Axel Zwingenberger was born 7th May 1955 in Hamburg, Germany. Originally, Axel studied classical piano for eleven years, before discovering boogie woogie, with artists like Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson influencing his musical direction from that point onwards. Performing more and more, by 1974 he performed with pianists Hans-Georg Moeller, Vince Weber and Martin Pyrker at the First International Blues and Boogie Woogie Festival in Cologne. He has collaborated with a large number of musicians over the years.
In 1975, he received his first recording contract, which led to the Album ‘Boogie Woogie Breakdown’ being recorded in 1976. He didn’t stop there of course and his released a great number of albums over the last forty years or so.
Of interest to the boogie woogie pianist, in 2005 Axel released a music book titled, ‘Boogie Woogie – Piano Solo’. This was a complete transcription of twelve songs from the ‘Boogie Woogie Live’ album. Such transcriptions (note for note) are quite the rarity and it certainly appears to be pretty accurate. Sadly at the time of writing this, it is shown as ‘currently not available’ on his website, but copies do come up on the second-hand market, so if you are a big Zwingenberger fan, I’d recommend looking out for it
| Axel Zwingenberger – Boogie Woogie Breakdown | 1978 |
| Boogie Woogie Breakdown Steady Roll Boogie Slow Motion Blues Told My Story | Tell Me More Celeste Rocks Two o’Clock Mood Boogie De Lux |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Boogie Woogie All Night Long | 1978 |
| Roll’em Boy New Goin’ Away Blues In The Evening Corrine Corrina Boogie Arbor Place Blues Rock The Joint Boogie | John’s And Louis’ Blues Jelly Jelly Blues The L. A. Boogie Chase (Sit Down) On Your Daddy’s Knee The Chicken And The Hawk Boogie Low Down Dog |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Power House Boogie | 1981 |
| Power House Boogie Blue Movie Bounce D & F Blues Blues On The Dark Side Celeste Call Barrelhouse Shuffle Almost Albert’s Way Hamburg Hangover Dreaming In Boogie Low Down Bugle Drag | Dance Of The Crazy Elves Boogie Demonstration Torpedo Jive Thinking Of Dagmar & Felix Harpsichord Flyer Harpsichord Blues Rocking The Harpsichord Hammerchord In The Shadow Edsel Run Boogie |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Boogie Woogie Jubilee | 1981 |
| Hide And Seek Boogie Back Door Getaway Chains Of Love Flip, Flop And Fly California Crawl Cherry Red St. Louis Blues | Boogie Woogie ‘Round The Clock Piney Brown Blues Backyard Boogie Back Door Getaway (2nd Version) Boogie Woogie Jubilee Cimarron St. Breakdown |
| Axel Zwingenberger – The Boogie Woogie Album | 1982 |
| Graffiti Express Rolling Slow Central Avenue Breakdown Whisky Blues Mr. Freddie Blues | The Sheik Of Araby Boogie New York Shuffle Central Avenue Breakdown (2nd Version) Jivin’ In Jazzland Hamp’s Boogie Woogie |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Boogie Woogie Live | 1985 |
| Boogie Woogie Be With Me Jump And Jive April Mood Blues For Sippie Wallace Sunset Special Goodnight Blues | Eldorado Stomp In The Heat Make Me Call California My Style Blues On Top Boogie Du Printemps |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Boogie Woogie Bros | 1989 |
| Ballade Pour Adrenalin Solid Sending Boogie Jazzland Blues Little Eva’s Dance Farewell To Peter | Two Eels Waltzing On An Icecake Walking Down The Keys Jive For Johnson Eva’s Pleasure Brothers Boogie |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Blue Pianos | 1991 |
| Jumping Hans Kansas City, Here We Go! Groovy Afternoon J.A.M. D.’ Boogie Lazy Lover Boogie Our Children | Joy With Jay Just Jiving The Blues Blue Pianos Old Vienna’s In The Groove Breaking The Boogie Wee Baby Blues |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Boogie Woogie Classics | 1992 |
| Pinetop’s Blues Mr. Freddie Blues Honky Tonk Train Blues Boogie Woogie Jump Suitcase Blues-Part 1 & 2 Cow Cow Blues Boogie Woogie Stomp | Yancey Special Chicago Flyer Bass Goin’ Crazy New Blues On The Dark Side The Boogie Rocks Roll ’em Pete Swanee River Boogie |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Boogie In The Barrel House | 1992 |
| Boogie In The Barrelhouse Easy, Squeezy! Screwin’ The Boogie Great Big Legs, And How To Move ’em Blue Note Boogie Booker T.’s Blues Blue Note Blues | KC Jiving Fun For Felix How Long Blues Houserockin’ Storm Boogie Our Hearts Belong To The Blues |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Swing The Boogie | 1996 |
| Joy At The Jazzland Swing The Boogie Grinding The Blues Hootie’s Ignorant Oil When Hamburg And KC Meet In Vienna Dark Blue Blues | Wake Up! Jump ’em Jay Cherry Red Roll ’em Boys How Long Blues |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Boogie Back To New York City | 1996 |
| The Five Thundertrain Groovy Gotham Boogie In The Weeds Long Lost Love Madhattan Boogie Snowflake Dance | Steel Dragon St. Louis Boogie Blues Cow Cow Blues Five Spot Stomp Boogie Woogie Stomp Low Lights Swanee River Boogie |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Brothers In Boogie | 2001 |
| Brothers In Boogie Boogie-Mom & Woogie-Dad Grandma’s Stride Johnny’s Jumpin’ Latin Joint Long Lost Love Champ Of Charme H. M. Hop Cooney’s Cornet Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie | Rolling For Big Joe Mo’ A-Beat African Groovin’ Low Lights To Those Who Love These Blues Fish Head Boogie Rockin’ The Philharmonic In A Möller Tone |
| Axel Zwingenberger – The Boogiemeisters | 2001 |
| Boogie Woogie Country Girl Welcome To Boogie City The Boogiemeisters I’ve Got To Move The Dirty Dozens Fantasy In Blues Boogie For Real | Foot Pedal Boogie Sixth Avenue Express Midnight Hour Blues Roll ’em Pete The Higher We Jump Low Down Dog |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Vom Zauber der Zuege | 2001 |
| Thundertrain Railway Nocturne Steel Dragon The Fives Dream Train Santa Fé Blues 44 Blues Cow Cow Blues | Ooeeh Train Low Down Dog Chicago Flyer Honky Tonk Train Blues Big Black 310 Running Late How Long Blues |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Groovology | 2004 |
| Boogie Salutation Bombay Breeze Bendix Bounce Home Run Boogie Waiting Room Flirt Careless Love Keep A-Rockin’ Blue Magic Trouble In Mind Wandering Stars | Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out Joy Jive Just A Closer Walk With Thee Groovology Poldi’s Jump Divertimento For Two Pianos In A Boogie Woogie Mood Double Header Lullaby In Boogie |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Saxy Boogie Woogie | 2008 |
| Saxy Boogie Woogie Cool Heat Greasy Groove Big Jay’s Jungle Jive Night Ride A Flat In The Basement Ha-Yo Silver, Let’s Go! | Just For Two Tender Feeling Truckin’ Boogie Ridin’ The Cows Blues Well Done Barbecue Boogie Woogie Just A Closer Walk With Thee |
| Axel Zwingenberger – Lady sings the Boogie Woogie | 2009 |
| Central Avenue Boogie Pleasing Man Blues Whip It To A Jelly Women Be Wise You Played On My Piano I Was Wrong Voo-It You Got to Know How A Million Dollars’ Secret I Know It’s Wrong Snatch And Grab It Chicago In Mind (piano solo) | If You Hadn’t Gone Away Call It Stormy Monday Trouble Everywhere I Roam Lingerie Boogie (piano solo) Bikini Babes (piano solo) See See Rider Bedroom Blues St. Louis Blues Route 66 Everyday I Have The Blues Down By The Riverside |
| Axel Zwingenberger – The Magic of Boogie Woogie | 2010 |
| Shepperton Strut Lagonda Ride Heathrow Jet Windson Park Walk High Barn Stampede Blues, Indeed Honky tonk Train Blues V-Disc Stomp Smashingly Blue Sacond Line Bouce | Bass Gonin’ Crazy Careless Love Blues Boogie Train Mystique Lady Be Good Boogie Asado How Long Blues Boogie Woogie Rhythm Shop Sympathy For The Drummer Farewell Smile |
| Axel Zwingenberger – The Joy Of Boogie Woogie | 2014 |
| The Joy Of Boogie Woogie Osaka Welcome The Fives Blues For You Chicago Breakdown Boogie Men In Black Boogie Woogie Journey Blue Note Groove New Boogie In The Barrelhouse Bass Goin’ Crazy | Boogiein’ For My Japanese Family Sakura Air Tokyo Boogie Woogie Night Rockin’ Boogie Chat Shinkansen Drive Little Mio’s Blues Wild Horses Run Shabu Shabu Swing The Sheik Of Araby Boogie How Long Blues |
| Axel Zwingenberger – The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie Live in Paris | 2012 |
| Bonsoir Boogie! Evolution Blues (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66 Somebody Changed The Lock On My Door Roll ‘Em Pete Duc De Woogie Boogie Street Market Drag | Struttin’ At Sebastopol More Sympathy For The Drummer Blues Des Lombards Down The Road A Piece St. Louis Blues Low Down Dog Blues Encore Stomp (ABC&D) |