Alex Riel


Alex Riel was a Danish jazz and rock drummer. His first group, the Alex Riel/Palle Mikkelborg Quintet, won the Montreux Grand Prix Award at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1968. He was married to the writer Ane Riel.
WWW alexriel.dkFB 100062987240790

Biography

Riel recorded with, among others, Booker Ervin, Kenny Drew, Kenny Werner, Bob Brookmeyer, Thomas Clausen, Bill Evans, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Donald Byrd, Don Cherry, Thad Jones, and Ben Webster. He formed a jazz ensemble with bass player Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. Riel was also a founding member in 1968 of the Danish rock group The Savage Rose. His album The Riel Deal won a Danish Grammy for Best Danish Jazz Album in 1996.
In September 2010, Riel's 70th birthday celebration at the Jazzhus Montmartre was broadcast live with the title Celebration of a Living Jazz Legend by the Danish national television station TV2.

Personal life and death

Riel married crime fiction author Ane Riel in 2002. They lived in Liseleje in North Zealand from 2005 until his death. He died at his home there on 9 June 2024, at the age of 83.

Awards

Discography

As leader

Alex Riel Trio – with Kenny Drew, Niels-Henning Ørsted PedersenEmergence – with Jesper Lundgaard, Jerry Bergonzi The Riel Deal – with Kenny Werner, Jerry BergonziUnriel – with Jerry Bergonzi, Michael Brecker, Eddie Gómez, Mike Stern, Niels Lan DokyDSB Kino – with Harry Sweets Edison, Roger KellawayRielatin – with Jerry Bergonzi, Mike Stern, Kenny WernerCelebration Live at Jive – with Luts Büchner Quartet
  • Alex Riel Trio: What Happened?
  • Alex Riel Trio: The High & The Mighty
  • Alex Riel Quartet: Live at Stars – with Charlie Mariano
  • Alex Riel Quartet: Riel Time
  • ''Get Riel''

As sideman

With Steve DobrogoszConfessions Scary Bright – with Berit Andersson
With Kenny DorhamScandia Skies Short Story
With Dexter GordonCheese Cake King Neptune Love for Sale It's You or No One Billie's Bounce Loose Walk Misty Heartaches Ladybird More Than You Know Swiss Nights Vol. 1 Swiss Nights Vol. 2 Swiss Nights Vol. 3 Lullaby for a Monster
With Karin KrogYou Must Believe in Spring Love Songs Something Borrowed … Something New – with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Kenny Drew
With Warne MarshJazz Exchange Vol. 1 Live at the Montmartre Club – with Lee Konitz
With Jackie McLeanLive at Montmartre Ode to Super – with Gary BartzA Ghetto Lullaby The Meeting – with Dexter GordonThe Source – with Dexter Gordon
With Palle MikkelborgThe Mysterious Corona – with RadiojazzgruppenAshoka Suite/Guadiana/Concert
With The Savage RoseThe Savage Rose In the Plain Travelin Your Daily Gift Refugee Babylon Dødens triumf
With Archie SheppThe House I Live In – with Lars GullinFrankfurt Workshop '78: Tenor Saxes – with George Adams, Heinz SauerDevil Blues
With Sahib ShihabSahib's Jazz Party Sahib Shihab and The Danish Radio Jazz Group
With Stuff SmithLive at the Montmartre Swingin' Stuff Violin Summit – with Stéphane Grappelli, Svend Asmussen, Jean-Luc Ponty
With Ben WebsterIntimate! Blue Light Duke's in Bed! Stormy Weather – with Kenny Drew My Man: Live at Montmartre 1973 Saturday Night at the Montmartre Atmosphere for Lovers and Thieves Midnight at the Montmartre Sunday Morning at the Montmartre
With others'