About Wenzel

Wenzel (Hans-Eckardt Wenzel) was born 31 Jul 1955 in Kropstädt near Wittenberg/Germany Offizielle Webseite: http://www.wenzel-im-netz.de myspace: http://www.myspace.com/hewenzel Wenzel chose cultural studies and aesthetics as his subjects at the Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. Since that time he has been living as a freelance artist; in the beginning he performed with the song-and theatre-group "Karls Enkel", from 1978 until 1999 he went on stage together with Steffen Mensching as the cabaret-clown-duo Wenzel & Mensching. In the years1988 and 1989 Wenzel spent respectively three months in Nicaragua, working there as a director. In 1982 his first volume of poems is published under the title "Lied vom wilden Mohn". This is followed by the second volume, "Antrag auf Verlängerung des Monats August", in 1987. His first record, "Stirb mit mir ein Stück" is released in 1986; Wenzel was awarded the "Golden Amiga" for his debut-album. During that time he was involved in several stage-productions and musical projects. In 1997 he firstly published the recordings of poems by Austrian writer Theodor Kramer on the CD "Lied am Rand". Since 1999, the Sansibar Kulturmanagement has been in charge of the organisation and conception of his work. In 2001, "Schöner Lügen" is released. On May 19th, 2001, the live double-album/DVD "Grünes Licht"/ "Halb und Halb" was recorded and produced on location at the Maxim Gorki theatre in Berlin. In 2003, Nora Guthrie invited Wenzel to the Woody Guthrie archives in New York. It was her wish that he translated her father´s lyrics into German and newly set previously unpublished material to music. The result is called "Ticky Tock - Wenzel singt Woody Guthrie"; the CD is available in both English and German. The recording was followed by tours through the USA. In Nashville Wenzel met Arlo Guthrie for the first time. They soon came up with the plan to go on tour together; in September 2006, they travelled throughout Germany, recording the live-album "Together" along the way. In 2004, Wenzel had the honour of opening the famous Stimmen-Festival (festival of voices) in Lörrach. That same year the record "Himmelfahrt" was released, followed by "Wenzel singt Maschas Kinderlieder" in 2005, a CD with 27 classic children´s songs which Wenzel dedicated to his then three-year-old daughter Mascha. In 2006, he devoted himself once again to setting Theodor Kramer´s lyrics to music; the result is published under the title "Vier Uhr früh - Wenzel singt Theodor Kramer Vol. II". Wenzel works for several theatres and independent houses as director and playwright. He is also, among other things, actively involved in projects of the Broadcasting Symphonic Orchestra of Berlin. On the October 26th, 2007, Wenzel´s new record with his own lyrics and music is released: "Glaubt nie, was ich singe". With this album he combines powerfully eloquent poetry and stirring compositions; all steeped in a lightness and an overwhelming energy that is so typical of Wenzel. Releases: Diskographie: (CDs, unless otherwise noted) 1987 Stirb mit mir ein Stück - Liebeslieder (LP) 1989 Reisebilder 1992 Der Abschied der Matrosen vom Kommunismus(mit Steffen Mensching) 1993 Hammer-Rehwü (Mitwirkender) 1995 Vollmond 1996 Armer Kleiner Händimann (mit Steffen Mensching) 1997 Lied Am Rand - Wenzel singt Theodor Kramer Vol. I 1998 Traurig In Sevilla 2000 Schöner Lügen 2001 Hanswurst Und Andere Arme Würste (Hanns-Eisler-Collage) 2001 Grünes Licht CD 1 & Grünes Licht CD 2 (Live-Mitschnitt) 2003 Ticky Tock - Wenzel singt Woody Guthrie (Deutsch) Ticky Tock - Wenzel sings Woody Guthrie (Englisch) 2004 Stirb mit mir ein Stück (Wiederauflage) 2005 Himmelfahrt 2005 31.07.55 (Limitierte Jubiläums-CD) zum 50.Geburtstag, war nur auf dem Jubiläumskonzert erhältlich 2005 Wenzel singt Maschas Kinderlieder 2005 Winterstimmen CD 1 Winterstimmen CD 2 (live) 2006 Together (Tour-CD 2006) (mit Arlo Guthrie) 2006 Vier Uhr Früh - Wenzel singt Theodor Kramer Vol. II 2007 Glaubt nie, was ich singe 2008 STRASSENBALLADE: Wenzel singt Henriette Haill 2008 Wenzel singt Das kleine Meertagebuch 2008 WENZEL:SOLO:LIVE (2 CDs) Online Releases: Wenzels Wochenkalender 2006 Wenzels Wochenkalender 2007 Wenzels Wochenkalender 2008 Sources: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Eckardt_Wenzel & http://myspace.com/hewenzel