The full programme has been announced earlier today after festival director Dieter Kosslick’s last programme press conference before Carlo Chatrian takes over in 2020. 17 movies will compete in this year’s main section and jury president Juliette Binoche and her team will present their prizes on February 16th. I already had the chance to see…
There simply can not be enough live music in town so here comes a very welcome new little festival at a location which is one of the nicest and charming in the city. Diversity and equality is the name of the game for Berlin Jazz Experiment, to be held May 31st to June 2nd at…
And here’s another great indie soul compilation which we’re also looking out for at the beginning of each year: Luxury Soul 2019 is another 3-CD box with 35 indie and modern soul tracks, with 21 tracks released last year or this year and the remainder going as far back as 1981 with a can’t-do-wrong classy…
Gina knows exactly where she gets her treats in the neighborhood. On a recent walk through Prenzlauer Berg, we stopped at our favorite cheese dealer. Gina ordered a piece of 16-month old Chällerhocker from Switzerland, but of course graciously handed it over to me because she knew that she’s not allowed to eat cheese. We’ve…
It is funny but there is this prejudice or rumor that traveling to the US is like a nightmare with hours and hours waiting in line at the airport to enter the country. Once again on Wednesday, I was out of terminal 8, cleared immigration and customs only 45 minutes after the plane touched down…
MPS Records, the now legendary German label based in the Black Forest region, has been put back to life a couple of years ago with reissues and new artists on the updated roster. Now, Gilles Peterson, the British DJ and label head (Talkin’ Loud Records, Brownswood Recordings) has taken on the task of putting together…
Are you listening to the same old Christmas songs again? Even though I have to admit that I return to the tried and tested Xmas records year after year (Herb Alpert, Bert Kaempfert, Erin Bode, Rosemary Clooney, June Christy, Peggy Lee, George Shearing, etc), it is always refreshing and highly appreciated to receive original songs which have…
“It’s not supposed to be a special place or city, it’s more like a search to find your home, anywhere”. For someone touring the world over, that’s something that you can easily relate to. Born in Israel and based in New York, guitarist Gilad Hekselman is currently on tour in Europe to support his latest…
The 24-piece Splitter Orchester opened this year’s Jazzfest Berlin last night before a sold-out audience. The 45-minute piece “Creative Construction Set” was written by trombonist George Lewis and featured a strange, if somewhat entertaining mélange of several electronics and prepared field recordings with more traditional instruments like clarinet and violin, but played in alienated fashion, uncharacteristically,…
Texas-born saxophonist and bassist Wilton Felder formed The Crusaders together with Joe Sample and Stix Hooper. Together, they became one of the most revered jazz fusion groups of the 60s and 70s, with several major international hits, like the immortal “Street Life” (1979). But Wilton was also a sought-after studio musician and played on hundreds…