The Old Merry Tale Jazzband from Hamburg, Germany, celebrated its 50-year anniversary in 2006. After its founding in 1956 and first successes in the region, the band soon advanced to Germany´s most prominent and popular jazz orchestra under the leadership of its former musical director, Gerhard Vohwinkel. The band never just copied its American and English idols but developed from the beginning its own original, specific sound. The Old Merry Tale Jazzband also composed and played some very popular German songs which made it into the charts in the 50s and 60s. The well-known tune "Am Sonntag will mein Süßer mit mir segeln gehen" ("my sweetheart wants to sail with me this sunday") is in everybody´s ear still today. Addi Münster, who formed the new band carrying his name in 1984, was a member of the old Merry Tale Jazzband from the beginning. Gerhard Vohwinkel, the trumpet player and composer returned as musical director, but Addi also recruited new and younger talents to join the orchestra.