour in Japan, with theAlfred HauseOrchestra.

In the 1990s, he founded his own music studio, "Studio 17," and increasingly turned to jazz. He founded his own jazz band, worked together withGünter Fuhlischand was last heard with the "same" Quintet. For several years Geisler served as Chairman of theGerman Composers' Associationand the executive board ofGEMA.

In 2008 he was featured on theBerlin Jazz Orchestra,music DVD (Polydor/Universal)Strangers in the Night– The Music ofBert Kaempfertwhich was eventually released in 2012 after his death. In the spring of 2010, he was shown on the liner for Helen Schneider Swing CD – a tribute toBert Kaempfert– where he participated as bassist. In his later years, Geisler used a compact and lightweight guitar amplifier, specially selected for its sonic characteristics. With this amp, and the sound of his Gibson L-4 CES guitar, and his unique sense of rhythm and soloing, he produced his distinctive guitar sound for enthusiastic audiences at numerous live performances.

Ladi Geisler died on November 19, 2011, shortly before his 84th Birthday in Hamburg.

Prizes and awards[edit]

In 2003, Geisler was awarded the Louis Armstrong Memorial Prize forSwinging Hamburg.

Discography[edit]

Solo-Singles[edit]

  • Happy Guitar / Samba estrella,Telefunken, 1958
  • Red River Rock/ Dreaming Guitar,Polydor, 1960
  • Navajo / Lonely Guitar,Philips, 1961
  • Auf einem persischen Markt / Immer nur lächeln (In a Persian Market / Always Just Smile),Polydor, 1961
  • Amazon Paddleboat / Tomahawk,Polydor, 1962
  • Guitar Tango / Zwei Gitarren,Polydor, 1962
  • Little Geisha / Helena,Polydor, 1963
  • Alte Kameraden / Einzug der Gladiatoren (Old Comrades / Entry of the Gladiators),Ariola, 1965

LPs and CDs[edit]

  • Mr. Guitar,LP, Polydor, 1962
  • Girls, Girls, Girls,LP, BASF, 1964
  • Memories of Spain,LP, Ex Libris, 1968
  • Guitar a la Carte Vol. 1,LP, AMG, 1968
  • Guitar a la Carte Vol. 2,LP, AMG, 1969
  • Guitar mit Disco 74,LP, Columbia, 1973
  • Swinging Guitar,LP, Intercord, 1977
  • Gitarrenträume unter Palmen (Guitar dreams under palm trees),Intercord, LP, 1978
  • Classicswith the guitar, LP, EMI
  • Die Rock-Gitarre von Ladi Geisler (The Rock guitar Ladi Geisler),LP, Bear Family, 2000
  • Minor Swing,CD, Bear Family, 2000
  • Mr. Guitar,CD, BearFamily, 2000
  • Those Were The Days,CD, BearFamily, 2003
  • Günter Märtens trifft Ladi Geisler. Anekdoten eines Gitarrenspielers (Günter Maertens meets Ladi Geisler. Anecdotes of a guitar player),CD, Bear Family, 2007 (Audio Book)

References[edit]

  1. ^"Ladi Geisler ist tot – Ladi Geisler: Der Knackbass ist verstummt – Kultur & Live – Hamburger Abendblatt".Abendblatt.de.RetrievedNovember 22,2011.
  2. ^Lounge Legends, The Original Masters of Lounge, zaterdag 26 November 2011, In Memoriam-Ladi Geisler - (27 November 1927 – 19 November 2011)http://loungelegends.blogspot /2011/11/in-memoriam-ladi-geisler-27-november.html[permanent dead link].
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ladi_Geisler&oldid=1061479708"