Getting Ready For Jazzfest Berlin Number 51

ByMatthias Kirsch

It is going to be the first edition for Richard Williams, the new artistic director for the prestigious festival for the next three years. Like he says in the welcome notes, he wanted to present performers “…who have one thing in common: the desire to move forward.”

Jazzfest Berlin 2015So we’re moving again to the Haus der Berliner Festspiele from today until Sunday and also to the other locations like A-Trane, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche, and Akademie der Künste. The festival starts tonight with an artist talk with two of this year’s performers: saxophonist Émile Parisien who is part of Vincent Peirani‘s group; the accordionist will take to the stage as the third act tonight. And then there is young German pianist Julia Kadel who can be seen later tonight at the A-Trane.

The main programme starts with the Splitter Orchester, a group of 24 musicians who are part of the Echtzeitmusik movement. They will present a world premiere: a 45-minute piece by famed American composer and trombonist George Lewis. Also on the menu for tonight: Cécile McLorin Salvant and her quartet. Check back in every day for my reviews. Later.

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