Enja Records announced the passing of label co-founder Matthias Winckelmann yesterday, June 19, 2022: “We are very sad: Matthias Winckelmann is no longer with us (April 7, 1941 – June 19, 2022), RIP
Thank you for your energy and enthusiasm for music! We will miss you!”

ENJA: “The label’s first release was by Mal Waldron, and early releases included European and Japanese avant-garde artists such as Alexander von Schlippenbach, Terumasa Hino, Albert Mangelsdorff and Yosuke Yamashita, as well as new musicians from American jazz like Archie Shepp, Cecil Taylor, Leroy Jenkins, and Eric Dolphy and straight-up musicians like Tommy Flanagan, McCoy Tyner, Chet Baker, Freddie Hubbard, Elvin Jones, and Kenny Barron.The label also branched out to release early productions of world music by Abdullah Ibrahim, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Mahmoud Turkmani, gypsy groups, Indonesian Monica Akihary and Turkish saz virtuoso Taner Akyol (Wikipedia quote). the first recordings of Maria Schneider.

Matthias won the Ehrenpreis de la Deutesche Schallplattenkritik in 1996. Quote: “Time and time again, Matthias Winckelmann has set the standard for quality with his productions. He succeeds in demanding projects in a market overwhelmed by mediocrity. Thanks to his sense of talent, his understanding of the personality of the artist and his integrity as a producer, young musicians as well as established talents and sometimes almost forgotten masterpieces have been documented.

LJN invited Matthias to London in 2010 and hosted a presentation by him on the label’s history and business philosophy in St Pancras Hall in Kings Place. He regaled us with great stories about his work with Chet Baker. Neal Richardson kindly wrote up the occasion for us HERE. Matthias was a supportive friend of LJN from the start and an avid reader of our newsletter.

A descendant of the brother of JJ Winckelmann (the father of German Hellenism), Matthias founded the label in 1971 thanks to a loan from his father, which he was proud to say he could repay in 18 months. His business partner was Horst Weber (1934 -2012), who had good connections in the Japanese market. The name stood for “European New Jazz”, although there was never any intention of letting that name determine what was released. See also the official version HERE (Some of the above is taken from the wonderful obituary/tribute that Roland Spiegel did for Bayerischer Rundfunk.)

Here is the penultimate paragraph of that tribute, with the German original below.

“Anyone who has had the experience of a conversation with Winckelmann will know the amount of energy and enthusiasm he invariably imparted to people about the music – which he considered the best in the world. He had the enthusiasm and ability to illuminate tactile paper with his words until the last years of his life. Reflecting on what moved him so much about jazz, inspired him to devote his life to this music, Matthias Winckelmann said: “I also listened to classical music a lot. But it was a completely different world. Of course, the rhythm was completely different, but also the harmonies. The way jazz is impulsive, the on-the-spot in jazz, that’s what fascinated me. That you suddenly become aware: Who is playing. What kind of person is this? As with a great actor, it immediately makes you think.

LINK: 2011 interview with Bob Hatteau of Allaboutjazz on the occasion of the label’s 40th anniversary

Roland Spiegel’s tribute