Died On This Date (November 22, 2011) Hans Reichel / German Avant Garde Guitarist
Hans Reichel
May 10, 1949 – November 22, 2011
Hans Reichel was a German experimental guitarist and luthier. Reichel’s break as a musician came in 1970 when he submitted a tape to the German Jazz Festival in Frankfurt. The judges were impressed enough to invite him to perform at a newcomers concert. Reichel went on to release his first album, Wichlinghauser Blues in 1973. No fewer than 40 releases followed. Most of his recordings are solo, but he has included a vocalist or other instrument from time to time. In 1997, Guitar Player magazine included Reichel on their list of 30 Most Radical Guitarists. He also invented and built several guitars and basses over the years. Some were fairly standard while others were somewhat more radical, like the Daxophone, which is a single wooden blade attached to a block which holds a microphone. Hans Reichel was 62 when he passed away on November 22, 2011. Cause of death was not immediately released.