"...the Michael Werner gallery... sent me a detailed list of LPs complete with line-ups, but only of the LPs they had in their archive (unfortunately, they represent him in the sense that they sell his paintings, but not his LPs!). I put together their information with mine-- with the help of others I hope to update it in the future..." —Walter Rovere
The Rovere list and info from George Scala provided the seeds for this document.
Additional resources via George Scala, Giovanni Corda and Ed Hazell provided additional detail.
Norbert Kreutzer has offered numerous additions, corrections, and fine-detailing, especially in puzzling out the MUNICH LPs. —Rick Lopez
As information on these limited, private issue LPs is so incredibly sketchy, I'd be extremely grateful if anyone who actually has copies in hand would contact me with details. I have conflicting titles from different sources on some releases. Personnel, track titles and durations, release dates, session dates, etc. are hard to come by. I'm also looking for scans of cover and back cover images, photocopies and scans of liner notes, and tapes, especially of any titles w/ William Parker present. —RL
Yet another A.R. Penck Bio, this one seemingly more extensive and writ in unintelligible (to me) German. Translation of additional details would be most welcome.
I welcome notice of any of the Penck vinyl recordings for sale. If I am not personally able or willing to buy what you have to offer, I can certainly put you in touch with collectors and researchers who are looking for many of these LPs. Of particular interest are any recordings featuring Frank Lowe and Butch Morris-- and of course the William Parker appearance on "Going Through".
"...the guys who run Splasch records in Italy actually visited Penck, compiled a complete discography and also pressed the last Penck LP listed there... The discography doesn't have complete tunes/personnel, but it at least gives you a complete album listing..."
-- Ed Hazell, correspondence 02.07.12
* Catalogue info provided by Mittenhuber has Penck on piano; other Web source had Penck on drums.
{Primary Source: Gerhard Mittenhuber correspondence 05.11.02; Giorgio Mortarino correspondence 03.04.07}
LP Cover
LP Back
A.R. Penck: Kontrabass und Mini Synthesizer Harmonix 1980
Weltmelodie WM LP 4717/1+2 (2LP) West Germany 1980
Kontra Bass Solo
Mini Synthesizer Harmonix
A.R. Penck (contrabass, synthesizer, Cover Art)
{Primary Source: Gerhard Mittenhuber correspondence 05.11.02}
LP Cover
LP Back
Open Gatefold
Penck Cover Autograph
Label Side 1A
Label Side 1B
Label Side 2A
Label Side 2B
TTT featuring A.R. Penck: Hinter der Wüste sterben die Gespenster und Afrika Para noia [Hinter der Wüste sterben die Gespenster / JAZZ ROCK]
Weltmelodie WM LP 4715/1+2 (2LP) West Germany 1980
1979
"1979 First record 'Afrika Paranoia'"
Hinter der Wüste sterben die Gespenster / JAZZ ROCK
Afrika Para noia / ARCHAIK-FRI-JAZZ
W [Frank Wollny] (guitar)
F (sax)
Y [A.R. Penck] (drums, Cover Art)
{Primary Source: Gerhard Mittenhuber correspondence 05.11.02}
LP Cover
LP Gatefold
Label Side 1A
Label Side 1B
Label Side 2A
TTT featuring A.R. Penck: Die Geschichte der 4 1983
Weltmelodie WM LP 4719 (LP) West Germany 1983
1982
Westkeller
Endstation
"TTT starts touring at this time in Europe, Recording 4mm with drummer Detlef Kessler"
{Primary Source: Gerhard Mittenhuber correspondence 05.11.02; http://www.avantgart.com/Schall-Penck.htm}
Gatefold Cover
Gatefold Inside
TTT featuring A.R. Penck: 3+1 1983
Wau Wau Records WW LP 46831 (LP)
1982 / Bad Homburg, West Germany
Nachtfahrt
Vision
"After leaving East Germany to Athens [F. Wollny] moved back to West Germany.
...met Penck in Cologne where they discussed a new concept about TTT as a band.
Recording 3+1 in Bad Homburg West Germany."
Frank Wollny (guitar)
Heinz Wollny (bass)
A.R. Penck (drums, Cover Art)
H. Georg Kohnert (synth)
{Primary Source: Gerhard Mittenhuber correspondence 05.11.02; http://www.avantgart.com/Schall-Penck.htm}
The graphics (boxes + letters) shown on the back cover of Munich Part 2 below (which is the same on all the Munich LPs) are representations of each of the SIX Part "Be Cool in Munich" Series-- of which, apparently, only parts 1 through 4 have been released... —Rick Lopez, with copious thanks to Norbert Kreutzer.
TTT featuring A.R. Penck: Be Cool in Munich / Live in Concert Part 2
(LP)
Munich, Germany
Be cool in Munich / Part 2/1
Be cool in Munich / Part 2/2
Be cool in Munich / Part 2/3
"A" / Frank Lowe (sax)
"B" / Butch Morris (cornet)
"C" / Billy Bang (violin; drums-2)
"E" / Heinz Wollny (bass)
"F" / Frank Wollny (guitar-1,3; bass-2)
"G" / A.R. Penck (piano) aka "H" (drums-3)
"I" / Dennis (sic) Charles (drums-1)
{Primary Source: primary info and images via George Scala; detailing via Norbert Kreutzer correspondence 05.12.14}
LP Cover
The graphics (boxes + letters) shown on this back cover (which is the same on all the Munich LPs) are representations of each of the SIX Part "Be Cool in Munich" Series-- of which, apparently, only parts 1 through 4 have been released... —Rick Lopez, with copious thanks to Norbert Kreutzer.
A.R. Penck: Be Cool in Munich / Live in Concert Part 3
Penck 14 (LP)
Date ? / Munich, Germany
Be cool in Munich / Part 3/1
Be cool in Munich / Part 3/2
"A" / Frank Lowe (sax-1; percussion)
"B" / Butch Morris (cornet-1; percussion)
"C" / Billy Bang (violin-2; percussion-2) aka "K" (flute-2)
"I" / Dennis (sic) Charles (drums)
Heinz Wollny (percussion)
"F" / Frank Wollny (guitar-2; percussion)
{Primary Source: detailing via Norbert Kreutzer correspondence 05.12.14; The Web}
LP Cover
The graphics (boxes + letters) shown on this back cover (which is the same on all the Munich LPs) are representations of each of the SIX Part "Be Cool in Munich" Series-- of which, apparently, only parts 1 through 4 have been released... —Rick Lopez, with copious thanks to Norbert Kreutzer.
TTT featuring A.R. Penck: Be Cool in Munich / Live in Concert Part 4
Penck 14 (LP)
Date ? / Munich, Germany
Be cool in Munich / Part 4/1
Be cool in Munich / Part 4/2
Musician credits as given on LP covers :
"A" / Frank Lowe (sax)
"B" / Butch Morris (cornet-1)
"C" / Billy Bang (violin)
"E" / Heinz Wollny (bass-1)
"F" / Frank Wollny (guitar)
"G" / A.R. Penck (piano-1)
"I" / Dennis (sic) Charles (drums)
However:
"LP number 20: at the beginning I trusted the personnel listed on the cover of BE COOL IN MUNICH but now, having listened to the four published LPs, I suggest the following changes regarding the four american musicians playing: I suggest that Denis Charles can be the only American playing in part four." [Giorgio Mortarino correspondence 03.04.07]
{Primary Source: detailing via Norbert Kreutzer correspondence 05.12.14; The Web}
LP Cover
The graphics (boxes + letters) shown on the back cover (which is the same on all the Munich LPs) are representations of each of the SIX Part "Be Cool in Munich" Series-- of which, apparently, only parts 1 through 4 have been released... —Rick Lopez, with copious thanks to Norbert Kreutzer.
TTT featuring A.R. Penck: Be Cool in Munich / Live in Concert Part 5 / UNRELEASED ?
Date ? / Munich, Germany
Be cool in Munich / Part 5/1
Be cool in Munich / Part 5/2
Be cool in Munich / Part 5/3
Be cool in Munich / Part 5/4
"N" / Frank Wollny (drums-1)
"G" / A.R. Penck (piano-1,3)
"L" / A.R. Penck (flute-1)
"A" / Frank Lowe (sax-2,3,4)
"B" / Butch Morris (cornet-2,3,4)
"C" / Billy Bang (violin-2,3,4)
"E" / Heinz Wollny (bass-2,4)
"F" / Frank Wollny (guitar-2)
"G" / A.R. Penck (piano-2,4)
"I" / Dennis (sic) Charles (drums-2,3,4)
"O" / Phil Minton (voice)
"P" / Rene Debas (guitar)
{Primary Source: detailing via Norbert Kreutzer correspondence 05.12.14; The Web}
The graphics (boxes + letters) shown on the back cover (which is the same on all the Munich LPs) are representations of each of the SIX Part "Be Cool in Munich" Series-- of which, apparently, only parts 1 through 4 have been released... —Rick Lopez, with copious thanks to Norbert Kreutzer.
TTT featuring A.R. Penck: Be Cool in Munich / Live in Concert Part 6 / UNRELEASED ?
{Primary Source: detailing via Norbert Kreutzer correspondence 05.12.14; The Web}
The graphics (boxes + letters) shown on the back cover (which is the same on all the Munich LPs) are representations of each of the SIX Part "Be Cool in Munich" Series-- of which, apparently, only parts 1 through 4 have been released... —Rick Lopez, with copious thanks to Norbert Kreutzer.
A.R. Penck: Going Through
(LP)
"probably mid 1980s" / Fred Hersch (?) Recording Studio, New York City
Going Through
Part One [:]
Part Two [:]
A. R. Penck (piano)
Frank Lowe (tenor sax)
Billy Bang (violin)
Jeanne Lee (vocals)
William Parker (bass)
Dennis (sic) Charles (drums)
{Primary Source: info and images via G. Scala}
LP Cover
TTT featuring A.R. Penck: Royal Academy
(LP)
1983 / Royal Academy, London, England
The Royal Academy music performance I
The Royal Academy music performance II
"They met Louis Moholo in London recording 'Royal Academy'"
Bob Flag (sax)
A.R. Penck (piano)
Frank Wollny (guitar)
Heinz Wollny (bass)
Louis T. Moholo (drums
{Primary Source: The Web}
LP Cover
TTT featuring A.R. Penck: TTT Live! Konzert Basel
no issue # (LP) (SW) —issue # of "A 0022" is given by some sources, but is not seen anywhere on the recording itself.
ca. 1984 / Museum Für Gegenwartskunst, Basel, Switzerland
First Gig Studio Fawe Street
What about JAZZ today!
A. R. Penck (fender piano, drums)
Heinz Wollny (bass)
Frank Wollny (guitar)
Frank Lowe (tenor sax)
Louis Moholo (drums)
* Penck is credited w/ drums on front cover, piano on back.
{Primary Source: http://www.avantgart.com/Schall-Penck.htm; scan and session details via Mike Fowler}
LP Cover
LP Back
A.R. Penck: Die Rache der Erinnerung (works by Jörg Immendorf, A.R. Penck, Martin Kippenberger, Werner Büttner & others)
ZickZack Records ZZ 205 (LP) 1984 Hamburg
Date ? / Venue ?
Intro
Goin up the country
Billy beat it
Bang bang
Nobody knows you
Rock on
One & one is one
Yuppi du
Little red book
Sexual healing
Sympathy for the devil
Drei Lilien
Jörg Immendorf (?)
Martin Kippenberger (?)
Albert Oehlen (?)
A.R. Penck (drums ?)
{Primary Source: http://mitglied.lycos.de/RaFuchs/ndw/zickzack/; info via Julien Palomo 04.12.28; Art Metropole Archive}
LP Cover
TTT featuring A.R. Penck: LIVE! A Concert in Derry
(LP)
Date ? / Derry, England
Frank Wollny (guitar)
Heinz Wollny (bass)
A.R. Penck (drums)
{Primary Source: Giovanni Corda}
LP Back & Cover
(Anyone have a better image for this?)
TTT featuring A.R. Penck: TTT Live in Dublin
(2LP)
Date ? / Dublin, Ireland
Frank Wollny (guitar)
Heinz Wollny (bass)
A.R. Penck (drums)
TTT featuring A.R. Penck: TRIPLE TRIP TOUCH Live In Weimar
TTT 37 (LP) 1998 GER
Date ? / Weimar, Germany
Free Jazz (Coleman)
Manfred Schoof (trumpet)
Kidd Jordan (sax)
Gerd Dudek (sax)
Jesus Caneloni (sax)
Markus Lüpertz (piano)
Peter Kühnel (guitar)
Frank Wollny (bass / drums)
Alan Silva (bass / keyboards)
Louis Moholo (drums)
"with insert, a discography of all Penck's related/produced records, and a biography. Limited Edition to 300 copies only, no distribution, private circulation only.
Date pre-90.06.17, when Frank Wright passed...
Ülm, Germany
title ? [71:48]
Frank Wright (sax; bass clarinet)
Frank Wollny (bass)
A.R. Penck (drums)
CD Cover
CD Back
{Primary Source: info and images via George Scala; additional info Norbert Kreutzer 05.12.26}
Butch Morris Connection: Session Recession
Mara Records 6008/9 (2CD)
Session [75:50]
Recession [69:26]
"I hear tp, tb, p, b. Thus my guess is Morris, Penck, one of the WollnyÕs on b and unknown tb. I will listen to it again, whether I have overheard a guitarist or whether the tb could be a french horn." —Norbert Kreutzer 06.01.17
Frank Wollny ( ? )
A.R. Penck (drums)
Butch Morris (trumpet)
W. Morris ( ? )
Chancey ( ? )
Alan Silva (synthesizer)
Frank Wollny (bass)
A.R. Penck (drums)
"Silva told me that The New TTT was the first thing he recorded on synth, and it was made around 1995." [Ed Hazell correspondence 02.07.22]
CD Cover
{Primary Source: http://www.avantgart.com/Schall-Penck.htm; record label, additional personnel notes via Engelbert Schramm}
TTT featuring A.R. Penck: Jeanne Lee + G. Hampel und TTTT - Stadtgarten Koeln
Mara Records 6012 (CD)
Stadtgarten Konzertsaal
Köln, Germany
Jeanne Lee (vocals)
Gunter Hampel (vibraphone; flute; bass clarinet)
Butch Morris (cornet; amplified cornet; flute)
Alan Silva (keyboard)
Frank Wollny (bass)
A.R. Penck (drums)
CD Cover
CD Back
{Primary Source: http://www.avantgart.com/Schall-Penck.htm; record label, additional personnel notes via Engelbert Schramm}
In addition to the recorded session above, the same line-up + Matthias Schubert and Markus Lüpertz performed at Kammermusiksaal in Berlin on January 11, 1992. A poster for the event, titled "Free Music Corp. IV" :::
Image courtesy German Art Server Ltd., and is for sale at ExtraLot.com.
A.R. Penck: o.t. on the road von der goldküste zum Kohlenpott - O.T. Gerichtsstr. 23 Hamburg
issued by "Galerie Michael Schultz, Mommsenstr. 32, D-10629 Berlin" (CD)
{Primary Source: Gerhard Mittenhuber 05.11.01 & 05.11.02}
Other items of interest, perhaps:
Audio-Arts Catalogue / VOLUME 6 NUMBER 2 & 3, 1983, Double issue, 2 Cassettes + 16pp booklet :::
Part 1 - Cassette 1
Interviews with: Rose Garrard &Maggi Hambling. Music & Comment by Glenn Branca, soundworks by Susan Hiller Liliane Lijn, Sharon Morris & Sonia Knox. Music: Richard Strange, A. R. Penck, Art School Bands. Sound on Sound: New tapes & records received. (2 x A)
(Part 2 - Cassette 2) NEW YORK REPORT
Soundworks by Wendy Chambers, Joan La Barbara, Annea Lockwood. Interviews with John Cage, Steve Rogers, Mary Tierney, Edward Koch, Christopher Price, Roselee Goldberg, Bob George. Music by Kazoophony and ads by Charlie Morrow. (A)
Various Artists: Rising Tones Cross / a Jazzfilm by Ebba Jahn
William and Patsy Parker Ensemble
Ebba Jahn / Film Pals (VHS) 1985 GER/USA
[This film also features Peter Kowald Trio; Billy Bang's Forbidden Planet; Peter Kowald Quartet; Charles Tyler Quintet; Don Cherry and Sound Unity Festival Orchestra; Jemeel Moondoc Sextet; Schweizer/Carl Duo; & Peter Brötzmann Ensemble.]
June 1, 1984
Sound Unity Festival
C.U.A.N.D.O. Community Center
New York City
William Parker interview [0:50]
A Thousand Cranes Opera (excerpt) [1:05]
William & Patsy Parker interview [4:45]
A Thousand Cranes Opera (excerpt) [5:40]
William & Patsy Parker interview [2:10]
The video contains the excerpts above [14:30 total] beginning at 32:00 in. —RL
Ricardo Strobert (as; fl)
Masahiko Kono (tb)
Wayne Horvitz (p)
William Parker (b)
Dennis (sic) Charles (d)
Lisa Sokolov (voc)
Jeanne Lee (voc)
Ellen Christi (voc)
Patsy Parker (dance)
Maria Mitchell (dance)
Carol Penn Muhammed (dance)
Frank Boyer (dance)
Keith Dames (dance) A.R. Penck (stage scenery)
"...and did you know he played on the festival at C.U.A.N.D.O with his own band? ...drums..." —Ebba Jahn, correspondence 02.06.13
{Primary Source: Rising Tones Cross; date via NY Times Sunday 84.05.27}
ARS Electronica 1986 [PART 01], Linz, Austria / Line-up included Triple Trip Touch with Penck (drums), Markus Lüpertz (piano), F. Wollny (guitar), and H. Wollny (bass).
Lawrence "Butch" Morris (cornet; amplified cornet; flute)
Frank Wright (sax; bass clarinet)
C. Sharpe (alto sax)
Helge Leiberg (trumpet)
Conrad Bauer (trombone)
Peter Kowald (bass)
Frank Wollny (bass)
Phil Minton (voice)
Jeanne Lee (voice)
Heinz Wollny (bass)
Dennis (sic) Charles (drums)
Gunter Sommer (drums)
Louis Moholo (drums)
Coen Aalberts (drums)
A.R. Penck (drums)
{Primary Source: WIRE #57 November 1988 p.4}
Julie Melby correspondence 03.01.26: "I think you should add Penck's artists' book 'The Secret Book of Jazz' to your list:"
Detail of 25038: The Secret Book of Jazz, PENCK, A.R., 1987, $2,250.00.
Comprised of 9 steel blocks. Loose in the original metal container, fastened with screws. Cologne and New York: 1987.
One of the more interesting "object books." Penck's homage to Jazz consists of nine plates, each engraved with the name of a celebrated Jazz musician and a symbol of his or her music: Jeane Lee's voice, Frank Wright's sax, Billi Bang's bass, and Dennis King Charles's drums are all represented here in original designs by Penck, a leading figure of the Fluxus movement. One of 30 copies, signed by Penck."
1968 / He was taking the artist name a.r. Penck (the name of a German scientist) from his name Ralf Winkler.
First exhibition in M. Werner Gallery
1972 / He joins Kassel Documenta
1975 / Exhibition "Penck Mal TM" in Bern Switzerland
1976 / First free jazz concert in Dresden
1978 / Experimental music concept with the musician Frank Wollny
1979 / First record "Afrika Paranoia"
1980 / Leaving East Germany to Cologne
Rembrandt Prize of the Goethe Foundation
1981 / Meeting for a new concept with Frank Wollny in Kerpen near Cologne
1983 / a.r. Penck and Frank Wollny moving to Hackney London East End
Foundation of TTT and touring in Europe and USA
They met Louis Moholo in London, recording "Royal Academy"
Part of the [Sound Unity] Free Jazz Festival in New York
They met Frank Wright, Dennis Charles, Frank Lowe, William Parker, Jeanne Lee, Butch Morris in town, beginning a stream of recordings
1984 / He is painting "Quo Vadis Germania" in the Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Part of the XLI Biennale di Venezia
1985 / Art Prize of the town Aachen
1988 / Retrospective exhibition in Berlin National Gallery
1989 / Painting in Los Angeles
Exhibition in F.Hoffmann Gallery
In Santa Monica recording with Frank Wollny, Butch Morris, Tylon Barea, Markus Lüpertz
1990 / Back to Germany touring and recording in Europe with Frank Wright and Frank Wollny
From this time on TTT has a basic center in Heimbach Haus Schönblick, Germany
1991 / After Frank Wright's death in Heimbach, TTT took Alan Silva in the band
Exhibition of the paintings "The Year 1989" in M. Werner Gallery
1993 / The sculpture "Delphy Helitroph" is shown in Luxemburg
1995 / Penck quit his membership of TTT and moved to Ireland
He is still working as an artist and professor in the Academy of Art
in Düsseldorf.
Born as Ralph Winkler in 1939, the young A.R. Penck was strongly shocked by the bombing of Dresden and the almost total destruction of his city. From 1961 on, he started painting some Weltbilder (Pictures of the World) haunted by images of cavemen. In 1969, he took the fictitious name of A.R. Penck (borrowed from the geographer Albrecht Penck originating from Dresden, glaciation specialist).
He finalized a pictorial language composed of elementary signs and symbols. In 1970, he defined in his publications the concept Standart ("a picture one can perceive and imitate"), to clarify the philosophical meaning of his iconography. Then he started painting black and white canvases filled with entangled hieroglyphs. In 1973, under the name of Mike Hammer, he realized some more abstract gestural series in black and white.
At the beginning of the eighties, after the dismissal of his East German nationality, he chose the exile and became one of the key figures of the Neo-Expressionism. He went then back to his archetypal characters in very big formats and in colorful canvases. Penck currently lives and works in Berlin, Hamburg and Dublin.
1968 / After school study of forestry in Tharandt
Playing guitar in an amateur band
1972 / Working as professional musician
1974 / Study of music at the Highschool in Dresden
1976 / Experimental music with actors and painters
1979 / Foundation of theatre on 3 levels with the drummer Endrik Moll and various other musicians
Starts recording with Penck: first record "Afrika Paranoia"
1982 After leaving East Germany for Athens he moved back to West Germany
He met Penck in Cologne where they discussed a new concept about
TTT as a band
Recording 3+1 in Bad Homburg West Germany
TTT starts touring at this time in Europe
Recording 4mm with drummer Detlef Kessler
1983 / Moving to London Hackney East End
Working in a studio as painter, sculptor, musician in Fawe Street
He met Butch Morris in Berlin at the Free Jazz Festival
Foundation after the new concept of TTT with a.r. Penck, Heinz Wollny, Frank Wollny in New York
Recording "Royal Academy" with Louis Moholo and "Isle in the Ocean" with Frank Lowe and Billi Bang
1984-88 / TTT was touring with Frank Wright in Europe
In between they did experimental work in the studio in London
[Many] special events like Munich Theatre Festival, ICA Free Jazz Festival in London, Pori Finland, Free Music Berlin, Kitchen Workshop in New York with Bill Dixon and Rashied Ali, Jeanne Lee, Butch Morris
Recording in some studios in New York with Dennis Charles, Frank Lowe, Billi Bang, C Sharpe, Coon Alberts, L.Ellis, Frank Wright, Peter Kowald
1988-89 / They moved to Santa Monica in an atelier in Venice
They did experimental music, painting, sculpting, photosessions
Concerts and recordings with Anna Homler, Markus Lüpertz, Tylon Barea and Butch Morris
Penck and Wollny went up to see Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart) in Trinidad California
In the end of the year Frank Wollny and Frank Wright moved back to Heimbach Eifel in Germany
1990 / Frank Wollny was creating an Art Centre
TTT as a conceptional unit, what it meant, the place, exhibition, performances and music took place in Haus Schönblick
After Frank Wright's death the homage of Frank Wright became the biggest event of the year
The bass player Alan Silva became the new T
Monthly events happened with different artists and musicians like Paul Lovens, Peter Kowald, Rûdiger Carl, Conrad Bauer, Gunther Hampel, Butch Morris, Wilber Morris, Bobby Few, Kidd Jordan, Noah Howard and many others were part of the events
1999 / Frank Wollny moved to Vlatten (vlatten@t-online.de)
TTT became a new face: the basic band is now Kidd Jordan sax, Jesus Caneloni sax, Markus Lüepertz piano, Louis Moholo drums, Frank Wollny bass.
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