MISTER
BLACK FOREST MAN
Born
in Berlin during Hitler's Third Reich on January
30th 1936, Horst Jankowski lost his father when
he was just eight years old.
He
and his mother left the German capital during the
Allied bombing raids of World War Two but they were
lured back after the war in 1947 so that Horst could
start his musical education.
He
attended the Berlin Music Conservatory where he
was given a degree for his musical skill as a concert
pianist.
He
was also skilled at other instruments - the tenor
sax, the double bass and the trumpet.
His
breakthrough came while he was performing at an
American jazz club in West Berlin where a promoter
spotted him and offered him tours of Germany and
other European countries.
As
well as making a name for himself, he met influential
stars including a woman who had enjoyed a big hit
with The Breeze and I in the UK. Caterina Valente
was her name and she persuaded him to join her on
a tour of Europe and Africa.
It
was during the African leg of the tour that the
plane he was in almost crashed during a tornado.
It
was 1955 and Horst was being spoken about as a future
star at the tender age of 19.
He
joined the renowned Erwin Lehn Orchestra and two
years later won his first big title, being voted
Germany's top jazz pianist.
When
some of the great jazz names from the United States
toured Europe, Horst was put in charge of their
orchestral direction. He worked for Ella Fitzgerald,
Benny Goodman and Miles Davis in this way.
And
in his own capacity, he became one of Germany's
best selling orchestral artistes.
He'll
always be remembered in the United Kingdom for his
1965 tune - A Walk In The Black Forest.
It's
regarded as one of those quintessential sixties
orchestral melodies - like Herb Alpert's Spanish
Flea or Chris Barber's Petite Fleur.
Horst
died on the 26 June 1998.
Or
more information, try this website - www.horstjankowski.com
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