Wolfgang Fuchs

Fuchs is best known as the founder and leader of King Übü Örchestrü, a ten-piece free improvisation ensemble that combines reed, string, percussion, and brass instruments with electronics. Fuchs played guitar and mandolin as a small child. From 1969-1974 he studied clarinet and saxophone at the Music Academy of Karlsruhe. At the Academy, Fuchs played in big bands for the first time and met other musicians interested in improvisation. Fuchs moved to Berlin in 1974. He founded King Übü in 1983; the band also includes such prominent European improvisers as Phillip Wachsmann and Paul Lytton. Fuchs has recorded several albums for the FMP label, as leader of King Übü and in combination with musicians such as Louis Sclavis, Hans Koch, Evan Parker, and Tony Oxley. With Koch and Peter van Bergen, Fuchs has also performed and recorded with in the trio Holz Für Europa. He also performs in duos with Georg Katzer, Jean-Marc Montera, and Fernando Grillo. ~ Chris Kelsey