New jazz horizon: Live jazz in Komma and Lux ​​is taking off!

New jazz horizon: Live jazz in Komma and Lux ​​is taking off!

The “Jazz at Dulkhäusle” concert series in Esslingen has a long tradition that abruptly came to a halt last year. After almost 40 years of active organization by the Live Music Association, the series was put into a “creative break” due to difficult conditions. This decision followed a success story spanning more than two decades, attracting up to 800 guests per concert each year. Sponsors such as the Kreissparkasse had previously made the financing possible, but now the organizers are faced with the challenge of developing new ideas to secure the future of jazz in Esslingen. According to esslinger-zeitung.de, staff shortages in the catering industry and weather-related risks are some of the reasons for the forced break.

Fortunately, the first steps towards reviving the jazz offering in Esslingen are emerging. New partnerships with the Komma youth and cultural center and the catering department at the Lux municipal cinema enable the organizers to offer performances regardless of the weather. A pilot series entitled “Live Jazz in Comma and Lux” is being planned.

First concerts for a new beginning

The series starts with the first three concerts in Comma: The Uli Gutscher Quartet opens on June 5th, followed by the Lisa Wilhelm Quartet on June 12th and the Peter Lehel Quartet on June 19th. Top-class performances are also scheduled at Lux, including Belle Vague on June 26th, the Werner Acker Band on July 3rd and the Valentin Koch Quintet on July 10th and other bands until the end of July. The new beginning is supported by the Kreissparkasse and the Heinz Weiler Future Foundation.

In addition to these new initiatives, a special event will take place on March 30, 2025 at the Dieselstrasse Cultural Center. The Jazz and Swing BIGBAND will perform a homage to Roger Cicero. Under the direction of Kai Podack, known from the a capella group Füenf, hits such as “Take off your shoes” and “Women rule the world” will be performed. This performance promises an elegant and charming jazz experience for visitors. Tickets for this event are available online at jazzandswing.de.

Jazz in Germany: A Review

To better understand the significance of these developments, it is worth taking a look at the history of jazz in Germany. After World War II, jazz music took a turn. Thanks to British and American radio stations, jazz became popular, but musical culture in the Soviet occupied zones was ambivalent. Jazz musicians had to undergo examinations in order to be approved to perform. The processing of German folk songs by West German musicians and the emergence of jazz clubs in the 1950s bear witness to this dynamic development.

Today, the jazz landscape in Germany is complex and heterogeneous. In addition to traditional jazz, there are innovative projects, such as the techno-jazz collective LBT from Munich, which combines digital music production with jazz. This development shows the vibrant and constantly evolving culture of jazz in Germany, as jazziversum.de shows in detail.