Chameleon -

Chameleon was a German jazz-rock band that released a 1979 self-titled album on Blubber Lips.

Members: Knut Rössler (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, lyricon), Joachim Essig (piano, synthesizer, ARP Solina string ensemble), Roland Herbe (bass, piccolo), Ralph Dietze (drums)

Formation

Chameleon formed near Mannheim when ex-Night Sun multi-instrumentalist Knut Rössler teamed with three newcomers: bassist Roland Herbe, drummer Ralph Dietze, and keyboardist Joachim Essig. They linked with Blubber Lips, a Rockport GmbH subsidiary whose roster included Pancake, Michael Bundt, and the Arthur White Group.

The Album

Chameleon released their singular album in 1979 on small-press Blubber Lips.

The album contains four songs each by Knut Rössler (“Grubnello,” “Berufsverbot,” “Spass Im Fass,” “Die Gewalt”) and Joachim Essig.

Rössler plays flute, lyricon, and tenor/soprano saxophone on Chameleon, which features Essig on Fender Rhodes electric piano, Steinway Grand, the Solina String Ensemble, and the ARP Odyssey and Yamaha Polyphonic synthesizers. Herbe plays a Piccolo wooden electric bass.

A1. “Grubnello” (5:40)
A2. “Grass” (5:43)
A3. “Berufsverbot” (5:47)
A4. “Die 3 Phasen” (6:52)

B1. “Transaction” (7:10)
B2. “Spass Im Fass (Fun In the Ton)” (5:23)
B3. “Die Konsequenz” (5:42)
B4. “Die Gewalt” (5:01)

Sessions occurred in January 1979 at Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg, with technical supervision by Carlos Albrecht, a soundman for Zyma, Dieter Reith, Orexis, Tritonus, Joachim Kühn, and the Frederic Rabold Crew.

Post-Chameleon

Keyboardist Joachim Essig joined Namaz, which made the 1981 album 300 M.P.H. on Software Music. That same year, Knut Rössler cut one album each with Brassy Brew and the Fuchs-Goos-Band. He later recorded albums with Georg Lawall, Orexis, and Infinity.

Discography: