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  • The "Jazz City Bilk" beckons at Whitsun

    When it was announced last October that there would be no Jazz Rally this year, there was great horror: no invigorating music at Whitsun, no cheerful shuttling from pub to pub, no lively jazz in the city. That sounded like a difficult idea to bear. All those who feared that the once renowned title of "Jazz City Düsseldorf" could be forgotten were not prepared to accept this. Resistance to the development promptly arose, and the horror of the moment developed into a small jazz quake, the seething epicentre of which was clearly located in Bilk. There, a few stalwarts stamped their feet and said "now more than ever", which is why there will now be three days of invigorating music again at Whitsun. You can now move from location to location from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon after all - in the "Jazz City Bilk".

    There are already three places in Bilk (where the initiative for the new project originated) where jazz regularly sets the tone: on Thursdays and Fridays at the Pure Note bistro on Brunnenstraße, on Saturdays at Aachener Platz and throughout the week at the Jazz Schmiede, where there is also an information board commemorating the "Jazz City Düsseldorf" exhibition. Peter Weiss once helped design this exhibition. As a nationally renowned drummer, he is a permanent fixture in Germany's jazz scene and, on the board of the "Jazz in Düsseldorf" association, is responsible for top-class culture in Bilk and for the city.

    So it was only natural to entrust Peter Weiss with the artistic direction of "Jazz City Bilk" and thus ensure that the musical programme can be heard beyond the borders of Düsseldorf. "We want......", says Weiss.

    As soon as word of the plans for the new project got around the district, the list of venues grew longer and longer. The list now includes not only the Jazz-Schmiede, Aachener Platz and Pure Note, but also the Metropol cinema, the Bürgersaal Bilk, the Bilker Bunker and the Bürgersaal Salzmannbau.

    A lot of phone calls, emails and letters are now being sent in order to be able to present a complete programme as soon as possible. "We are working flat out to ensure that the programme not only satisfies jazz fans in the city, but perhaps also attracts one or two visitors from the surrounding area," says Pure Note Managing Director Marcel Clemens. The complete "Jazz City Bilk" programme should be ready by ??? at the latest.

    The energy of the initiators and the sense of community created in the neighbourhood and beyond have also convinced District Council 3, which was asked for help quickly and has now promised start-up funding for this year at lightning speed. "We were convinced that....", says district mayor Dietmar Wolf.

    The fact that so many people want to be part of the jazz party not only surprised the initiators, but also inspired them. The idea is already doing the rounds to present the small festival again next year and then perhaps make it a little bigger and possibly also include public spaces as venues. Further supporters and sponsors are sought and most welcome in the "Jazz City Bilk".

  • For the 15th time, the Landesmusikrat NRW and the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia are awarding the Spielstättenprogrammprämie NRW to small and medium-sized stages in the independent music scene for their special commitment and their ambitious and dedicated live programme.
    The awards will be presented on Tuesday, 23 January 2024 at the Jazzclub Henkelmann in Iserlohn.

    We are delighted that the Jazz-Schmiede is once again one of this year's award-winning venues!
    With the zakk and the KIT Café, two other venues from Düsseldorf are also among the 16 award winners, and we congratulate our colleagues there!

    Minister Ina Brandes: "The number and diversity of our cultural events in North Rhine-Westphalia is unique in Europe. We also owe this to the many small and medium-sized stages in the independent music scene. With their outstanding programmes and excellent musicians, they whet our appetite for live music. This makes it possible to attract new audiences and at the same time inspire the regular audience. The stages thus make a valuable contribution to the rich cultural offering in our country."

    "Live music is an indispensable part of a vibrant culture. Providing small and medium-sized forums with a financial incentive for outstanding and experimental programming creates scope for innovation and promotes cultural diversity," says Prof. Dr. Christine Siegert, President of the Landesmusikrat NRW.

    The award-winning venues were selected by an expert jury consisting of Christina Lux (musician), Ulla Oster (musician), Tim Isfort (moers festival) and Thomas Baerens (Head of the Music Department, Ministry of Culture and Science).

  • Our homepage, as well as our ticket system, is now also available in english. We hope that all our international guests and all not native geman speakers will now find their way around easily.
    Please be patient with us and write us a short message if you should encounter any hicups here and there. Thank you!

  • On 23 October, the Minister of State for Culture and the Media, Claudia Roth, presented the APPLAUS once again, and for the 10th time, in recognition of live music venues and their programmes for their cultural and socio-political commitment.
    Live music venues are honoured for their cultural excellence and impact in the previous year. The award-winning venues were selected by a jury of experts and the award ceremony took place at the Pavillon Hannover.
    With the Programme Award, the Minister of State for Culture honours concert programmes by independent music clubs and event series from all areas of popular music and jazz. Every year, the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) provides prize money totalling around 2 million euros, making the APPLAUS one of the most highly endowed federal cultural prizes.
    This is the 5th time that Jazz-Schmiede Düsseldorf has been honoured with the APPLAUS. Following its nomination for the German Jazz Award as Venue of the Year last year and the award of the NRW Venue Programme Prize at the beginning of the year, the APPLAUS once again underlines the status of the Jazz-Schmiede as an important and high-quality venue for contemporary jazz music in Germany.

  • Dear members,

    as some of you may already know, others have only just heard the sad news: Wolfgang Engstfeld, who had been seriously ill for some time, passed away unexpectedly on 18 September.

    His death is a great personal loss for me as a friend! But also as a musician - and this certainly applies to many other colleagues - we have lost one of the most important representatives of his instrument. As a teacher and inspirer, the saxophonist had a lasting influence on the next generation of musicians. "...One of the best that Europe has ever produced, a real personality with a sound that always got under your skin... thank you, Wölfi, without you I would never have become a musician," said Reiner Witzel, among others, in honour of his former teacher. An appreciative statement that is shared by colleagues such as Paul Heller, Mathias Nadolny and many others. As the response in the social media also shows.

    I will miss his vital, intense playing, which is at the same time so lyrical, with an unmistakable tone!

    We will be remembering our friend and colleague "Wölfi" in a private setting at the Schmiede in October.

    Peter Weiss

  • Peter Baumgärtner
    My Choice


    Tracklist
    Alice in Wonderland (Bob Hilliard / Sammy Fain) 07:06
    Invitation (Bronislaw Kaper) 06:07
    Somewhere (Leonard Bernstein) 06:39
    Soul Eyes (Mal Waldron) 06:42
    Isfahan (Billy Strayhorn) 07:11
    Here, There and Everywhere (Lennon & McCartney) 05:59
    Time After Time (Sammy Cahn / Jule Styne) 06:20
    Darn That Dream (Jimmy van Huesen) 05:36
    So Tender (Keith Jarrett) 06:07

    produced by
    Peter Baumgärtner

    Executive producer
    Philipp van Endert & André Nendza

    Musicians
    Peter Baumgärtner (dr)
    Thomas Rückert (p)
    Martin Gjakonovski (b)

    About the album
    It has long been a wish of well-known drummer Peter Baumgärtner to record his favourite jazz standards in a studio. With these two exquisite partners he succeeded in the legendary MPS Studio in Villingen in the Black Forest. Spontaneity, openness and creativity - Standards today!

    Release Date: 2023/03/24
    Catalogue-No.: 8011JSS

  • https://nrwjazz.net/jazzreports/2023/Tobias_Weindorf_mit_Parable_in_Jazz_Schmiede/

    "This band plays at the highest level, from the phrasing to the sensitive handling of dynamics. The result is music of the highest quality and it is a great pleasure to experience it. The audience at the Jazz Schmiede will experience a wonderful concert evening full of special moments with the Tobias Weindorf Quartet."