Dear friends of Jazzfest Bonn, We would like to thank you for your numerous phone calls and e-mails, for your understanding and friendly encouragement. Due to the current situation and the decision of the state government, it is now confirmed that the concerts planned from 30 April to 30 May 2020 cannot take place in that period of time. We deeply regret that we will not be able to celebrate the Jazzfest Bonn together this spring. The programme for our festival in the Beethoven anniversary year has been scheduled with even more passion and effort than usual, and you have accepted our concerts with equal enthusiasm – already at the beginning of March the festival was almost sold out. The current situation is hard on us, to each in his own way. During this time everyone is called upon to make responsible decisions, to stand together and to look into the future positively. We have now drawn up various scenarios for our festival that we will concretize in the upcoming weeks. Currently we are planning to move some of the concerts to November, the exact dates are still being processed. Further concerts will be postponed to spring 2021. What does this mean for your tickets? The purchased tickets retain their validity for the new dates. If you are not able to come on the alternative dates, it is possible to convert the tickets into a voucher which can be redeemed at a later time. Furthermore you can donate your tickets: In doing so, you can support Jazzfest Bonn during this challenging time and enable us to continue our work despite this exceptional situation. We will be happy to issue you a donation receipt that entitles you to a tax deduction. Although we would be very happy if you would make use of one of the above mentioned options, we also will take back your tickets as a gesture of goodwill. Please grant us some time for all these procedures, as the planning of the alternative dates still needs some time. As soon as we can provide the specific new dates, we will share these and further details with you via our website and social media. You can subscribe to our free newsletter here and will not miss any current information. Thank you very much for the trust you have placed in us and we wish you and your families all the best und good health! Sincerely, Peter Materna and the team of Jazzfest Bonn
Symposium “Improvisation Shapes the Future” We know that the “great” composers Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven were masters of improvisation and used it as creative source material for their compositions. Drawing on Beethoven’s life and work, various experts will investigate improvisation as an aesthetic phenomenon that has provided both possibilities and difficulties for historical and contemporary composers. What does musical innovation look and sound like today? This program will be in German and is presented in cooperation with the Haus der Geschichte. The names of the speakers will be announced as soon as possible. For further information, please visit www.jazzfest-bonn.de. The symposium is open to the public an... read more »
Bundesjazzorchester For more than 30 years, the young musicians of the German Youth Jazz Orchestra have impressed audiences with their virtuoso improvisation skills and sheer joy of playing. In Bonn this year, this world-class ensemble will showcase for the first time the artistic vision of its new musical director, Ansgar Striepens. Dreams and Realities displays Striepens’s roots in the European musical tradition: a fascinating journey into the world of contemporar... read more »
Klaus Doldinger’s Passport Millions of people know Klaus Doldinger’s music, even if they are not familiar with his name. Many of his more than 2,000 compositions have made history, such as his music for Wolfgang Petersen’s film Das Boot and the theme song for the Tatort television series. Passport is a project close to his heart: breathtaking solos, a funky Hammond organ sound, and Doldinger’s energetic saxophone melodies make Passport a unique presence in the internationa... read more »
EOS Kammerorchester Köln & Niels Klein Trio The EOS Chamber Orchestra Cologne is different – and that is what makes it so exciting. Founded 12 years ago by conductor Susanne Blumenthal, the group strives to present music that continually astonishes, with progressive concepts beyond the bounds of traditional concert programming. In Niels Klein’s three-part composition Exploring Objects and Shapes, written for his trio and the EOS Kammerorchester Köln, the instruments are liberated from thei... read more »
Michael Wollny Trio His creative spirit is as electrifying as his playing: Michael Wollny belongs to the international jazz elite. Like few others, the 32-year-old pianist is conversant in interdisciplinary musical aesthetic ideas; he is as familiar with Gustav Mahler as with Thelonius Monk. His trio is the perfect point of departure for wild rides, leisurely excursions, and elegiac fantasies. Michael Wollny – piano Christian Weber – bass Eric Schaefer – dr... read more »
Mathias Eick Quintet Mathias Eick has an infallible ear for memorable melodies and a typically Scandinavian feeling for broad, atmospheric spaces. It is easy to see why he is one of the shooting stars of Norwegian jazz. Eick’s new album Ravensburg is dedicated to his family’s roots in the German town of Ravensburg. In the depths of his music, there is an insistent rhythm to which he adds soaring melodies – in a series of pieces that cumulatively form a kind of col... read more »
Kinga Głyk Tears in Heaven was her breakthrough moment. When Kinga Głyk posted a video of herself playing Eric Clapton’s ballad on electric bass, jazz fans everywhere went wild. Viewers of the simply produced clip had the feeling they were witnessing the birth of a star. Four years later, Kinga Głyk has continued to mature musically: with her current trio, she uses her virtuoso technique to create intelligent, funky grooves and to celebrate the joy of makin... read more »
Tobias Feldmann & Frank Dupree Tobias Feldmann has made a name for himself in the international scene with classical elegance and seemingly effortless virtuosity. The Berlin violinist was a prizewinner at the Queen Elizabeth Competition in 2015 and the German Music Competition in 2012. Feldmann and pianist Frank Dupree have long been friends, and now the two will finally play together as a duo. A classical program with shades of jazz. Tobias Feldmann – violin F... read more »
Frank Dupree Trio – Preludes Frank Dupree is a musical Wunderkind. First trained as a jazz drummer, he was increasingly drawn to the classical piano repertoire in his youth. He loves to explore the music of the 20th and 21st centuries and discover connections between the works of contemporary and historical composers. With his jazz trio, he will present unique arrangements of classical and jazz music, including Beethoven’s great Op. 111 from his final years and two Preludes.... read more »
Iiro Rantala Solo “Jazz was invented in Germany.” – Iiro Rantala made waves in the German press a few years ago with this coy declaration. The Finnish pianist is known not only for a combination of humor, intelligence, and virtuoso technique, but also for his idiosyncratic opinions about music history. A wide-ranging and (seriously) irreverent musical conversation. Iiro Rantala – piano Tickets for the double concert: 28 €, red. 19 € plus pre... read more »
Iiro Rantala & Galatea Quartett Iiro Rantala has worked for a number of years with the Galatea Quartet – a classical string quartet from Switzerland – on projects such as Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21. In Bonn, the pianist and these four string players will once again expand the realm of classical music with new arrangements by the composer Iiro Rantala. Iiro Rantala – piano Yuka Tsuboi – Violine Sarah Kilchenmann – Violine Hugo Bollschweiler – Viola... read more »
Peter Gall Quartett – Paradox Dreambox Growing up in provincial Bavaria as the younger brother of pianist Chris Gall, Peter Gall learned early to go his own way and expand his musical horizons far beyond the conventional fascination with grooves. He studied in Berlin and New York, and soon attracted attention with sophisticated and very personal compositions that examine and attempt to overcome the central paradox of jazz: the tension between complex structural organization and the sp... read more »
Malia The singer Malia is the embodiment of the idea that jazz grows out of encounters between diverse cultures. Born in 1978 in her mother’s homeland of Malawi, she moved as a child to her father’s home in London. Drawn to the music of iconic singers such as Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, and Nina Simone, Malia gradually developed her own musical personality, ironically calling herself a Late Bloomer, as one of her albums is called. Malia – Gesang ... read more »
Jan Garbarek Group In spite of all his musical journeys of exploration, saxophonist Jan Garbarek has always valued consistency, reliability and trust. His performances with the Jan Garbarek Group, whose core members have been together since the studio recordings for the album Legend Of The Seven Dreams in May 1988, have always been a musical celebration, as relaxed and enthusiastic as a village festival and as concentrated and focused as Garbarek himself. Jan Garbarek – saxophone Rainer Brüninghaus – piano Yuri Daniel – bass Trilok Gurtu – drums Tickets for the concert: Kategorie A: 45 €, red. 31 € Kategorie B: 38 €, red. 26 € Kategorie C: 30 €, red. 21 € plus pre-selli... read more »
Dell/Lillinger/Westergaard & Peter Evans At the extreme cutting edge of improvised music, where the lines between technique, convention, and exploration disappear – this is where the trio Dell / Lillinger / Westergaard has always been at home. The three musical personalities have updated their Beethoven Variations for Jazzfest Bonn this year with the addition of US trumpet player Peter Evans, one of the most interesting figures on the current improvisation scene. The energy of his playi... read more »
Jacky Terrasson Trio Jacques-Laurent (“Jacky”) Terrasson is a musician at the height of his powers. Born in Berlin in 1965, this French-American pianist is a virtuoso performer with an irresistibly rich and varied sound. His latest album, 53, is entirely devoted to his own compositions. An independent and confident artist, Jacky Terrasson and his trio discover entirely new musical realms. Jacky Terrasson – Klavier Sylvain Romano – Bass Lukmil Perez – Schlagz... read more »
Norbert Scholly und Rainer Böhm When Rainer Böhm and Norbert Scholly play together, the music is transparent down to the smallest details. Everything flows together organically with an astonishing clarity. This is music full of romantic beauty. These two musicians coax rich and sensuous sounds from a supposedly “problematic” instrumental combination: piano and acoustic guitar. Norbert Scholly – guitar Rainer Böhm – piano Tickets for the double concert of Norber... read more »
Django Bates Django Bates is a fascinating jack-of-all-trades. He first became known as a multi-instrumentalist with idiosyncratic musical experiments that were fragmented and stylistically diverse but never inaccessible. As a soloist in Bonn, he will dive into an improvised adventure, exploring new creative territory along the way. Django Bates – piano Karten für das Doppelkonzert: 28 €, red. 19 € zzgl. VVK-Gebühren... read more »
Roger Hanschel & Auryn Quartett Saxophonist Roger Hanschel from Cologne is one of the hidden champions of the German music scene. A virtuoso player, he is a member of the Kölner Saxophon Mafia. Though his home is in jazz and improvised music, he has never been content to stay within the secure confines of contemporary jazz. It has been almost twenty years since he first toured with the Auryn String Quartet, a group that seeks to expand the range of classical chamber music with ... read more »
Silje Nergaard Duo Silje Nergaard makes it seem so simple: the voice and the discipline, the timing and precision, the sensitivity and expressive power – and above all a sense of ease that makes complexity clear, erasing the line between the audience and the stage. Together with pianist Espen Berg, Nergaard will open up her songs to improvisation, deepening their message in an expanded musical space. Silje Nergaard – Gesang Espen Berg – Klavier K... read more »
Laura Jurd DINOSAUR Laura Jurd is a trumpet player, improviser, composer, and bandleader who has been called a Rising Star by the British Jazz Awards. She writes the compositions for the DINOSAUR quartet, and together with the group has developed a tightly woven and highly dynamic improvisational music with links to many stylistic directions: contemporary jazz, Indian intonation, rocking grooves, and classical equilibrium. The quality and sensitivity of the ensemble... read more »
Denis Gäbel Quartet This is jazz with no frills or gimmicks and no electronics. With his quartet, Denis Gäbel follows the compass of his own musical passions. Gäbel, a Westphalian tenor saxophone player who lives in Cologne, is the younger brother of German entertainer Tom Gäbel. Now 40 years old, Denis has long had a reputation as an artist deeply rooted in the history of his instrument, from Coleman Hawkins to Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson. Now he is writing ano... read more »
Richie Beirach mit Sirius Quartet Pianist and composer Richie Beirach believes that it is necessary to completely internalize the works of the great composers of the past before sitting down at the piano to rediscover them, engage in a dialogue with them, and transform them in a very personal way. Working from this conviction for almost 50 years now, he has created a large and fascinating repertoire. For the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, Beirach and the Sirius String Quartet will present a kind of mini-cycle of works from the European musical tradition as well as new compositions by Beirach himself. It will be an evening of familiar music presented in a fresh, thoughtful, and entertaining manner – moving beyond con... read more »
Simon Oslender Trio He is THE new kid on the block: with his fresh and energetic piano and Hammond organ playing, Simon Oslender is a rising star who fascinates musicians, audiences, and critics alike. With a select group of musical friends, the 21-year-old will celebrate the release of his debut album, About Time (Leopard Records). Funky grooves, memorable melodies, and an unbridled joy in performing make this a program you won’t want to miss. Simon Os... read more »
Till Brönner & Band He has been called the German Chet Baker. Till Brönner is a trumpet playing jazz gentleman from the Rhineland and the most successful German representative of the most American of musical styles. With his relaxed air of coolness and his unmistakably silky sound, he fills concert halls around the world and has twice been nominated for Grammy awards. In Bonn, he and his band will present a collection of his most beautiful songs. Till Brönner – t... read more »
A Musical Walk Down the Path to Democracy Ludwig van Beethoven fought throughout his life for a world in which “all men shall be brothers,” and many of his works are concerned with the struggle for values such as liberty, equality, and fraternity. As part of the celebrations for Beethoven’s 250th birthday, Jazzfest Bonn joins Bonn’s Haus der Geschichte for a dialogue between music and politics. An entertaining stroll with three stopping points where inside stories of historical events will be illuminated by music. The program will be in German. We will meet at 14:00 in the foyer of the Haus der Geschichte and then walk where the music leads us. There is no admission fee, but reservations are required. For reservat... read more »
Rolf und Joachim Kühn The two musical brothers Rolf (90) and Joachim Kühn (75) have lived through turbulent times. Rolf began his career in Leipzig in the 1940s and has explored almost all jazz styles, absorbing influences from swing big bands and bebop. Rolf moved to America in 1956, while his younger brother Joachim was unable to flee to the West until 1966. These two charismatic artists have never lost their curiosity, openness, and sheer joy in experimentation. They will perform together in a concert devoted to their central theme of freedom. Rolf Kühn – clarinet Joachim Kühn – piano This program is a cooperative project with the Haus der Geschichte in connection with the exhibition “Hits a... read more »
JazzBeet – An International Jazz Competition in Bonn JazzBeet – An International Jazz Competition in Bonn Ludwig van Beethoven’s courage, curiosity, and musicality were the inspirations for the international jazz competition called JazzBeet, where innovative young artists from around the world can experiment and become part of a global musical network. Encouragement and promotion are tremendously important for young musicians just beginning their careers. For this reason, Jazzfest Bonn initiated JazzBeet, an international competition made possible through the support of BTHVN2020 and Deutsche Post DHL Group. From 26 to 30 May 2020, six finalists will be invited to Beethoven‘s birthplace to compose and perform in the style of his revolution... read more »
Jazzbeet Evaluation Concert (Post Tower | May 28 | 7:00 PM) Ludwig van Beethoven’s courage, curiosity, and musicality were the inspirations for the international jazz competition called JazzBeet, where innovative young artists from around the world can experiment and become part of a global musical network. Encouragement and promotion are tremendously important for young musicians just beginning their careers. For this reason, Jazzfest Bonn initiated JazzBeet, an international competition made possible through the support of BTHVN2020 and Deutsche Post DHL Group. Over 30 bands from all over the world have applied for the competition in Bonn, six bands are invited to follow in Beethoven's footsteps. The... read more »
Jazzbeet Evaluation Concert (Post Tower | May 29 | 7:00 PM) Ludwig van Beethoven’s courage, curiosity, and musicality were the inspirations for the international jazz competition called JazzBeet, where innovative young artists from around the world can experiment and become part of a global musical network. Encouragement and promotion are tremendously important for young musicians just beginning their careers. For this reason, Jazzfest Bonn initiated JazzBeet, an international competition made possible through the support of BTHVN2020 and Deutsche Post DHL Group. Over 30 bands from all over the world have applied for the competition in Bonn, six bands... read more »
JazzBeet – final concert The final concert of Jazzfest Bonn 2020 will feature the winning band from the first international JazzBeet competition. This band, chosen from a large and diverse group of competitors from around the world, will present a program including a new composition of their own based on a work by Beethoven and reflecting the great composer’s revolutionary attitudes.... read more »
Jazzanova Jazzanova is a collective of Berlin DJs and producers. The group first became known in the late 1990s with a fusion of jazz elements and electronic sounds taken from the club scene. Their music ranges from clouds of swirling, melancholy synthesizer sounds to up-tempo grooves from soul and funk. Jazzanova is now and has always been in a permanent state of evolution, never tied to a particular sound, scene, technique, or format. The only constant i... read more »
Jazzrausch Bigband The infectious enthusiasm and vibrant energy of the Jazzrausch Bigband always guarantee an exhilarating concert experience. In their new program, Beethoven’s Breakdown, the 15 young musicians led by composer Leonhard Kuhn and bandleader Roman Sladek will produce a breathtaking web of techno grooves, orchestral clouds of sound, and complex jazz improvisations inspired by Beethoven’s music. From tender moments of calm to thunderous explosions, the ... read more »
