For over 54 years as a professional drummer Charly Antolini swirls about the jazz world’s stages! Born in Zurich, he received one of the famous drummers in the city schools, the craft tools, basic training as a drummer.
Already in 1956 he started his professional career in Paris as soon as a drummer and played with such famous American jazz musicians like Sidney Bichet, Albert Nicholas, Bill Coleman, and various musicians from the Paris jazz scene. Success was not long in coming: appearances at festivals in Paris, Biarritz, Barcelona, Milan, Brussels made in fast-known, and several leading jazz groups in Europe have secured the skills of the swing drum, jack of all trades.
In 1962 he moved to Stuttgart and played there including 5 years in the big band by Erwin Lehn. Other engagements in the big bands of Peter Herbolzheimer, Kurt Edelhagen, Max Greger and the NDR Big Band. During this period, numerous recordings were made with leading jazz musicians of swing and bebop, such as Roy Eldridge, Earl “Father” Hines, Buddy de Franco, Jimmy Giuffre, Dusko Goykovich, Art Van Damme, Art Farmer, Baden Powel, Albert Mangelsdorff, Wolfgang Dauner, Stuff Smith, Oliver Nelson and many others.
In 1976, Charly Antolini his own band – “JAZZ POWER” and toured with this band at all major stages and in jazz clubs in Europe. In addition to the regular cast Steve Hooks (Ts), Andrei Lobanov (Trp), David Gazarov (piano) and Rocky Knauer (bass), Charlie invites again top international musicians – the best jazz musicians from the USA and Europe it is just good enough. Through the cooperation of “POWER JAZZ” with guests such as Benny Bailey, Danny Moss, Brian Lemon Jiggs Whigham, Joe Gallardo, Aladar Pege, Len Skeat, Glenn Zottolla, Sal Nistiko, Steve Good and Dick Morrissey – to name a few – there are always sold out musical highlights and rousing jazz Erlebnisse.
1979 made Charly Antolini furore with the long-playing record “Knock Out”, which appear within a few days after her in the record stores had. Ever greater success and international recognition as a virtuoso percussion developed themselves. The doyen Lionel Hampton hired in Sylt for concert performances in Copenhagen and on the island.
In three consecutive (1983-85) was Charly by the magazine “Drums & Percusion” to “Jazz Drummer of the Year” award in front of such distinguished musicians such as Jack DeJohnette, Billy Cobham, Elvin Jones and Buddy Rich! Another highlight of the career turned In 1981 one: no less than “The King Of Swing” – Benny Goodman – brought him into his band to a series of concerts in Germany and Italy – and, moreover, already legendary TV concert in Copenhagen, with the Benny Goodman Quintet which as Euro-vision broadcast on Dec 25, 1982 Europe broadcast wurde.Ein variety of jazz programs on television at home and abroad, including also a “TV Special Feature” on Charly in 1989 Bayerischer Rundfunk give testimony to the importance of Charly Antolini and his musicians. Likewise, the appearances at European jazz festivals in Berlin, Nice, Copenhagen, Milan, Warsaw, Rome, Moscow, Geneva and in many other cities.
His limited edition published direct cut-sheets and the LPs “Knock Out” and “Direct to Disc” were great successes and made him even far beyond the jazz scene beyond. Charly Antolini is one of the great percussion virtuosos of our time, in the tradition of Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, Gene Krupa, Sam and Jo Woodjard Jonnes – a soloist with enormous power and endurance! Musical passion and an incredible art are his trademark – just Charly Antolini! He is also a sensitive accompanist to his fellow musicians, to immediately return to explode with tremendous momentum literally – true to the motto of the brilliant Duke Ellington:
“It don`t mean a thing if it is not got that swing.”
