Editing Max Raabe

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{short description|German singer (born 1962)}}
{{about|the German singer|the American businessman|Max Raab}}

{{Infobox musical artist
|name            = Max Raabe
|image           = Max Raabe 2 Berlinale 2008.jpg
|caption         = Raabe in 2008
|image_size      =
|birth_name      = Matthias Otto
|alias           =
|birth_date            = {{birth date and age|1962|12|12|df=y}}
|birth_place =[[Lünen]], [[West Germany]]
|death_date      =
|instrument      = [[Singing|Vocals]], [[orchestra]]
|genre           = [[Cabaret]], [[comedy]], old style, [[orchestra]], [[jazz]], [[swing music|swing]]
|occupation      =
|years_active    = 1985–present
|label           =
|website         = [http://palast-orchester.de/en/ palast-orchester]
}}
'''Max Raabe''' (born '''Matthias Otto''',<ref name="zeitung">{{cite news| title=Sagen Sie jetzt nichts, Max Raabe| url=http://sz-magazin.sueddeutsche.de/texte/anzeigen/25739| work=[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]] Magazin| location=[[Munich]]| year=2008| publisher=sz-magazin.sueddeutsche.de| language=de| accessdate=16 January 2013}}</ref> 12 December 1962) is a German [[jazz]] singer. He is best known as the founder and leader of the [[Palast Orchester]].

== Career ==
Raabe developed an interest in the sound of German dance and film music of the 1920s and 1930s, such as the songs of the [[Comedian Harmonists]], from seeing old films on television and from his parents' record collection.<ref name="stern">{{cite news| agency=[[Associated Press]]| title=Max Raabe: Der Mann mit dem Palast Orchester| url=http://www.stern.de/kultur/musik/max-raabe-der-mann-mit-dem-palast-orchester-550763.html| work=[[Stern (magazine)|Stern]]| publisher=stern.de| language=de| date=1 December 2005| accessdate=16 January 2013}}</ref> He formally studied music at the [[Berlin University of the Arts]], intending originally to become a [[baritone]] [[opera]] singer. He and eleven other students formed the Palast Orchester in 1985.  The ensemble initially used music arrangements that Raabe found at various flea markets.<ref name="levine">{{cite news| author=Robert Levine| title=Keeping the Old Cabaret Alive in the Land of 'Cabaret'| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/29/arts/music/29caba.html?_r=1 | work=[[The New York Times]]| date=29 November 2005| accessdate=16 January 2013}}</ref>  

The orchestra practised these arrangements for one year without any public engagements or performances.<ref name="reich">{{cite news| author=Ronni Reich| title=Max Raabe and Palast Orchester perform at NJPAC on Sunday| url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2011/04/max_raabe_and_palast_orchester.html| work=[[The Star-Ledger]]| location=[[Newark, New Jersey]]| date=15 April 2011| publisher=nj.com| accessdate=16 January 2013}}</ref> The orchestra first performed publicly at the 1987 Berliner Theaterball, in the lobby as a secondary act, but with such success that the audience left the ballroom to hear the orchestra's performance in the lobby.<ref name="wsj">{{cite news| author=Barrymore Laurence Scherer| title=The Wunderbar Max Raabe| url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704625004575090001300666116| work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]| date=1 March 2010| publisher=wsj.com| accessdate=16 January 2013}}</ref> Raabe and the Palast Orchester had a hit with his 1992 original, [[Schlager]]-styled song "Kein Schwein ruft mich an" ("Nobody ever calls me", almost literal translation: "No pig calls me"), a pop song in 1920s style.

In addition to covers of vintage music, Raabe writes original songs and music, including film music.  He and the orchestra have also created [[cover version|covers]] of modern pop songs in a 1920–1930s band style, including songs by [[Britney Spears]], [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]], and [[Salt'n'Pepa]]. 

Raabe has also made a number of cameo appearances as a stereotypical 1920s and 1930s singer and entertainer in a number of films by German directors, such as ''[[Der bewegte Mann]]'' (1994; English title "Maybe, Maybe Not"), [[Werner Herzog]]'s ''[[Invincible (2001 drama film)|Invincible]]'' (2001), and [[Wenzel Storch]]'s ''Die Reise ins Glück'' (2004). His live theatre performances  include a 1994 appearance as Dr. Siedler in the Berlin "Bar jeder Vernunft" version of ''[[The White Horse Inn (operetta)|The White Horse Inn]]'', and 1999 performances as [[Mack the Knife]] in [[Kurt Weill]] and [[Bertolt Brecht]]'s ''[[The Threepenny Opera]]'' alongside [[Nina Hagen]].

Raabe first performed in the USA in [[Los Angeles]] in 2004.<ref name="playbill">{{cite news| author=Jason Victor Serinus| title=The Musical Paradox of Max Raabe – An Interview| url=http://www.playbillarts.com/features/article/8320.html| work=[[Playbill]] Arts| date=2 February 2010| publisher=playbillarts.com| accessdate=16 January 2013}}</ref> In 2005, he performed his first concert in New York City's [[Carnegie Hall]] and returned for subsequent engagements with the Palast Orchester in 2007<ref name="tommasini">{{cite news| author=Anthony Tommasini| title=Musical Days of Berlin (the City ... and the Irving)| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/05/arts/music/05max.html| work=The New York Times| date=5 November 2007| accessdate=16 January 2013}}</ref> and 2010.<ref name="broadway">{{cite news| title=Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester Return to Carnegie Hall 3/4| url=http://broadwayworld.com/article/Max-Raabe-and-the-Palast-Orchester-Return-to-Carnegie-Hall-34-20100126| publisher=BroadwayWorld.com| date=26 January 2010| accessdate=13 January 2013}}</ref> In 2011, Raabe produced an album, ''Küssen kann man nicht alleine'' (You cannot kiss alone), with former new-wave musician and producer [[Annette Humpe]], who also wrote the lyrics.<ref name="welt">{{cite news| url=https://www.welt.de/kultur/musik/article12320680/Max-Raabe-und-Annette-Humpe-wollen-den-Pop-retten.html |title=Max Raabe und Annette Humpe wollen den Pop retten |author= Elmar Krekeler|work=[[Die Welt]]| language=de| publisher=welt.de| date=24 January 2011| accessdate=16 January 2013}}</ref> His latest album, also with Humpe, is ''Für Frauen ist das kein Problem'' ("It's no problem for women"), released in 2013.

In 2022, Raabe made an appearance as himself in the [[1920s]] [[neo-noir]] series ''[[Babylon Berlin]]'', in which he performed a single titled ''Ein Tag wie Gold''.<ref name="timenews">{{cite news| author=| title="Babylon Berlin" star Max Raabe: acting talent? I don't have| url=https://time.news/babylon-berlin-star-max-raabe-acting-talent-i-dont-have-entertainment/| work=Time News| date=9 October 2022| accessdate=13 March 2023}}</ref>

== Discography ==
* ''Die Männer sind schon die Liebe wert'' (1988, Monopol)<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.palast-orchester.de/en/music/cd/|title=CD – Music |first=Max Raabe and Palast|last=Orchester|website=Max Raabe and Palast Orchester}}</ref>
* ''Kleines Fräulein, einen Augenblick'' (1989, Monopol)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Ich hör' so gern Musik'' (1991, Monopol)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Live im Wintergarten'' (1992, Monopol)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Dort tanzt Lu-Lu!'' (1994, Monopol)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Bel Ami'' (1995, Monopol)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Music, Maestro, Please'' (1996, Monopol)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Die größten Erfolge'' (1996, Monopol)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Mein kleiner grüner Kaktus'' (1997, Monopol)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Tanz-Gala'' (1997, Monopol)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Ein Freund, ein guter Freund'' (1999, RCA Local/Sony Music)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Junger Mann im Frühling'' (1999, Monopol)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Krokodile und andere Hausfreunde'' (2000, RCA Local/Sony Music)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Ich wollt ich wär ein Huhn'' (2001, RCA Local/Sony Music)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Charming Weill'' (2001, RCA Local/Sony Music)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Superhits'' (2001, RCA Local/Sony Music)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Vom Himmel hoch, Da Komm' Ich Her'' (2002, RCA Local/Sony Music)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Superhits Nummer 2'' (2002, RCA Local/Sony Music)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Palast Revue'' (2003, Warner Special Music)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Max Raabe singt'' (2005, Monopol/Sony Music Austria)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Wochenend & Sonnenschein'' (2006, RCA Local/Sony Music)<ref name="discogs.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/635139-Palast-Orchester-Mit-Seinem-S%C3%A4nger-Max-Raabe|title=Palast Orchester Mit Seinem Sänger Max Raabe|website=Discogs}}</ref>
* ''Komm, lass uns einen kleinen Rumba tanzen'' (2006, Warner Special Music)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Advent'' (2006, RCA Local/Sony Music)<ref name="discogs.com" />
* ''In Der Bar'' (2008, Sony BMG Music)<ref name="discogs.com" />
* ''Heute Nacht Oder Nie (Tonight or Never)'' (2008, SPV)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Übers Meer'' (2010, Decca/Universal)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Küssen kann man nicht alleine'' (2011, Decca) (with [[Annette Humpe]])<ref name="auto" />
* ''Für Frauen ist das kein Problem'' (2013, Decca) (with [[Annette Humpe]])<ref name="auto" />
* ''Für Frauen ist das kein Problem – Zugabe Edition'' (2013, Decca) (with [[Annette Humpe]])<ref name="auto" />
* ''The Golden Age'' (2013, Decca)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Eine Nacht in Berlin'' (2014, We Love Music)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Der perfekte Moment... wird heut verpennt'' (2017, We Love Music) (with [[Annette Humpe]] & [[Peter Plate]])<ref name="auto" />
* ''MTV Unplugged'' (2019, [[Deutsche Grammophon]] GmbH, Berlin)
* ''Wer hat hier schlechte Laune'' (2022, We Love Music)<ref name="auto" />
* ''Mir is so nach dir'' (2023, We Love Music)<ref name="auto" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.palastorchester.de/ Max Raabe's home page] (English, German and French)
* [http://www.myspace.com/palastorchester Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester on MySpace]
* [http://www.opus3artists.com/artists/max-raabe-and-palast-orchester Opus3 Artists agency page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003112624/http://www.opus3artists.com/artists/max-raabe-and-palast-orchester |date=3 October 2011 }}
* [http://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/lp/prj/mtg/men/lau/rab/enindex.htm Goethe Institute page on Max Raabe]
* [https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95832689 "Max Raabe's Palast Orchester: Timeless Elegance".  ''All Things Considered'' (National Public Radio), 19 October 2008.]
* [http://cso.org/About/Performers/Performer.aspx?id=11562 Chicago Symphony Orchestra page on Max Raabe] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330092027/http://cso.org/About/Performers/Performer.aspx?id=11562 |date=30 March 2012 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090309004717/http://www.helnwein-museum.com/article3465.html Helnwein Museum, "Marilyn Manson Marries Dita von Teese at Helnwein's Irish Castle. Helnwein is best man''. 3 December 2005]
* [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=23410 All About Jazz, "Max Raabe & Palast Orchester Release and US Tour". September 24, 2008]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120721195415/http://www.ardmediathek.de/das-erste/reportage-dokumentation/max-raabe-in-israel?documentId=11176088 Max Raabe in Israel. Documentary, Germany 2012, Production: BR, Bavarian Broadcasting TV, (in German)].

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Raabe, Max}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:German jazz singers]]
[[Category:German bandleaders]]
[[Category:German baritones]]
[[Category:German parodists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Parody musicians]]
[[Category:German comedy musicians]]
[[Category:People from Lünen]]
[[Category:Berlin University of the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century German male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century German male singers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit of Berlin]]