Peter Kowald

Our webpage and our publications are illustrated with a painting that shows a fragment of the world in its colourful plurality and diversity. We owe this painting to Peter Kowald.

Peter Kowald was a famous and outstanding representative of Free Jazz in Europe. He was both citizen of Wuppertal and cosmopolitan. If he was not seen with his double bass on his bike in the streets of Wuppertal, he played with numerous musicians between Cologne and New York or Tokyo and Thessalonica. He participated in festivals all around the globe, from Siberia to West Africa, from Australia to Canada. In September 2002 he died unexpectedly after a concert in New York.

On his travels, through his exhibitions and with his music, Peter celebrated the 'multisound' of the world. "Global Village" was the name of his formation. It consisted of varying musicians, which were invited to freely improvise while remaining rooted in their own musical traditions. "Global Village" gave birth to sounds, melodies and harmonies rising both out of the traditional cultural background of the musicians as well as out of the actual multicultural setting of the formation. At his 50th birthday, Peter surprised with a special sort of 'action art': he decided to stand still and settle in his hometown Wuppertal, calling this "365 Days in One Place". Then, every Saturday, both local and far-away musicians, artists, interested and curious people came and joined him at his 'place'. With that, for one year his hometown developed from a departing point to a meeting point for the world.

We use the painting of Peter Kowald with gentle permission from Johanna Lenz, Wuppertal. More informations on Peter Kowald can be received from:

Peter Kowald Gesellschaft/ort e.V.
Luisenstraße 116
D-42103 Wuppertal
Germany