Berlin · 1936 — 1998
Horst Jankowski
Pianist · Composer · Bandleader
The unmistakable sound of German jazz and easy listening — playful, elegant and forever in motion.
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Start with the classics
Top 7 songs
Seven essential Horst Jankowski recordings, each with direct links to four major listening platforms.
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Choose a platform
Listen
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The man behind the music
A life at the piano
Biography
Born in Berlin in 1936, Horst Jankowski studied piano, bass and trumpet at the Berlin Conservatory before joining Kurt Hohenberger’s orchestra and working as Caterina Valente’s pianist. In the 1950s he also played with leading jazz musicians, including Tony Scott and Benny Goodman.
His light, rhythmic piano style reached a worldwide audience with the 1965 instrumental “A Walk in the Black Forest.” He later became a familiar presence on German radio and television and led the RIAS Dance Orchestra from 1975 to 1994. Across pop, jazz and orchestral music, his unmistakable touch remained at the center.
Career highlights
1936Berlin beginnings
1950sJazz years
1965Worldwide breakthrough
1975–94RIAS conductor
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Biography & discography