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Volker Kriegel was a German jazz-rock guitarist, often referred to as the Father of Jazz Rock. He was born on December 24, 1943, in Darmstadt, Germany, and passed away on June 15, 2003, in San Sebastián, Spain. Kriegel taught himself to play the guitar at the age of 15 and formed his own trio by the age of 18, winning awards at the 1963 German Amateur Jazz Festival. While studying at Frankfurt University, he met Emil and further developed his jazz interests. He accepted an offer from American expatriate vibes-player Dave Pike to join his new band, leading him to abandon his studies to pursue a full-time music career. Kriegel was a member of the Dave Pike Set from 1968 to 1973, after which he and Weber founded Spectrum. In 1976, after Weber's departure, Kriegel started a jazz-rock group. In 1975, he co-founded the United Jazz And Rock Ensemble and, in 1977, he co-founded Mood Records. In addition to his music career, Kriegel was also a distinguished cartoonist, animator, and broadcaster. Kriegel died from a heart attack in June 2003.

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