In the twelfth repetition, “palatia jazz - the international Jazzfestival of the Palatinate“ presents top-class casted Jazz concerts at the most beautiful historical places of palatinate. Between May and August the festival proceeds nearly each weekend at another location. Especially the culinary supporting programme should be mentioned, which offers selected palatinate wines and freshly prepared meals from local restaurants.
With 17 events palatia jazz offers the whole variety of international jazz and jazz related music.
On the one hand outstanding saxophonists coin the current program: Jan Garbarek, his group and the Indian percussionist and tablaplayer Trilok Gurtu will transform the romantic ambience of the monastery ruin Limburg, Bad Duerkheim into a ruminant sound area. On previous day the american alto saxophonist David Sanborn, the organist Joey DeFrancesco and the drummer Gene Lake will form a classical organ trio, to pay tribute to the great master of american Soul and Rhythm'n'Blues, Ray Charles. Only recently with his trio playing in the Dresden’s Semperoper or as protagonist in the documentation “David Murray - I am a Jazzman “ on arte (TV-station), with his octet in the studio or in the search for the most beautiful ballades for bass clarinet, this genius american saxophonist David Murray is once more looking for his own musical roots. This time, with his Caribbean African formation “The Gwo Ka Masters”, his sound manifests with Caribbean flair, paired with soulgrooves and funkvibes.
In addition, the representatives of piano art are in again: The celebrated Franco-American pianist Jacky Terrasson captivates by his unrestrained spontaneity, joy of life and his desire for improvisation. He proves himself, in the context of his high-dynamic trio, as true crosser with a message. The Swiss pianist Thierry Lang pays tribute to the sounds of his homeland with its current project “Lyoba Revisited “. He pulls off a complex revision to the music of Abbé Joseph Bovet (and some of his spirit-related Pierre Kaelin). Stage will be the oldest vineyard in Neustadt-Mussbach, called Herrenhof. Where jazz is intuitive, the New Yorker pianist Gerald Clayton can’t be far. With a trio of like-minded people, he cultivated in particular the Miles Davis way of listening and responding to his band mates. So they are mixing their musical influences from classic to Hip Hop to an energized and bubbling “Jambalaya”. In this year the Afro Cuban part of the expert piano players is represented by Rubén González’s successor (global known “Buena Vista Social Club”): Roberto Fonseca. With his quintet, he gives an insight of his “Akokan “(Yoruba for “heart “) and captivates by his between fiery temperful and melancholy –somnambulistic changing performance.
A further emphasis of this year’s festival will be the vocal Jazz: The singer China Moses catches the Spirit of Dinah Washington with her current project. For the festival’s final concert the romantic atmosphere, which is endemic in the park in front of the “Villa Wieser”, Herxheim next to Landau, will be dipped into a relaxed and intimate mood by China Moses’s strong and lascivious voice. Likewise you have been catapulted back in time… swingy, groovy and casual… beautifull. With Rebekka Bakken, who will perform in front of the scenery of Annweiler’s historical city hall, the future of the Scandinavian Jazz will be represented. The Norwegian chanteuse heads the German Jazz charts with her music for weeks, she fascinates the audience such as critics equally. An icon of the European jazz, Norma Winstone, will be the opening act for this year’s festival. She will perform her Grammy nominated, current album “Distances “ inside of Speyer’s main church, named Gedaechtniskirche. In congenial partnership with her – in no way less renowned – fellow men Glauco Venier (piano) and Klaus Gesing (saxophones, bass Clarinet), in the intoxication of the silence, musical works are rising, full of ruminant power and intensity. Originally and full of feelings, with large warmth, authentic intimateness and an unusual instrumenting, the Norwegian “balladeer“ Randi Tytingvåg is concerning with proximity, cleverness, reflection, sensuality and the desire to live. Once the existentialist’s muse, Juliette Gréco is the undisputed “Grande Dame” of chanson and the world-wide ambassador of the intellectual French treasury of songs. The “Neuffer am Park”, which is a former factory building, in Pirmasens will form the adequate frame for her and her bandsmen Gerard Jouannest (piano) and Jean Louis Matinier (accordion), in order “to remember everything”, the title of the current CD “Je Me Souviens de Tout. This year the festival premieres will be the South African singer Simphiwe Dana, who kidnaps us with her breath-taking voice into the golden era of South African music history and will present her new album. In addition the drummer-icon Manu Katché and his formation will enter the “Third Round“ and present his new album likewise. The Israeli guitarist Gilad Hekselman living in New York, who provides sensation in the current world-wide Jazz scene, formed his own trio for the festival. With Petros Klampanis (bass) and Bodek Janke (drums), he has two of the promising representatives of the recent European Jazz scene on board. Fresh sounds from east London will be presented by the spectacular formation Portico Quartet. They will transform the Castle’s inner court in Bad Bergzabern with their between ambient and post Jazz settled, inspired vibes into a Chillout lounge. This year’s large party will be the Incognito concert. They celebrate their anniversary tour after 30 years soul, Jazz and funk music.
Whether, stars or new discoveries - the historical play venues lend a completely special atmosphere to the concerts of palatia jazz: Castles, mansions, historical parks, churches and historical pregnant winegrower goods form the scenes for the events. The culinary prelude will bring the visitors into the right mood for the concerts. Selected palatinate wines and a constantly changing bill of fare with regional and Mediterranean meals will make the benefit for all senses completely.
Zum Jazz. Die Pfalz.