George Gruntz (24 June 1932 – 10 January 2013) was a Swiss jazz pianist, organist, harpsichordist, keyboardist and composer known for the George Gruntz Concert Big Band, and his work with artists such as Phil Woods , Rahsaan Roland Kirk , Don Cherry , Chet Baker , Art Farmer , Dexter Gordon , Johnny Griffin and Mel Lewis .
Gruntz, who was born in Basel, Switzerland, was also an accomplished arranger and composer, having been commissioned by many orchestras and symphonies. From 1972 to 1994 he served as artistic director for the JazzFest Berlin .
Mental Cruelty (Jazz Soundtrack) , 1960 (released 2003)Renaissance Man a.k.a. 30 + 70: The One Hundred Years of George Gruntz , 1961–2000 (Compilation, released 2002)George Gruntz Quintet – Bach Humbug! Or Jazz Goes Baroque , 1964 Jazz Goes Baroque , 1964Jazz Goes Baroque 2 – The Music of Italy , 1965Noon in Tunisia , 1967Drums and Folklore: From Sticksland with Love , 1967Saint Peter Power , 1968The Band – The Alpine Power Plant , 19722001 Keys – Piano Conclave , 1973Monster Sticksland Meeting Two – Monster Jazz , 1974Eternal Baroque , 1974The Band (Recorded Live at the Zürich Schauspielhaus) , 1976Percussion Profiles , 1977Living Transition. With Radio Big Band Leipzig , 1986George Gruntz Trio – Serious Fun , 1989 The George Gruntz Concert Big Band , 1978 (with Elvin Jones)Live at the "Quartier Latin" Berlin , 1980Theater , 1984 (ECM )Happening Now , 1987First Prize , 1989Blues 'n Dues Etcetera , 1991Beyond Another Wall: Live in China , 1992Cosmopolitan Greetings , 1992 (composition for big band, libretto by Allen Ginsberg )Ray Anderson – Big Band Record , 1994George Gruntz Trio with Franco Ambrosetti – Mock-lo-Motion , 1995 The MPS Years , 1972–1981 (Compilation, released 1996)Sins'n Wins'n Funs – Left-cores and Hard-core En-cores , 1981–1990 (Compilation, released 1996)Liebermann , 1998Merryteria , 1999Live at JazzFest Berlin , 1999George Gruntz Percussion Ensemble – Expo Triangle , 2000 Global Excellence , 2001Ringing the Luminator – Piano Works II , 2004George Gruntz / Peter O. Chotjewitz – The Magic of a Flute , 2004 Tiger by the Tail , 2006Pourquoi pas? Why Not?, 2008 Matterhorn Matters , 2010George Gruntz with the NDR Bigband and Tom Rainey – Dig My Trane – Coltrane’s Vanguard Years (1961–1962) , 2012 
