As part of our continuing ‘Musical Destinations’ series Music-News.com ventured to Hamburg on a voyage of musical discovery to uncover the delights of Elbjazz.
From revered composers Telemann, Bach, Hasse and Mendelssohn right through to The Beatles, Hamburg has been stooped in a rich musical history. A legacy that is very much at the forefront of their artistic and cultural identity with the Reeperbahn Festival, now a well-established event on the European musical calendar and hub for music lovers and industry folk alike.
Elbjazz is hosted in various locations across Hamburg. The main site is the Blohm+Voss floating island, part of the dockyard, strictly out-of-bounds to the general public all year except during Elbjazz due to the secret nature of their vessel constructions. Abramovich had his mega yacht built here, complete with on board submarine, just one of the long line of exclusive clientele who are outfitted alongside government projects.
After a pleasant 15 minute boat-ride to the floating dock we were soon surrounded by huge uplit cranes and enticing BBQ stalls and bars. The voice of three time Grammy Award winning Dee Dee Bridgewater floated from the main stage as she chatted away to her audience as if at a tea party. Word was she was still in the Reeperbahn at 4am that morning, no mean feat at the age of 65.
85 year-old Rolf Kuhn was at the helm at the packed old machine construction hall with a huge propeller providing a majestic backdrop. Back to the audience, he guided his young band (double bass, drums, guitar) and revelled in his virtuoso clarinet performance.
Internationally acclaimed Italian jazzman, Enrico Rava, brandished his trumpet on the Helgen outdoor stage, unkempt white hair blowing in the breeze, while his young quartet dutifully furrowed their own experimental path.
Brazillian, Ed Motta, brought rock, funk, jazz and nimble moves to the main stage. His smooth soul voice, beckoning romance to blossom amidst the hulking lumps of metal. Elbjazz is a relaxed, chilled affair with patrons trusted with ‘real’ wine glasses and food of the highest quality on offer.
Bavarian brass band LaBrassBanda needed the full width of the main stage for their stirring 10-piece outfit. Erlend Oye and the Rainbows, of Kings of Convenience/The Whitest Boy Alive fame, brought their Icelandic acoustic fare to the smaller of the two outdoor stages with a few Italian songs thrown in for good measure from his latest project having moved to Sicily, and making it sound so easy.
The sets change every year depending on dockyard construction rosters and logistics. Artists also agree that Elbjazz is special, with the concept taking on a maritime life of its own. This constantly changing environment is fundamental to the Elbjazz charm.
Tina Heine, Elbjazz founder and director, told Music-News.com “We try to match every artist to the location, to create a unique offering, sometimes combining artists for truly exclusive performances.”
There is a capacity of 20,000 across the weekend, and once the larger main stages are closed there is a special programme that continues well into the early hours at venues along the Reeperbahn. Boats and shuttle buses ferry you between the sites. This club strand features a raft of DJs to get the younger audience connected to jazz. Tina surmises “artists don't want to be characterized so why should audiences?”
A second boat journey took us to Hansahafen open air stage where we glimpsed the alternative enticing chaos of band, KUU. The wooden beams of the port museum was a perfect match for The Pablo Held Trio to lose themselves in their own experimental jazz soundscape. The piano gently questioning with the double bass creaking and fluttering like a nervous butterfly around the sporadic raindrop drums.
Then it was off to see the soothing tones of Angelika Niesschier, Simone Zanchini & Stefano Senni in the carved-out hull of ex cargo ship MS Bleichen. Gently swaying in the belly of this old ship it was comforting to think that it too was enjoying its musical retirement.
Another stand-out site is former fishing and transport vessel MS Stubnits whose cargo holds have been transformed into a splendid multi-level venue. On the Sunday there is also a University stage and museum concert warm downs. With exhibitions, workshops, a backstage children’s program and culinary goings-on there's no shortage of programed events.
Rounding off the night at St. Katharinen Church, with its imposing whitewashed interior and huge plastic rock art installation was the aptly named Waves featuring Eric Schaefer. It was a moving experience.
With the striking Elbphilharmonie to open in 2017 and a National Heritage Award for ‘City of Culture’ looking evermore likely there has rarely been a better time to visit Hamburg.
Elb Jazz will not only provide you with a welcome break along with all that Hamburg has to offer but on some level I also found it beneficial to the soul. And it’s certainly not just for jazz aficionados, if you like water, harbours, cranes and exploring new music then jump aboard.
An inspired line up, magically nautical locations and typical German organization combine to make Elbjazz a wonderfully unique requisite date in anyone’s musical calendar.
