Having been involved in the production of around 850 concerts during her three-and-a-half-year tenure as Head of Office and Production at the Unterfahrt jazz club, Anna-Marie Schluifelder has already had a significant impact on cultural life in Munich, and on the rising profile of the city’s jazz scene in particular. Colleagues and friends speak of an incredibly hard-working and effective person who is selfless in her support of the scene and the musicians. Since October 2022, Schluifelder has been part of the team behind a major new cultural project, the Bergson Kunstkraftwerk in Aubing on the western outskirts of Munich, which will open in April as a “unique venue for concerts, art, gastronomy and events”.
UKJazz News: Was there a moment when you knew that being responsible for live events would be an important part of your life?
Anna-Marie Schluifelder: Yes, that was in January 2006, when I was given the great opportunity to become head of the events department of a well-known tourist destination in Bavaria (Bad Wörishofen, 80km from Munich). Music and concerts have always been very important to me. Professionally, however, the love for it actually came through doing this. It was totally crazy, because I became the head of a municipal events office at the age of just 22 without ever having organised an event before. I had trained as a journalist, so it was a complete career change, learning by doing. I stayed for 13 years. We organised over 3,000 events there every year and the cultural programme was very important to the city. That was my “big school” where I had the chance to learn, and I am infinitely grateful to have had the opportunity.
UKJN: And was jazz always there… or did it come suddenly?
AMS: In 2006, I wasn’t yet an avowed jazz fan, but I was a big blues fan. There was also a jazz festival in Bad Wörishofen – there’s a wonderful old cinema there, that was the venue.
The festival was launched in 1991 by citizens on a private initiative, but the city administration supported the project from the very beginning. As head of the events department, I was therefore part of the “jazz working group”. I met wonderful people, was welcomed with open arms, learnt a lot, but was also allowed to contribute a lot. The festival – and jazz – became a project close to my heart. The festival founder Horst Fröhlich is still one of my best friends today and I owe him a great deal; we have organised 13 festivals together.
L-R: Anna-Marie Schluifelder, Michael Stückl, Christopher Dell, Julia Hülsmann’s Quartet x4 and Christian Lillinger – Photo TJ Krebs
UKJN: For readers who don’t know the Munich jazz scene: What have been the major developments in recent years?
AMS: I have been taken aback by the way the young scene has developed. I was lucky enough to meet many students from the Jazz Institute of the Munich University of Music and Theatre at the Unterfahrt. And I’m very happy to be able to see how these great talents are successfully making their way. Shuteen Erdenebaatar, for example, Nils Kugelmann, Alma Naidu, Enji Erkhem… and many others.
I would like to see the Munich scene receive more attention overall. And maybe we can make a contribution with Bergson.
UKJN: People in your position develop a “sixth sense” for what could go wrong and make sure that things go right… Is there an example you’re proud of?
AMS: Ha, yes, that’s certainly true! When you organise live concerts with internationally touring musicians on a very regular basis, things happen. You can only plan ahead and create the right conditions, you can’t calculate what happens spontaneously. Every organiser knows that. It’s important to keep a cool head and find solutions, to think outside the box from time to time. And, above all, to pay attention to all the little things in advance so that the artists have it as easy as possible, feel comfortable and can play a successful gig. I think that makes all the difference. I’m very good at that and I’m proud of it.
UKJN: What is Bergson?
AMS: Bergson Kunstkraftwerk (art power station) is a spectacular, brand new venue in Munich and a private-sector initiative. Our base is an old heating plant from the 1920s. An impressive, beautiful building that the owners have converted and dedicated to culture. The aim is to create a cultural centre of gravity, a place where culture can be presented and experienced differently. We make or organise all the music that happens there ourselves. On the one hand, we have the Jazzrausch Bigband as our resident band. We have also built up a roster of 100 local jazz and classical musicians, the Bergson Artists, who can be experienced in our own productions. And we offer a stage to bands that we think are really good.
UKJN: And describe your role and why you like being there.
AMS: I’m responsible for booking and I run the artistic operations office, so I’m also responsible for the organisation and smooth processes.
Bergson brings together art, music, events and gastronomy in an architecturally exciting building that is very aesthetically pleasing and tastefully furnished. In addition to a wide variety of event rooms, we also have 2,000 square metres of gallery space in the building, as well as our own restaurant with a bar open all day, and a beer garden. It combines many things that mean a lot to me personally. And the team is incredible!
UKJN: Tell us about your hopes, dreams…
AMS: I hope that the uniqueness of the project receives the attention it deserves and that many people come to us. So that the vision becomes a reality and the hard work and courage are rewarded.
UKJN: Is it true that the two people, Leo Betzl and Roman Sladek, who are best known for their work with the Jazzrausch Big Band, are now your colleagues at Bergson? How will that work?
AMS: Leo Betzl is one of our Bergson Artists, and therefore he will be appearing quite a few times at our venues. And Roman Sladek is my boss, he is the artistic director and manages the business of Bergson Kultur GmbH, which is responsible for everything musical in the house. The whole project is a private company, we don’t receive any public funding. At the same time, Bergson is the new home of his Jazzrausch Bigband. Roman pulls all the strings, his workload is incredible. After all, the big band also exists outside the Bergson and tours regularly. But if anyone can do that, it’s Roman!
UKJN: What do you think about International Women’s Day?
AMS: I think that IWD is important, but to be honest I haven’t had much of a personal connection to it until now. That will certainly change for me after this interview – and I hope that International Women’s Day can bring about many such changes.
As you can see in my specific case, it’s a great opportunity to create and provide attention and raise issues that need raising. These are things that need to happen. Thank you for taking up the topic and for using the day as the impetus for your interview series.
