Manfred Leuchter Explained

Manfred Leuchter
Birth Place:	Würselen, Germany
Genre:	Jazz, World music
Occupation:	Musician, arranger, music producer
Instrument:	Accordion
Years Active:	1999–present
Label:	Acoustic Music (rough trade)
Associated Acts:	Reinhard Mey

Manfred Johannes Leuchter (born 15 June 1960 in Würselen, Germany) is a German accordionist, composer, pianist and producer of various musical genres. His stylistic influences include rock and pop, jazz and ballads, as well as African and Middle Eastern music.

In the early 2000s, Leuchter was invited by the German Goethe-Institut for concerts with his jazz band in India,^[1] Romania, Morocco, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Palestine and Lebanon. Following encounters with local musicians, he performed and recorded with the Hewar jazz fusion band from Syria or with oud player Driss el Maloumi in Morocco. Leuchter lives and works in Aachen, Germany, and also stayed for extended periods in Marrakesh, Morocco.

In addition, Leuchter works as a producer for various artists, such as German singer-songwriter Reinhard Mey, for whom he has produced various albums and played in live concerts.^[2] Further, he has been active as sound engineer as well as composer of music for theatre productions.

Lineup

• Duo: Manfred Leuchter (accordion); Ian Melrose (fingerstyle guitar, whistles)^[3]
• Trio: Manfred Leuchter (accordion); Afra Mussawisade (percussion); Florian Zenker (guitar)
• Quartet: Manfred Leuchter (accordion); Steffen Thormählen (drums, percussion); Antoine Pütz (electric bass, guembri); Sebastian Pottmeier or Heribert Leuchter (bass, alto, soprano saxophone)

Discography

• Theaterkompositionen (1999)
• Sparito (2000)
• Arabesque (2001)
• Nomade, with Heribert Leuchter (2003)
• Pas de Trois, Trio with Afra Mussawisade and Karim Othman-Hassan (2004)
• Space (2004)
• Zina (2006)
• Nine days of Solitude, The Damascus Session with Hewar and Lena Chamamyan (2007)^[4]
• Vis à Vis, Duo with Ian Melrose (2008)
• Kein schöner Land, with Ian Melrose (2011)
• Carpe Momentum, with Ian Melrose (2012)

External links

• • Manfred Leuchter personal story in English
• Manfred Leuchter on Youtube

Notes and References

1. Web site: Aachener Zeitung. 2003-04-10. Aachen: Manfred Leuchter auf Indien-Tournee. 10 July 2020. Aachener Zeitung. de.
2. News: Rother. Sabine. New album by Reinhard Mey: Manfred Leuchter is producing him again. Aachener Zeitung. 6 May 2016. German.
3. News: Hitzemann. Thomas. Manfred Leuchter and Ian Melrose in the Lutherhaus. Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung. 18 March 2018. German.
4. Book: Brinkmann. Katja. Syria: between Damascus, Palmyra, Aleppo and the Euphrates. 2011. Trescher Verlag. 978-3897941847. 90. German.