Jazzkalender #336

Let's talk about jazz... and crossing borders

Crossing boundaries is a frequent complaint in today's media: moral, political and even scientific boundaries are increasingly being called into question and are beginning to waver. At the same time, however, the crossing of boundaries is also a cultural force that has always been able to produce something new and innovative throughout history.

Jazzkalender february

The life of Jutta Hipp bears witness to this: Born in Leipzig in 1925, the jazz pianist rose to become "Europe's First Lady in Jazz" in Frankfurt and finally in New York in the 1950s. She released three albums on the legendary Blue Note Records label and met numerous jazz greats such as Thelonius Monk, Charles Mingus and Miles Davis during this time. As a woman, but also as a European and a white woman, her work on the jazz scene was a novelty for many. On February 4, Hipp, who died in New York in 2003, would have been 100 years old. To mark the occasion, LeipJAZZig is organizing a special concert in which newly arranged compositions by the pianist will be performed in various formations.

The work of Leipzig-based double bassist Carl Wittig is also characterized by a border crossing, albeit a musical one: His debut "Perspective Suite", released in 2022, already combined elements of classical and jazz music in an unconventional way, moving between serious and popular music, European and US tradition. The successor "Continuity and Resonance", which will be released in February, builds on this and once again underlines Wittig's brilliant compositional skills. On February 23, Wittig and his Aurora Octet will present the work as part of our Jazzclub live series at naTo.

A good three weeks earlier, on February 1, another Jazzclub concert will take place: For this, we were able to win over the HMT big band under the direction of Rolf von Nordenskjöld, who will present their new program "How Long Is Now" on this evening. In addition to pieces by greats such as Bill Holman and John Clayton, it also includes numerous compositions and arrangements by the students themselves.

This month, the Jugendjazzorchester Sachsen, which will share the stage with Leipzig trombonist Antonia Hausmann at Werk 2 on February 21, underlines the fact that up-and-coming jazz musicians are in good shape: Together, they will present pieces from Hausmann's highly acclaimed debut album "Teleidoscope", which have been specially rearranged for this collaboration.

And lo and behold: a colorful program makes grey winter clouds much easier to bear!

See you soon,

Luca

Jazzkalender-Editorial office

DE