English

Tim “Doc Fritz” Liebert

In the eastern part of Germany, there is a region called Vogtland. It is a hilly area full of mystic forests and enchanting villages, rich in tradition. It has its own traditional music and a long history in the art of instrument making. For more than 300 years, the Vogtland was best known for the production of violins and in the more recent times for the making of accordions and harmonicas. A very unique instrument, which can be traced back more than 500 years, is the Waldzither; a specific cittern, which was almost forgotten by our lifetime. Based on this tradition, Tim “Doc Fritz” Liebert tries to revive both the instrument and the old music of the Vogtland. But his goal is not to simply reproduce the sound of the olden days. Rather, he cultivates a new and fresh type of Folk based on this material. The experienced musician has played in numerous Folk bands with a broad variety of styles from Celtic and Scandinavian music to Piedmont Blues. Combining these influences, and adapting techniques from other instruments, he is now creating his own approach towards the living traditional music of his region. Besides old songs and tunes, he writes new material for the combination Waldzithern/Harmonica. His last solo album “ÜberLandFahrt” and his cooperation with the German Folk band “Hüsch!” gained him the reputation as one of the most creative and colourful figures on the German Folk scene.

Bio

Education:

I learned to play the fife when I was ten, started learning guitar at twelve and violin at eighteen years of age. In addition, I am a self-taught mandolin, bouzouki, flute, bodhran and banjo player. Over the years, I have gained a good reputation as a Waldzither expert. This is a lute-like instrument from my home region. I now give courses on Waldzither in different styles of music.

 

Musical career

– 1986 I founded my first Folk band (German Folk).

– 1992/93 I lived in Botson/Mass. and played international Folk and Old Time Music with the band Landmans Lied. There, I first experienced Irish Folk and Bluegrass sessions.

– In 1996, I founded the Irish Folk Duo Garlic and Onions and started the solo Blues and Americana program “Doc Fritz”.

– 1998 I joined the Foxtower Bluegrass Band (one of the few professional bluegrass bands in Germany) as mandolin player

– 2006 member of the German Folk-Trio Klängels Rowell.

– 2007 I joined Paulines Choice (music from Sweden, Scotland and Canada).

– 2008 I initiated the symphonic Folk orchestra Folk-Destille Jena; 2009 we won the world music award „Eiserner Eversteiner“ (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiserner_Eversteiner)

– 2013 we started the German Folk Quartett HüSCH! (nomination for the “Eisernen Eversteiner” and for the Award of the „deutschen Schallplattenkritik”; https://www.schallplattenkritik.de/about-us)

– Regular workshops on Thüringer Waldzither

• At the Folk-Sounds in Elmstein (https://www.folksounds.de/?lang=de)
• At the Thüringer Waldzithersymposien in Suhl (https://www.waldzither-ev.de/)

– 2015 member of the jury for the Folkherbst competition in the Malzhaus, Plauen (https://www.malzhaus.de/folkherbst/eversteiner.html)

– 2017 new solo program „ÜberLandFahrt“ with original and traditional material for the Thüringer Waldzither (in cooperation with the lable Prosodia)

– 2018 „ÜberLandFahrt“ CD is promoted by a variety of radio stations in Germany and Belgium (MDR, SR3, BRF), one title of the album made it into the German songwriter charts (Liederbestenliste), it is nominated for the songwriter award Hoyschrecke (http://www.hoyschrecke.de/programm)

 

Videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si9HBnefr8Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-FFnHMGyWc)

 

Sound samples available at    https://prosodia.de/voe/ueberlandfahrt/

 

Facebook : http://de-de.facebook.com/ pages/Doc-Fritz /232394006866641

 

Discography

CD Publiners „In Publin“ (1996)

CD Garlic&Onions „Raiks Bar“ (StoneCross Music, 2000)

CD Doc Fritz „Front Porch Picking“ (2005)

CD Onkel Tims Hütte „Nearer to the Fire“ (Pool Music, 2008)

CD Folk Destille Jena „Live-Brand“ (2010)

CD HüSCH! ”Ban dr Morche grauit” (SoulFolkRecords, 2014)

CD HüSCH! ”Jetzt, Heut und Hier” (CPLRecords, 2016)

CD Paulines Choice ”A night in Stromness” (Prosodia, 2017)

CD Tim ”Doc Fritz” Liebert ”ÜberLandFahrt” (Prosodia, 2018)

As guest:

CD Foxtower Bluegrass Band „My Soul“ (StoneCross Music,1998)

CD Stöcke & Steine „Catching the Colors“ (2001)

CD Stöcke & Steine „Welcome“ (2004)

CD Flaxmill „All it takes“ (2006)

CD Kommt das Gute.. (Hörspiel, 2013)

CD Tim O’Shea „Another Skin” (2017)

On Compilations (selection)

CD Folkherbst-Malzhaus Vol. IV (2013)

CD Folklorum-Sampler 2011/15/16

CD Auf’s Maul geschaut (Profolk 2016)