AMERICAN BLUES AND FOLK FESTIVAL German Concert poster (1972) - The Art of Gunther Kieser (Part 1)
GUNTHER KIESER IS A GENIUS. The Premier German concert poster artist of the second part of the 20th Century as proven by this 10 part Blog.
Born in Germany in 1930, he designed over three hundred concert posters (and in a lesser measure movie posters) between 1955 and now and established his style as one of the most visually arresting and iconoclastic of this genre, bringing it into the museums around the world.
His first designs were for Jazz concerts - his first love (see Part 2 and 3 of this Blog) for the German promoters Lipmann and Rau for whom he later became the artistic director. His style evolved from simple German minimalistic graphic to much more elaborate pieces involving wood, flowers, metal and cardboard, earning him the moniker of the Modern Arcimboldo in reference to the Italian genial painter.
His best loved and most sought after series is actually for the now legendary American Blues and Folk Festival series which laster between 1962 and 1983 in Germany bringing Black bluesmen for the first time to white European audiences. (see a fabulous 1965 performance with Buddy Guy and Big Mama Thornton here) . All the posters are designed in a guitar shape and are extremely creative.
The above large poster for the 1972 edition with Memphis Slim and T-Bone Walker is my favorite. Creative, erotic, fun, irreverential the ass guitar shaped design is one which is now a true classic and a perfect introduction to Gunther Kieser’s genius and concert poster art.
More Kieser posters here
If you like this entry, check the other 9 parts of this week’s Blog
AMERICAN BLUES AND FOLK FESTIVAL German Concert poster courtesy of ILLUSTRACTION GALLERY
5:01 pm • 30 May 2012 • View comments
ELLA FITZGERALD German Concert poster (1960)-The Art of Gunther Kieser (Part 2)
Norman Granz, the head of the legendary VERVE Jazz label put tour packages together with some of his key artists under the title Jazz At The Philarmonic after the best selling record of the same name. That Jazz caravan toured Europe for several years each year with many of their performances recorded on vinyl.
The star was undoubtedly the Queen of Scat, the First Lady of Jazz, Ella Fitzgerald whose portrait agains a vivid red backdrop is one of the highlights of Gunther Kieser’s early career.
Simplicity was then his trademark with a simple photo of the key artist enhanced by a rich color tone and clever use of fonts and letterings. Moving along that simplicity will vanish for more creative designs but the power of Gunther Kieser’s art remains
Check the version of Mack The Knife which was made famous one year later in the now classic LP Ella Live In Berlin recorded in 1961
More Kieser posters here
If you like this entry, check the other 9 parts of this week’s Blog
ELLA FITZGERALD German Concert poster courtesy of ILLUSTRACTION GALLERY
5:01 pm • 30 May 2012 • View comments
JAZZ BALL FESTIVAL German Concert poster (1967) - The Art of Gunther Kieser (Part 3)
As we’ve seen in Part 2, Jazz was Gunther Kieser’s first love. In 1967 he became more adventurous in his style, embracing the Pop Art movement that was all the furor then. He started playing around with vivid psychedelic colors in many of his posters in 1966 and 1967 notably for his Sam and Dave and Ray Charles posters (both are impossibly rare) among others.
The large Jazz Ball Festival which took place in Frankfurt is undoubtedly his most daring and unique in his oeuvre having a comic book art feel - completely detached from the big bands playing on the show: Woody Herman or the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
Check this great video of Woody Herman’s Big Band playing their standard Caldonia
A rarity and a piece which would definitely enrich the conversation once on your wall
More Kieser posters here
If you like this entry, check the other 9 parts of this week’s Blog
JAZZ BALL FESTIVAL German Concert poster courtesy of ILLUSTRACTION GALLERY
5:01 pm • 30 May 2012 • View comments
BOSSA NOVA DO BRASIL German concert poster (1966) - The Art of Gunther Kieser (Part 4)
Rio de Janeiro, the Corcovado and the Sugar Loaf were like mythical places to the western world thanks to the music of legendary Brazilian artists, Gilberto Gil, Chico Buarque, Tom Jobim, Caetano Veloso, Joa Gilberto... who invented the Bossa Nova musical genre, one of the most sensual music ever created (both conveying joy and sadness simultaneously)
In 1966 and on the back of the first TV show organized in Brazil featuring many of the genre stars, a concert package was put together to tour Europe including Edu Lobo and Marilia Medlahia. Check their fabulous version of the classic Ponteio and marvel at the Brazilian audience response
The large German poster for the Berlin november show is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful that artist Gunther Kieser created. A masterpiece symbolizing the mixed cultural society ad music that Brazil exudes.
More Kieser posters here
If you like this entry, check the other 9 parts of this week’s Blog
BOSSA NOVA DO BRASIL German Concert poster courtesy of ILLUSTRACTION GALLERY
5:01 pm • 30 May 2012 • View comments
FLAMENCO GITANO FESTIVAL German Concert posters (1967 / 1967 / 1970 / 1971) - The Art of Gunter Kieser (Part 5)
A highly cultured audience, the Germans loved not only their Blues (part 1), Indian (part 6), Brazilian (Part 4) music but also their Flamenco and Spanish music.
From 1965 till the late 1970’s Lippmann and Rau brought the best Flamenco bands, singers and dancers to German towns. the 1965 festival wa sfilmed and recently released on DVD (see trailer here)
While the later shows included Flamenco legends Paco de Lucia and Camaron de la Isla, no one could top the sheer sensuality of dancer and true queen of the Flamenco, Antonita La Isla aslso know as La Isla. see how fabulous she is in this very rare video. a Must see !
Gunther Kieser designed all the posters for those festivals and featured the raw face of La Isla prominently in the 1967 posters. Sexual, raw, strong, passionate summing up what flamenco is all about.
Love the 1971 poster with its lightly rainbow hues over the woman’s dress
More Kieser posters here
If you like this entry, check the other 9 parts of this week’s Blog
FLAMENCO GITANO FESTIVAL German Concert posters courtesy of ILLUSTRACTION GALLERY
5:01 pm • 30 May 2012 • 2 notes • View comments
ROBERT PATTERSON SINGERS German Concert posters (1971 and 1972) - the Art of Gunther Kieser (Part 7)
Concert promoters Lippman and Rau kept on bringing all kind of musical performers to the highly educated German audience. Gospel music was among the most liked even thoough it was estranged to Germany’s Lutherian and catholict churches, making it even more exotic
Among the many Gospel groups, The Robert Patterson Singers were the most soulful, touring Europe and Germany relentlessly between the end of the 60’s and the 1970’s
Check their (audio only) version of People Get Ready..inspiring
The two posters above are respectively (left to right) for their 1972 and 1971 german tours. Gunther Kieser gave them a colorful tone contrasting with the dark skin of the singers. The 1972 poster is one of my favorites as it could be a Fashion magazine cover.
More Kieser posters here
If you like this entry, check the other 9 parts of this week’s Blog
ROBERT PATTERSON SINGERS German Concert posters courtesy of ILLUSTRACTION GALLERY
5:01 pm • 30 May 2012 • View comments
RAVI SHANKAR German Concert poster (1968) - The Art of Gunther Kieser (Part 6)
After his performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 (video here) on the back of George Harrison support, Indian sitar player and Master, Ravi Shankar started enjoying worldwide recognition bringing the complexity and beauty of indian music to the Western masses.
In 1968 he moved from small Cultural theaters to larger Rock size venues including in Germany where the audience was truly as quiet as accepting of his art.
The poster for his 1968 Frankfurt concert is another example of Gunther Kieser’s creativity with Shankar’s body painted in a swirling of Indian like colors. (sold out !)
More Kieser posters here
If you like this entry, check the other 9 parts of this week’s Blog
RAVI SHANKAR German Concert poster courtesy of ILLUSTRACTION GALLERY
5:00 pm • 30 May 2012 • View comments
JEFF BECK German Concert poster (1972) - The Art of Gunther Kieser (Part 8)
THE best guitar player without contest. Jeff Beck is the Guitar hero’s hero and in 1972 with his mighty band, he completely annihilated the competition with his whiz technique and unequaled touch and feeling.
Check here his performance of Definitely Maybe on the German TV show Beat Club in 1972
For the band’s concert in Frankfurt on April 8 1972, Gunther Kieser perfectly captures his crow like hairdo and dark features in a dual portrait enhancing beck’s mystery and animality
More Kieser posters here
If you like this entry, check the other 9 parts of this week’s Blog
JEFF BECK German Concert poster courtesy of ILLUSTRACTION GALLERY
5:00 pm • 30 May 2012 • 7 notes • View comments
IKE and TINA TURNER German Concert poster (1971) - The Art of Gunther Kieser Part 9)
Romance always need flowers and in 1971 Ike & Tina Turner still were pretty much in love despite Ike’s iron fist domination over his wife and his band, one of the tightest in music history (except for James Brown’s).
They were at the height of the musical power having toured with The Rolling Stones and embarking on their biggest European Tour in 1971. The video here taken from their Beat Club german TV performance proves that point. Raw, erotic and powerful!
Gunther Kieser designed this poster in a very romantic way with the faces of the couple in pastel colors and in a blooming flower.
More Kieser posters here
If you like this entry, check the other 9 parts of this week’s Blog
IKE and TINA TURNER German Concert poster courtesy of ILLUSTRACTION GALLERY
5:00 pm • 30 May 2012 • 1 note • View comments
FLEETWOOD MAC German Concert poster - The Art of Gunther Kieser (Part 10)
This large poster was designed for a show in Munich on January 18 1970 when Fleetwood Mac was still a blues quintet with 3 guitar players including guitar genius Peter Greene. However when one looks at the band’s diary, it never happened. This make this poster a true rarity.
Here’s a video of their 1970 Stockholm concert playing the Green Manalishi
The doll that poster artist Gunther Kieser used is one of the most iconic images of the concert poster world and a fitting ending to this 10 part tribute to his true graphic genius.
More Kieser posters here
If you like this entry, check the other 9 parts of this week’s Blog
FLEETWOOD MAC German Concert poster courtesy of ILLUSTRACTION GALLERY
5:00 pm • 30 May 2012 • 2 notes • View comments
