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Artist
Fritz Schulz-Reichel
12+ albums
oldiespianoragtimeHonky Tonkschlager-oldies
about
Fritz Schulz-Reichel (July 4, 1912 – February 14, 1990) was a German jazz and pop pianist. He developed an unusual technique where he played the melody of a tune with the left hand and the rhythm with the right hand. While he trained to be a concert pianist, he chose a career in pop music, playing light jazz and pop tunes. He invented a device called the Tipsy Wire Box, which could be attached to a piano to make it sound like an out-of-tune barrelhouse upright. Another interpretation is that "Tipsy Wire Box" was a slang expression for the piano itself, which was merely "detuned"; that is, one of the three strings that make up each note of the main section of the piano is slightly flatted, giving the piano the characteristic sound. Schulz-Reichel continued to perform live and on film, and remained a popular jazz favorite in Germany for many years. "Crazy Otto" is referenced in the song "Ramble on Rose" written by Robert Hunter and performed by the Grateful Dead. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
