The Work of Claus Ogerman

Claus Ogerman's Invovement with two Polydor recording artists - Max Greger and Kurt Edelhagen:

Max Greger is one of the most famous dance orchestra leaders in Germany. From 1960 until 1990 he was the most famous dance music man. But in the 1950s he had one of the best German Jazz Big Bands. In the 1950s, Klaus Ogermann was the pianist and an arranger for the Max Greger German Big Band.

The below is text thought to be written by Klaus Ogermann. It has been translated from the original German by Suitbert Kempkes:

"1950 - I have made the first Recordings/Polydor for Telefunken in Munich. During much difficult technical and premises assumptions. Herbert Grenzebach (production chief at Telefunken (between 1931 - 1964) was the employer.

Max Greger had in that time a combo. Staff: Greger, tenor-sax., Hugo Strasser, alto-sax and clarinet, Delle Haensch, alto-, and baritone-sax, Rolf Schneebiegl, trumpet and vibes, Max Büttermann, trombone, Werner Scharfenberger and later Claus Ogerman, piano, Silo Deutsch, drums. The Bass players changed a few times. Greger played nearly every day in American Clubs and often on Bavarian Radio. Recordings/Polydor also [made] at WDR Cologne.

My first record with Greger was "Harry-Lime-Theme" in dixieland version. From that stuff came out Max Greger's Enzian-Sextett, a swinging Bavarian Pop-Formation, later often copied by others.

From 1951 on we made the combo greater for records into a bigband with 17 musicians. Grenzebach leaves us the name "Großes Telefunken-Tanzorchester". This name hadn't the meaning as in times before the war. With the Bigband I produced instrumentals. I used it also to accompany an ensemble for soloists like Gitta Lind, Kary Barnet, Margot Hielscher, Vico Torriani and others. We also made [Recordings/Polydor] with the Enzian-Sextett (instrumental and accompaniment Recordings/Polydor). Soloists were, for example, Otto Storr, the Isar-Spatzen [Isar-Sparrows] and some of the Bavarian local greats as Heinz-Maria Lins (soloist of the choir of the Bavarian Radio-who lives on).

With Ernst Jäger I have never done Recordings/Polydor. Jäger was a great trombone player and he had his own good bigband (in the style of Tommy Dorsey).

From 1953/54 on, I worked with Max Greger - nearly 20 years for Polydor. Some Recordings/Polydor for Electrola and Ariola only were marginal."

Max Greger's Big Band as it appeared in the 1950s (pianist Klaus Ogermann, end, far left)

Of Note: Greger's Big Band Clarinetist/Saxophonist Hugo Strasser (2nd from right, pictured above) co-wrote several compositions with Klaus Ogermann and Klaus also arranged at least one piece of music (the collaborated Tanzende Trompeten) for Hugo Strasser and His Dance Orchestra. Saxophonist Delle Haensch (end, far right, pictured above) had his own musical group as well (Delle Haensch Jump Combo) where Klaus Ogermann was composer, arranger, pianist & vocalist.

Also note that on the musicians' music stands (underneath Max Greger's name) is pictured the logo then used for Polydor Records, Germany.
This was the record label most associated with Greger & his band in their heyday.

Kurt Edelhagen, like rival bandleader Max Greger, had one of the best dance orchestras in all of Germany. His musicians were top-notch and his Recordings/Polydor featured impeccable playing of first-class arrangements. Claus Ogerman was a singer and pianist with Kurt Edelhagen's Big Band (exact year(s) for this have not yet been determined, but it is thought to be before Ogerman joined Max Greger's Band). At the present time, these Recordings/Polydor have not been located and, therefore, information about them cannot be listed on this website.
Additionally, according to the Archives at WDR (Cologne, Germany), Claus Ogerman arranged two pieces for Orchester Kurt Edelhagen in 1960. In that time, Kurt Edelhagen played for WDR in Cologne. The two Ogerman arrangements for Edelhagen were "Penthouse Serenade" and "The Music Goes 'Round and Around". Ogerman also arranged a version of Scriabin's "Prelude" for Edelhagen, which was recorded in 1967. None of these were pressed for any public Recordings/Polydor and are presumed to have been for radio airplay only.
However, there are several Kurt Edelhagen albums released to the public which are listed and pictured on this site (including the one above). These contain both arrangements by Claus Ogerman as well as original compositions by Claus Ogerman.

Ogerman-Edelhageninfo.pdf - Text [IN GERMAN] from an internet forum describing some of Claus Ogerman's work for Kurt Edelhagen.

Ogerman-edelhagen-Eng.pdf - Text [IN ENGLISH] from an internet forum describing some of Claus Ogerman's work for Kurt Edelhagen (translated by Wolfgang Weissbrodt).

Various Artists, "Deutsche Schlager 1956-1957", Universal/Polydor [Germany] #731453940024 (1997).[3 CD Box Set]
All material on this box set was originally recorded in 1956 and 1957.

This box set contains this track on CD #3:

Track 12. Bongo Rock (Composed by Ogermann/Bradtke)

Performed by Max Greger's Orchestra With Singers.

Colette Dereal, "Colette Dereal", Polydor [France] #657002 (19__).[LP]
Klaus Ogermann co-composed the track "Je Serai La".

Various Artists, "Medianoche En Munich", Polydor [Argentina] #240 37 (mono) (1953).[10" LP]

This is an Argentina pressing of the "Midnight in Munich" album originally released on Brunswick in Germany, listed and pictured elsewhere on this site.

Musical groups included on this record: Max Greger and His Big Band, The Dixie Maximators, The German Jazz-Poll Winners of 1953 and many other soloists.

Musician personnel of The Dixie Maximators: Fritz Weichbrodt, trumpet; Max Büttermann, trombone, Hugo Strasser, clarinet; Klaus Ogermann, piano; Hans Lehmann, bass; Sylo Deutsch, drums. (Webmaster's Note: this is the only known information on this group at this time.)

Musician personnel of The German Jazz-Poll Winners of 1953: Fred Bunge, trumpet; Gunter Fuhlisch, trombone; Delle Haensch, alto sax; Max Greger, tenor sax; Paul Kuhn, piano; Max Büttermann, bass, Teddy Paris, drums; Klaus Ogermann, arranger. (Webmaster's Note: this is the only known information on this group at this time.)

Paul Kuhn and Klaus Ogermann were the solo pianists on this album. Ogermann is also an arranger on the album (The Beat, Rosetta, Night Cap). He is featured in a Piano Solo: "MiM-Boogie".

Various Artists, "Jazz Made in Germany", Polydor [Germany] #45 508 A/B (1953).[10-inch LP]

Klaus Ogermann plays piano on at least two tracks on this record.

Tracklist:

Hawaiian War Chant
Non Stop Riff
How High The Moon
Sweet Georgia Brown
The Mess Is Here
Sabre Dance Boogie
Sound Koller
C Jam Blues
Night Cap

Max Greger und sein Enzian-Sextett - Das Orchester Carl de Groof, "Die Geschwister Fahrnberger", Polydor [Germany] #45 148 (1958).[LP]

This LP contains an original Ogermann composition, "Es lauten die Glocken am Konigsee" described as a "Langsamer Walzer" (slow waltz) from the Gloria-Farbfilm Weisser Holunder.

Max Greger and His Ballroom Orchestra, "Ballroom in Berlin", Polydor [Germany] #237 527 SLPHM (19__).[LP]

This album contains these tracks arranged by Claus Ogerman:

Du, Du, Du
Das War in Schöneberg
Ich Hab So Heimweh Nach Dem Kurfürstendamm
Wenn Der Weisse Flieder Wieder Blüht

LINER NOTES from the original LP, uncredited:

LINERS.JPG

Max Greger y su Orquesta, "Noche de Baile en Berlin", Polydor [Argentina] #250-104 (mono) (19__).[LP]

This is the Argentina version of the Polydor album "Ballroom in Berlin" directly above, with identical tracklist (but in Spanish).

Album contains four tracks arranged by Claus Ogerman.

Max Greger and His Ballroom Orchestra, "Ballroom in Vienna", Polydor [Germany] #237 533 SLPHM (19__).[LP]

This album contains these Claus Ogerman arrangements:

Gern Hab' Ich Die Frau'n Geküsst
Erst Wenn's Aus Wird Sein
Vilja-Lied
Wien, Du Stadt Meiner Träume

LINER NOTES from the original LP, uncredited:

Liners.JPG

Kurt Edelhagen and his Orchestra, "Ballroom in London", Polydor [Germany] #46345 LPHM [mono]/ #237 545 SLPHM [stereo] (1960).[LP]
LP cover shows London's Piccadilly Circus in the evening.
From the album cover: "Music arranged by Klaus Ogermann, New York".

Tracklist:

Side 1

1. Lambeth Walk *

2. The Very Thought of You

3. Sleepy Lagoon *

4. The Gipsy

5. Cruising Down The River

6. Isle Of Capri *

Side 2

1. The Hokey Cokey *

2. Red Sails In The Sunset #

3. Meet Mr. Callaghan * #

4. I've Got A Lovely Bunch Of Cocoanuts

5. We'll Gather Lilacs

6. Show Me The Way To Go Home *

Legend:
* Denotes that track also appears on Kurt Edelhagen's "Portrait" LP
# Denotes that track also appears on Kurt Edelhagen's "International" LP

LINER NOTES from the original LP, uncredited:

Ballroom-liner1.JPG

Ballroom-liner2.JPG