Chapman, Michael
Party Pieces (live In Bremen 1975)
Born in Hunslet, England, in 1941, Michael Chapman mainly listened to jazz and was heavily influenced by US jazz musicians.This also shaped his unmistakable and independent guitar style, in which he not only incorporated the art of improvisation from jazz, but above all also the basic structure of composed piano music from ragtime. In the 1960's and 1970's, Chapman turned to the emerging progressive British folk scene and released his widely acclaimed debut album 'Rainmaker' in 1969. Chapman is not only appreciated for his virtuoso guitar playing, he is also known for his sarcastic lyrics and his bitter humor. Michael Chapman was admired during his lifetime by numerous musicians such as Elton John and William Tyler. He worked and composed music for decades and is said not to have stopped until the end. In Germany he translated texts into English for Udo Lindenberg and performed with Achim Reichel. Michael Chapman died on September 10, 2021, at the age of 80. On May 12, 1975, Chapman gave a concert in the Bremen Post-Aula. The Radio Bremen station recorded this concert. Now it is being released digitally and on CD for the first time with a 12-page booklet and detailed liner notes by Marc Higgins and many photos.