Volker Kriegel (24 December 1943–14 June 2003) was a German jazz guitarist and composer born in Darmstadt, Germany, perhaps most noteworthy for his contributions to the European jazz rock genre and for his collaborations with the American vibraphonist Dave Pike. In 1975 he was a founding member of the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble. A self-taught guitarist, Kriegel began playing when he was fifteen and formed a trio three years later that won an award at a 1963 amateur jazz festival.