Let’s talk about jazz…and the return of “Summer”
“Summer Of ‘69,” “Summer Love,” “Summer Baby,” “Summer Sun”: I was this close to having my summer anticipation ruined by a recent 30-minute radio program full of cheesy pop music. A big thanks to MDR Jump, PSR, Hitradio RTL Sachsen, and the rest for a, well, rather questionable listening experience…
Good thing I finally managed to bail out in time—or rather, found the off button! On my way to the first of what I hope will be many more trips to the lake this year—hi, Cossi!—I decided to stick to my personal music library instead. “Summer” is currently a big hit there, too. More specifically: Johanna Summer!
At the risk of repeating the obvious once again, the fact remains that this Leipzig-based pianist has been an indispensable part of the forefront of young, exciting female jazz musicians for several years now—not only on the national and international scenes, but also in my own personal world.
Whether performing solo, in a trio, or—as was the case last year—in a duo, Summer’s playing is characterized by a simple, poetic beauty. In June, audiences in Messestadt will have two opportunities to experience the breadth of her work: On June 12, the musician will perform with the Spielvereinigung Süd at Werk 2, presenting a big-band sound that is as opulent as one would expect. Things will be a bit more low-key two weeks later—on June 26—when Summer performs in a trio with Tobias Fröhlich and Jan Einar Groh as part of ourJazzclub at naTo.
If you’ve already grabbed a pen and calendar, you might as well mark June 27 right away: That’s when Philipp Gropper and Andi Haberl will join forces at the same venue with pianist Olga Reznichenko, who recently won two awards at the German Jazz Prize. What that will sound like remains to be seen—since the trio hasn’t released any music to date. But the lineup—featuring keytar, trigger drums, and tenor saxophone—already suggests that the traditional jazz universe might be left behind in favor of krautrock-inspired, atmospheric sounds…
As always, you’ll find all the other tips and dates on the following pages. Enjoy reading, and have a wonderful summer!
See you soon,
Luca
Jazzkalender-Editorial office
