Saturday’s jazz feast at Paul Zauner’s farm began at noon on the Open Air Bühne on a sun-drenched meadow with a very successful performance by American multi-instrumentalist Scott Robinson, accompanied by the precise trio of Hungarian pianist Matyas Bartha (Danny Ziemann – bass, Christian Salfellner – drums). Scott played his own compositions and well-known jazz standards very sensitively and delicately, without unnecessary showmanship, on a range of instruments from tenor saxophone to clarinet and trumpet to tárogató, a wooden wind instrument used in the interpretation of folk music in Hungary. His tribute to Sidney Bechet was particularly impressive, see video clip. A great start to the second day of the festival!
The second Saturday performance on the main stage belonged to an unprecedented duo, American avant-garde gospel singer Dean Bowman accompanied by experienced Austrian pianist Roland Guggenbichler, who captivated the audience from the very first song with his „booming baritone and heart-rending falsetto.“ The original arrangements of gospel songs, spirituals, and American folk songs, accompanied by energetic piano playing, easily cheered up the packed meadow of grateful spectators. An excellent demonstration of jazz roots.
Before the next colorful program on the main stage, we were able to admire the beautiful voice and charm of singer Bamlak Werner in the shade of the barn. A group of young musicians from the Vienna University of Music called „Un:known Tales,“ led by bass guitarist Kathi Angerer, together with pianist Fabian Janíček and drummer Lukas Seber, presented an interesting program full of jazz, R&B, funk, and neo-soul.
The original musical themes and rhythms, reminiscent of Frank Zappa’s Waka Jawaka and the brilliant compositions of Thelonious Monk, made us reflect on the depth of Hans Koller‚s music during the quintet’s performance. John O’Gallagher’s superb saxophone and the mature trombones of Louis Koller’s 12-year-old son embellished a perfect concert. More than a pleasant surprise!
Another unprecedented ensemble, The Face of God, combined songs from the Sardinian spiritual repertoire with music composed by Dutch cellist Ernst Reijseger as the soundtrack to some of Werner Herzog’s films. On the one hand, there was Reijseger’s virtuosity, which surprises with its masterful technique and ability to transform even sound experiments into poetry; on the other hand, there was the harmonious blending of traditional Sardinian singing performed by Cuncordu e Tenore de Orosei, four singers from Sardinia. The expressive contrasts between jazz, avant-garde, and spiritual music of ethnic origin thrilled the audience, who were grateful for such experiments at INNtöne, as seen in the video clip below.
The B3+ trio, combining the unique combination of bass trombone, French horn, and trumpet, broadened our musical horizons and those of most of the audience. Americans John Clark on French horn and Dave Taylor on trombone, together with Austrian trumpeter Franz Hackl, launched a mixture and open dialogue of improvised and composed passages that ignored any pre-set boundaries. Their excellent teamwork and shared musical sensibility elevated this exciting musical adventure to an unforgettable experience.
As is customary at INNtöne, the last concert on Saturday was full of funk. POWERHOUSE BAND was led by the highly energetic singer Blair Clark and experienced saxophonist Danny Lerman, together with German pianist Uli Geissendoerfer. We preferred to watch the noisy dance show from our two tents. The musicians played their monotonous songs until the meadows and forests around us turned green.
