Oliver Weindling looks forward to this year’s Inntoene Jazz Festival in Austria, one of Europe’s best boutique festivals, and the creation of the remarkable Paul Zauner (programme listing below) :
For over 20 years, Paul Zauner’s Inntoene Festival has taken place off the beaten track and at his family’s pig farm. It is a concentrated affair over 3 days with music nearly non-stop. The main events take place in the field next to the farmhouse, having initially been forced out of the barn by Covid. However it seems to have done the festival a favour by creating more space and another stage.
It’s the vision of one man. When I spoke to Paul, who over the course of the year fine tunes his programme, he felt that the whole programme is ‘current, original and of top quality’. much a balance between the relatively ‘big names’, such as Donny McCaslin, Bobby Watson, Kirk Lightsey with Don Moye (and ‘our own’ Steve Watts), Marc Ribot and John Surman (whose latest band includes Rob Luft) and the less well known. These are wild cards, some younger and some more experienced, but about whom he’s equally excited, such as Monica Salmaso from Brazil, pianist Liv Andrea Hauge from Norway, who recently won the EJN Zenith Award, and Grammy-winning blues guitarist Cedric Burnside.
Jazz seems to seep out from every corner of the farm. Between main shows, in the barn, there are regular performances by the young musicians from the area, and, in the evenings more informal performances, as well as late nights and jams in St Pigs Pub, which through the rest of the year is the pig sty! Of particular note will be Lenny Popkin, himself now 83, and a long-standing favourite of this website. (Link to Live at Inntoene album review).
Paul’s love affair with the London scene is legendary, including, over recent years, the likes of Bruno Heinen and Sons of Kemet up to and including Brass Mask and Xhosa Cole in 2023. And it’s been recognised internationally. Indeed Soweto Kinch’s new show on BBC has already broadcast tracks from Xhosa’s gig.
This year, as well as Rob Luft and Steve Watts, there is also, from UK, the ebullience of Byron Wallen’s Four Corners and the crossover a cappella vocal group, Apollo 5.
There are ample opportunities to create new friendships with musicians and audience, or indeed cement old ones. Especially as there is a marvellous selection of fresh food and wine in the farmyard.
MAIN STAGE PROGRAMME
Friday 19 July 2024
19:00 Duo Zanchini Mirabassi (I)
20:40 Mônica Salmaso Trio (BR)
22:20 Bobby Watson Post Motown Bop (USA)
24:00 Emiliano D`Auria Quintet (I)
Saturday 20 July 2024
11:00 Walter Smith III (USA)
13:00 Steve Watts Kirk Lightsey Don Moye (UK/USA)
15:00 Jasper van’t Hof Trio (NL) Gast: Christof Lauer
17:00 Belmondo Brothers “Dead Jazz” (FR)
19:00 Apollo 5 (UK)
21:00 Liv Andrea Hauge Trio (NOR)
23:00 Cedric Burnside (USA)
Sunday 21 July 2024
10:30 Christian Mühlbacher & Friends
12:15 Marta Sánchez Piano Solo (USA)
14:00 Marc Ribot Jazz Bins (USA)
16:00 John Surman “Words Unspoken” (UK/USA/NOR)
18:00 Byron Wallen & The Four Corners
20:00 Manu Delago Ensemble (CH/A)
22:00 Donny Mc Caslin (USA)
LINK: Inntoene Festival website
UKJN’s coverage of the festival
