Ladi Geisler Those Were The Days (CD)

(Bear Family Records) 21 tracks, with 32-page booklet

Ladi Geisler

Far too few people know his name, as he is one of the most distinguished and accomplished instrumentalists of the German post-war music scene - guitarist Ladi Geisler. On November 27, the Prague native celebrates his 75th birthday.

In 1946, self-taught guitarist Ladi Geisler returned to Germany from captivity as a prisoner of war in Denmark - with a self-made electric guitar in his luggage. As a member of the Horst Wende Trio (based in Hamburg), Ladi Geisler quickly made a name for himself and the band was hired by NWDR. This was followed by a permanent engagement in the Hanseatic nightclub 'Tarantella', where Ladi Geisler met Freddy Quinn, among others - an encounter with consequences, because on almost all Freddy Quinn records up to the mid-60s, the guitarist (unfortunately unnamed, as is so often the case) was called Ladi Geisler.

In 1955 he was given a permanent position at NDR, came into contact with Hans 'James' Last and from then on was constantly booked as a session guitarist by companies such as Polydor, Teldec, Philips and Electrola. His collaboration and friendship with Bert Kaempfert also began during this time. Until Kaempfert's death, it was Ladi Geisler who provided the typical 'cracking bass' on Bert Kaempfert recordings. But Helmut Zacharias, Greetje Kauffeld, Hildegard Knef, the Kettels - to name but a few - were also among the artists he worked with.

Ladi Geisler was involved in over 1500 recordings a year (!) - Schlager, rock 'n' roll, beat, jazz, light music, the guitarist played and could simply do everything, and his excellent reputation quickly spread internationally.

However, the thoroughbred musician Ladi Geisler (role models: Django Reinhardt, Joe Pass) was not only active in the studio. He accompanied many artists on tour, such as Jean-Claude Pascal, Abi & Esther Ofarim,
Bert Kaempfert and Freddy Quinn. He traveled through Japan with the Alfred Hause Orchestra in 1988 and 1990, to frenetic acclaim everywhere.

In his own 'Studio 17', as presenter of a jazz radio program and bandleader of his own trio, the cult guitarist and swing fan later passed on his outstanding knowledge and special preferences.


'Those Were The Days'
Malaguena - O Cangaceiro - Amorada - Spanish Flea - Recado - Maria Elena - Cumana - Guantanamera - Caqula - Delicado - On That Day (Those Were The Days) - Zhivago Melody (Lara's Theme) - Tears - Golden Earrings - Hora Staccato - Java - Pepe - El Condor Pasa - Begin The Beguine - Guitar Tango - Malaguena Salerosa - Caballero Olé


Auch erhältlich / Also available:

'Mr. Guitar'
BCD 16197 AH

'Minor Swing'
BCD 16227 AH

Ladi Geisler

born November 27, 1927 - died November 19, 2011

Günter Märtens meets Ladi Geisler

 

When I met Ladi Geisler a few years ago, I was familiar with his music and his special guitar playing: In my childhood my father heard a lot of music by Bert Kaempfert and also the hits of Ladis band, the'Playboys'. I loved the wonderful Wheels and to the ghost riders I put on my cowboy hat and shot wildly around the area with my banger pistol.

Ladi Geisler is without doubt one of the most influential guitar players in German popular music of the last 50 years. On several records of other artists he is unmistakably represented with his guitar. The typical Bert Kaempfert sound would not have been possible without Ladis'Knackbass' and his guitar playing. Moreover, Ladi is an incredibly charming, cordial person and colleague whom I hold in high esteem.

It is therefore a great honour for me to have this conversation with him on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

Günter Märtens

Ladi Geisler was born Miloslav Ladislav Geisler in Prague on 27 November 1927. He took violin lessons as a child, and his father had ambitious plans. Ladi was later to work as an engineer in the electrical company where he was a director. But it was to be otherwise. Ladi was only 15 years old when she was drafted into the war and finally ended up as a Danish prisoner of war. There he discovered his love for the guitar and got to know the accordionist and orchestra conductor Horst Wende.

When he was offered to come to Hamburg after the war, Ladi agreed. The Horst Wende Trio worked in the first years after the war at what was then NWDR, but also in Hamburg'Tarantella'. There Ladi met the then unknown Freddy Quinn and got him a job in the bar.

In 1955 Ladi Geisler separated from Wende and from then on worked as a full-time musician at NDR. Over the years he has become an indispensable soloist for the various orchestras at the station. He has also accompanied countless artists such as Freddy Quinn, Rudi Schuricke, Evelyn Künneke, Margot Eskens, Helmut Zacharias and Hildegard Knef on their recordings and has released many records under his own name. As a member of the Bert Kaempfert Orchestra, the excellent guitar player made his own mark on the Kaempfert sound from the late 1950s with the typical'Knackbass'.

In the following years he toured England with Kaempfert, performed throughout Europe with Esther and Abi Ofarim, and he also appeared six times with the orchestra Alfred Hause in Japan.

Django Reinhardt was already a role model in the early days. But Les Paul and Joe Pass were also an incentive and role model and eventually even became good friends.