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{{Infobox musical artist | name = Manfred Leuchter | image = Manfred-leuchter-schoemberg-2012.jpeg | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = <!-- {{birth date and age|df=yes|1960|06|15}} for living people supply only the year with {{Birth year and age|YYYY}} unless the exact date is already widely published, as per WP:DOB. For people who have died, use {{Birth date|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD}}. --> | birth_place = Würselen, Germany | genre = Jazz, World music | occupation = Musician, arranger, music producer | instrument = Accordion
| death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) --> | death_place = | nationality = | other_names = | years_active = 1999–present | label = Acoustic Music (rough trade) | associated_acts = Reinhard Mey | website = {{URL|www.sparito.de/}} }} '''Manfred Johannes Leuchter''' (born 15 June 1960 in Würselen, Germany) is a German accordionist, composer, pianist and producer of various musical genres. His stylistic influences include rock and pop, jazz and ballads, as well as African and Middle Eastern music.
In the early 2000s, Leuchter was invited by the German Goethe-Institut for concerts with his jazz band in India,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Aachener Zeitung|date=2003-04-10|title=Aachen: Manfred Leuchter auf Indien-Tournee|url=https://www.aachener-zeitung.de/kultur/manfred-leuchter-auf-indien-tournee_aid-28685341|access-date=10 July 2020|website=Aachener Zeitung|language=de}}</ref> Romania, Morocco, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Palestine and Lebanon. Following encounters with local musicians, he performed and recorded with the Hewar jazz fusion band from Syria<ref name=":0" /> or with oud player Driss el Maloumi in Morocco. Leuchter lives and works in Aachen, Germany, and also stayed for extended periods in Marrakesh, Morocco.
In addition, Leuchter works as a producer for various artists, such as German singer-songwriter Reinhard Mey, for whom he has produced various albums and played in live concerts.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rother|first1=Sabine|title=New album by Reinhard Mey: Manfred Leuchter is producing him again|url=https://www.aachener-zeitung.de/news/kultur/neues-album-von-reinhard-mey-manfred-leuchter-hat-es-wieder-produziert-1.1353859|work=Aachener Zeitung|date=6 May 2016|language=German}}</ref> Further, he has been active as sound engineer as well as composer of music for theatre productions.
==Lineup== *Duo: Manfred Leuchter (accordion); Ian Melrose (fingerstyle guitar, whistles)<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hitzemann|first1=Thomas|title=Manfred Leuchter and Ian Melrose in the Lutherhaus|url=https://www.noz.de/lokales/osnabrueck/artikel/1176057/manfred-leuchter-und-ian-melrose-im-lutherhaus|work=Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung|date=18 March 2018|language=German}}</ref> *Trio: Manfred Leuchter (accordion); Afra Mussawisade (percussion); Florian Zenker (guitar) *Quartet: Manfred Leuchter (accordion); Steffen Thormählen (drums, percussion); Antoine Pütz (electric bass, guembri); Sebastian Pottmeier or Heribert Leuchter (bass, alto, soprano saxophone)
==Discography== *''Theaterkompositionen'' (1999) * ''Sparito'' (2000) * ''Arabesque'' (2001) * ''Nomade'', with Heribert Leuchter (2003) * ''Pas de Trois'', Trio with Afra Mussawisade and Karim Othman-Hassan (2004) * ''Space'' (2004) * ''Zina'' (2006) * ''Nine days of Solitude, The Damascus Session'' with Hewar and Lena Chamamyan (2007)<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last1=Brinkmann|first1=Katja|title=Syria: between Damascus, Palmyra, Aleppo and the Euphrates|date=2011|publisher=Trescher Verlag|isbn=978-3897941847|page=90|language=German}}</ref> * ''Vis à Vis,'' Duo with Ian Melrose (2008) * ''Kein schöner Land,'' with Ian Melrose (2011) * ''Carpe Momentum'', with Ian Melrose (2012)
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{Discogs artist}}
* [http://www.sparito.de Manfred Leuchter personal story in English] * [https://www.youtube.com/user/Sparito1/videos Manfred Leuchter on Youtube]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leuchter, Manfred}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:German accordionists Category:German male composers Category:German jazz musicians Category:German record producers Category:People from Würselen Category:21st-century accordionists Category:21st-century German pianists Category:21st-century German male pianists