Gunter Hampel, born August 31, 1937, was a German-born composer, bandleader, painter, author, and multi-instrumentalist whose influence spanned decades and genres. He was deeply connected to the NYC downtown music scene for decades, featured at iconic venues like Sweet Basil, the Knitting Factory, CBGB, and the Theater for the New City. In the late 90s, Gunter was introduced to a wider, younger audience through Jazzkantine. He was awarded the Cross of Merit by Helmet Cole, won the Berlin Jazz Prize, and was sponsored on world tours by the Goethe Institute. Under his Birth Records label, Gunter released dozens of albums as a pianist, bass clarinetist, flutist, and most notably as a vibraphonist. He was discovered by Benny Goodman and collaborated with legends like Miles Davis, Anthony Braxton, Wu-Tang’s Old Dirty Bastard, and recently performed with Carlos Niño and Saul Williams. Gunter was widely considered the premier German 'Free Jazz' composer and musician, and his wife, Jeanne Lee, was a fellow jazz virtuoso singer-composer. Gunter is survived by his children Cavana Lee-Hampel and Ruomi Lee-Hampel, as well as one grandchild and another on the way.

Ever the maverick, Gunter was uninsured and spent the last ten years of his life battling COVID and cancer, which led to six figures of hospital debt. His family now faces substantial medical bills from Berlin and Göttingen hospitals and clinics, along with funeral and memorial costs. Despite these challenges, Gunter’s legacy continues to inspire musicians and fans worldwide.

We invite you to support Gunter’s family as they honor his memory and contributions to music and art. Please stay connected as we plan for his June funeral and August memorial. We appreciate Gunter’s worldwide fans and look forward to sharing his music and memorabilia in the near future.