Ambassadors of New Orleans // Michel Portal / Richard Galliano // G. Gruntz, A. Mangelsdorff, D. Glawischnig, NDR Bigband // Richard Galliano New York Trio // Willem Breuker Kollektief and Strings

Ambassadors of New Orleans

In 1964 the Original Tuxedo Jass Band seemed not appropriate for the Philharmonie, the jazzband ball at the Prälat Schöneberg was a more suitable venue. Subsequently the situation eased off and the Young Tuxedo Brass Band – also from New Orleans - was allowed to enter the stage of the Philharmonie in 1980 with Grand Marshall at their forefront: “Focus on the South”.

The current ‘Ambassadors’ group around sousaphone-world-champion Matt Perrine is a kind of light overseas’ version of the New Orleans Nightcrawlers. They are the advance party of the 40th anniversary and are the icing on the musical birthday cake.

Michel Portal – Richard Galliano

Richard Galliano’s New York Trio was already well established when Michel Portal’s live-CD Concerts with Richard Galliano got released.

It is not surprising that their paths should cross: In George Gruntz’ final year as artistic director Richard Galliano had just established his trio with Daniel Humair and J. F. Jenny-Clarke (replaced at the festival by Anthony Cox) and was part of George Gruntz’ legacy on the closing night of the festival. Albert Mangelsdorff’s favourite candidate in the following year (’95) was Michel Portal.

Together they form a dynamic duo.

George Gruntz, Albert Mangelsdorff, Dieter Glawischnig, NDR Bigband

The NDR Bigband with their conductor Dieter Glawischnig is the ‘ARD’s diplomatic corps’ inaugurating the 40th anniversary: they embody the ‘creative imperative’ proclaimed by George Gruntz. The ensemble emphasises each member’s individual strength, names like Christof Lauer, Claus Stötter, Reiner Winterschladen, Stefan Lottermann and Vladyslav Sendecki speak for themselves (at least in this country).

The group’s adventurous spirit sustains the repertoire. George Gruntz and Albert Mangelsdorff- both artistic directors of the jazz festival for many years – have worked with the band and seem an obvious choice for the birthday-performance.

Richard Galliano New York Trio
special guest ‘Jean Toots’ Thielemans

Accordion and harmonica in action make the air vibrate- both in a technical and figurative sense. Thus the union of French accordion-wizard Richard Galliano and Belgian harmonica-sophist Toots Thielemans is a perfect match.

Galliano has worked with Juliette Greco and Charles Aznavour before focusing on jazz. He calls this mixture of styles “New Musette”, instigated by “New Tango” inventor Astor Piazzolla. The most recent milestone of his career: the New York Trio.

“Man Bites Harmonica”: 82 year old Toots Thielemans is not only a living legend of European jazz, he is the ‘elder statesman’ of the international jazz scene. He claims to be the most comfortable “in the small space between a smile and a tear”. Galliano and Thielemans have known each other since 1995; working on the album Laurita together has also sealed their partnership. After their Berlin gig they want to go on tour in the spring of 2005.

Willem Breuker Kollektief and Strings
’Rhapsody in Blue’

For thirty years Willem Breuker has been debilitating prejudices against jazz being too serious. Nevertheless, it would be jumping to conclusions to reduce the Dutch enfant terrible to his humour out of the ordinary. His music includes everything the European tradition has on offer. At the same time it is hard not to notice Kurt Weill in this eclectic mixture.

Breuker was a member of the Instant Composers Pool and the Globe Unity Orchestra before founding his “thoroughly democratic, in a sense socialistic” collective (Kollektief) to pursue his fondness of musical theatre. On his CD With Strings Attached he has put forward a collection of ‘pranks with string players’, amongst them a George Gershwin Rapsody in Blue version, composed 80  years ago.