Bauer/Kalima/Drake

SEATED CONCERT – The trombone icon from the festival’s first generation meets sophisticated percussion perfection and Finnish-Berlin-style guitar virtuosity—a summit of improvised music.

In 1960s rock, the term “supergroup” was coined to describe bands like Cream or The Dirty Mac, whose members had already caused a sensation in other contexts. In jazz, this term is less commonly used because projects tend to come together much more on an ad hoc basis. However, it would be absolutely apt for the collaboration between German trombonist Conny Bauer, Finnish guitarist Kalle Kalima (who lives in Berlin), and Chicago-based drummer Hamid Drake. 

The names and projects with which Bauer (b. 1943), Drake (b. 1955), and Kalima (b. 1973) have shared studios, stages, and tour buses throughout their long careers would fill an entire program booklet on their own. Bauer was one of the pioneers of the East German free jazz scene, which used free improvisation to provide an artistic counterpoint to the regimented daily life under “real existing socialism.” He made his debut at the 1st Leipzig Jazz Days in 1976 with the group FEZ. And even after that, he was a regular part of the festival lineup in various ensembles.

Hamid Drake, in turn, is one of the leading figures of the AACM, who are constantly seeking new connections between tradition and the future. And Kalima draws from a conception of jazz that is heavily influenced by rock, film music, and other genres, which he dissects and reassembles with a great deal of humor. 

It’s impossible to even begin to imagine what exactly happens when this trio takes the stage, even if you’re familiar with Bauer and Kalima’s album “13 Kuukautta,” because Drake will bring a completely different dimension to this collaboration. But one thing is certain: Regardless of their generation or background, all three embody an unconditional desire for freedom that manifests itself in new and surprising ways every time they come together.


Line-up:
Conny Bauer (trb)
Kalle Kalima (e-git)
Hamid Drake (dr, perc)

serenatas disponsibles (Brandon López, Mat Maneri & Sun-Mi Hong)

SEATED CONCERT – A new project by the New York bassist featuring a top-notch lineup: popular Latin American influences, polyrhythms, microtonality, and the absence of an overarching concept. What remains? A complex feeling designed to get people dancing.

The term “serenade” can be loosely translated as “music of the evening.” It has a long tradition in the Latin American context: it expresses love and remembrance, farewell, and longing.

It may therefore come as a surprise at first that Brandon López, a rising star of the New York avant-garde and improvisation scene, explicitly references serenades in his new program, “serenatas disponibles.” However, what interests this double bassist—who comes from a Puerto Rican family and grew up in New Jersey—about this musical tradition is not so much the finished form as the fragmentation of the musical material. 

In this reinterpretation, small melodic or rhythmic Latin motifs emerge like vague memories from a distant past. They are framed by López’s characteristic passion for polyrhythmic and microtonal experimentation, which attests equally to his elegance and his musical independence.

Word of his distinctive musical style has long since spread: He has already collaborated with leading figures in the international avant-garde scene, including John Zorn, Peter Evans, and Ingrid Laubrock. He also made a name for himself through his highly acclaimed collaboration with the poet Fred Moten, which was named “Best of Jazz” by The New York Times in 2022.

For his current project, he was able to bring on board not only the Swiss improvisational musician Margaux Oswald, but also the South Korean drummer Sun-Mi Hong, who has made a name for herself internationally in recent years as an acclaimed bandleader. Together, the trio creates an atmospheric sound stripped down to its essentials—exactly what seems appropriate for the music of the evening.

Line-up:
Brandon López (db, comp)
Mat Maneri (viola)
Sun-Mi Hong (dr)