Frank St. Peter

American born saxophonist, arranger, composer. conductor of his own Big Band, Different Faces. During the height of his career, he lived in Munich, Germany & worked throughout Europe. born 1937 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island died 1987 in Munich He began taking piano lessons at the age of 6. His Father, a welder and tenor sax player, bought him an alto sax at the age of 11, and 2 years later, his first clarinet. Frank played in high school bands until he went away to school at Boston University in 1955. There, he studied composition with famous pianist and composer, Jaki Byard who had a great influence on the young musician and his arranging style. After he graduated in 1959, he played with various show bands in New York, and in 1961 Frank led he’s own big band for the first time performing Monday nights at the Golden Vanity Coffee House on Boston’s waterfront. A year later he returned to New York to joined the Don Ellis Big Band. From 1964-66 Frank was continually on the road with Si Zetner, accompanying great singers like Mel Torme and Nancy Wilson. In 1966 he moved to Los Angeles to work with Billy Eckstine (“That was the best gig I ever had”). Frank then toured Europe with the Beach Boys in 1967. On their last stop in Berlin he decided to stay. There he met Joe Nay & Fritz Pauer and together formed a quintet. In 1968 he was offered a year engagement with the Hans Zoller Sextet (featuring Peter Herbolzheimer) at the Schauspielhaus in Hamburg. He also wrote the arrangements for Udo Lindenburg’s first record “Free Orbit” and played alto with Leszak Zadlo in a quintet. In 1970 Frank moved to Munich where he established himself firmly in the Jazz scene and played with Dusko Goykovich, Tete Montoliou, Mal Waldron, Joe Haider, Radio Jazz Group Stuttgart (Wolfgang Dauner, Eberhard Weber, Ack van Rooyen, Attila Zoller etc…). Frank then formed his own quartet and played throughout Europe until the early 80’s. From 1984 on, he devoted his time to arranging and composing. Soon, he gave birth to the Big Band, “Different Faces” starring the very best Jazz musicians Europe had to offer.