Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra

 

plays the music of

 

Frank Zappa

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / live at the Zappanale #27 / Lex Bronkowitz aka Alexander Debus, Katharina Debus, Philip Mestwerdt, Carl Albrecht, Frieder Loch

Photo by Steffen Schindler

News


We are still Working on a new album

Today:

Frieder plays the Bridge from "Flakes" to the gand finale of "Watermelon in Easter Hay"

 

 

Band


Musicians who will be featured on the new album:

Katharina Debus: Vocals

Peter Peters: Drums

Carl Albrecht: Bass

Daria Mitina: Rhodes

Frieder Loch: Rhodes / Piano / Pipe Organ

Lex Bronkowitz: Guitars / Moogs / Arrangements

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / live at the Zappanale #27 / Lex Bronkowitz aka Alexander Debus, Philip Mestwerdt, Katharina Debus, Carl Albrecht, Frieder Loch

Peter Peters, Lex Bronkowitz, Carl Albrecht


Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / live at the Zappanale #27 / Lex Bronkowitz aka Alexander Debus, Philip Mestwerdt, Katharina Debus, Carl Albrecht, Frieder Loch

Lex Bronkowitz, Philip Mestwerdt, Katharina Debus, Carl Albrecht, Frieder Loch

Photo by Steffen Schindler


Former Band Members:

 2010-2013

Peter Thomas: Mallets

Roman Storch: Drums

Guests:

Sebastian Borkowski: Saxophone

Johnny Johnson: Trombone

Philipp Kacza: Trumpet

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / Former Members - Peter Thomas and Roman Storch

Peter Thomas, Roman Storch

Photo by Phoebe

Guests in 2002:

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra Plays The Music of Frank Zappa /

Inga Kjer: Trombone - Anna Sevecke: Trumpet - BQuadrat: Raps

Reviews


"You have a real good thing going, I haven`t heard a band in years playing Zappa like this. I think, Frank would have liked your arrangements, because you personalized his compositions to fit you, without treating them in the way that they hurt the composer. It was a pleasure to meet you and to play with you!"
Napoleon Murphy Brock – worked with Frank Zappa in the 1970s and 1980s. 

 

"I've been listening to your CD a lot the last few weeks. Its beautifully recorded and performed and I love the arrangements you've made! Very creative interpretations, especially blending several tunes into new medleys. It certainly lets your CD stand on its own against the original Zappa versions. Well done Lex - definitely a CD to be proud of."
Phi Yaan-Zek

 

In fact this is one of the most invigorating and satisfying Zappa tributes I've heard. It stands on its own as excellent music in its own right. Now that's very cool!"
Gapplegate Guitar and Bass Blog

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / live at the Zappanale #27 / Carl Albrecht, Katharina Debus, Lex Bronkowitz aka Alexander Debus

"Massive respect to you for what you're doing, especially the way you are re-interpreting FZ's music in your own way."
Glyn Bush / Basic FM Radio

 

"This is top. The arrangements and transpositions are beautiful. The instrumentation is superb. All of it.
And most of all, I like the puzzle. There are little hints and references everywhere. I love it. Highly recommended."
United Mutations

 

"Great job!"
Bob Harris
worked with Frank Zappa in the 1980s.

STRICTLY GRAVY


Shop


- Strictly Gravy -

FZIO / 2013

 

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / Strictly Gravy / Lex Bronkowitz aka Alexander Debus, Katharina Debus, Peter Thomas, Carl Albrecht, Roman Storch, Johnny Johnson, Philipp Kacza, Sebastian Borkowski, FZIO, Claus Hofrichter

Videos


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Pictures


Live at Zappanale #27 / Germany / 2016

Photos by Steffen Schindler

Live at Zappaloween / Netherlands / 2015

Photos by Bazbo

Live at Mosae Zappa / Netherlands / 2012

Biography


Scroll down for the biography in English.

Bio / Deutsch

Lex Bronkowitz war zwölf Jahre alt, als er sich mit dem Zappa-Virus infizierte. Die Alben „Lumpy Gravy“ und „Sheik Yerbouti“ eröffneten dem jungen Gitarristen ein neues musikalisches Universum. Die Komplexität der Kompositionen und die Freiheit von Frank Zappas Gitarrenspiel waren fur ihn Irritation und Offenbarung zugleich.


Bronkowitz, damals Gitarrist der Band -Strange- (u. a. Rock am Ring, Strange Noise Festival), hörte sich durch das umfangreiche Werk Zappas und wollte sich bald noch eingehender mit der Musik dieses Meisters befassen. Seit 1998 entstanden in seinem Hamburger Homestudio dutzende Re-Arrangements von Zappa-Kompositionen. Damals schon mit von der Partie war als Sängerin seine Schwester Katharina Debus, die sich später unter anderem durch ihre Zusammenarbeit mit Bobby McFerrin einen internationalen Namen machte.


2011 begeisterte er namhafte Musiker für eine Live Besetzung des Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra: Peter Thomas und Roman Storch (Principals bei Lion King), Johnny Johnson und Philipp Kacza (Jan Delay & Disko No.1), Sebastian Borkowski (Jazzanova) und Katharina Debus (Slixs). Mit ihnen entstand die Debut-CD -Strictly Gravy-, die das niederländische Label FZIO 2013 in Europa veröffentlichte.

 

Frank Zappas Musik wird zerlegt und von Bronkowitz neu kombiniert, reharmonisiert und in einen groove-orientierten Kontext gestellt. Dadurch – und nicht zuletzt durch die unverwechselbare Stimme seiner Schwester – entsteht der charakteristische Bronkowitz-Sound.

 

Auch fur die aktuelle Besetzung konnte Bronkowitz erstklassige Musiker gewinnen. Seit 2014 gehören neben Philip Mestwerdt am Schlagzeug und Frieder Loch am Rhodes/Moog/Clavinet weiterhin der langjährige Bronkowitz-Bassist Carl Albrecht und die Sängerin Katharina Debus fest zum Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra.

 

Derzeit arbeitet Bronkowitz am nächsten Album, das Ende 2018 wieder unter dem niederländischen FZIO Label veröffentlicht wird.

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / Katharina Debus and Lex Bronkowitz aka Alexander Debus

Katharina Debus and Lex Bronkowitz

Bio / English

Lex Bronkowitz was twelve years old when he got infected by the Zappa Virus. The albums "Lumpy Gravy" and "Sheik Yerbouti" opened a new musical universe to the young guitarrist. The complexity and freedom of Frank Zappa`s guitar play were irritation and revelation to him at the same time.


Bronkowitz, back then guitarist of the band "Strange" (amongst other things "Rock am Ring", "Strange Noise Festival"), listened through the extensive work of Zappa and then wanted to occupy himself more closely with the music of the master. From 1998 on there originated dozens of re-arrangements of Zappa compositions in his homestudio in Hamburg. Already at that time his sister Katharina Debus was in on it; later she internationally made a name for herself by her cooperation with Bobby McFerrin.

 

In 2011 could elate well-known musicians for a live cast of the Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra: Peter Thomas and Roman Storch (Principals at Lion King), Johnny Johnson and Philipp Kacza (Jan Delay & Disko No.1), Sebastian Borkowski (Jazzanova) and Katharina Debus (Slixs). Together with them the debut CD "Strictly Gravy" was developed, which was published in Europe in 2013 by the dutch label "FZIO".

Frank Zappa`s music has been parted and then new combined, re-harmonized and placed into a groove-oriented context by Bronkowitz. This – and of course the distinctive voice of his sister – creates the characteristical Bronkowitz sound.

Also for the actual cast Bronkowitz could enlist first-class musicians. Since 2014 besides longtime Bronkowitz bassist Carl Albrecht and singer Katharina Debus also Philip Mestwerdt on drums and Frieder Loch on Rhodes/Moog/Clavinet belong to the Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra.

 

The Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra is currently working on the next album, which will be released under the dutch FZIO label in late 2018

Discography


Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra Plays The Music of Frank Zappa

Strictly Gravy / FZIO 2013

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / Strictly Gravy / FZIO 2013

Get dressed or arrested / 1998

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / Get dressed or arrested / 1998

I´m only on him for the money / 2002

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / I´m only on him for the money / 2002

The dangling kitchen session / 2004

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / The dangling kitchen session / 2004

Plays FZ / 2005

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / Plays FZ / 2005

Great boogly moogly / 2007

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / Great boogly moogly / 2007

Live


Past Concerts:

 28. Oktober 2017

Music Made Me Millionaire-Party / Zeisehallen / Hamburg / Deutschland

(geschlossene Gesellschaft)

15, Juli 2016

Zappanale #27 / Bad Doberan / Deutschland

11. Ferbruar 2016

Salon Hansen / Lüneburg / Deutschland

31. Oktober 2015

Zappaloween - Artcafe SamSam / Apeldoorn / Netherlands

5. Juni 2015

Lichtung / Köln / Deutschland

2. Juni 2012

Moase Zappa / Heerlen / Netherlands

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra plays the music of Frank Zappa / live at Zappaloween / Katharina Debus, Philip Mestwerdt, Lex Bronkowitz aka Alexander Debus

Photo and Rubber Chicken by Bazbo

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Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra / Logo / B

Lex Bronkowitz Orchestra

Lex Bronkowitz aka Alexander Debus

Lex@Lex-Bronkowitz.com