Let’s be real: when you fancy a concert in the evening while visiting the world’s major cities, don’t you primarily head for the big, well-known venues? And how well do you even know the underground gems in your own home town? Most respondents will object that they don’t even know where to find these venues with their enticing vibes – or where to get information about them in the first place. And above all: is it even worth the effort?
To solve this problem, at least for jazz lovers in the German capital, a special event concept was devised: the Jazz Week Berlin. Jazz musicians, who now flock to the capital from numerous and diverse international locations to find their musical happiness there, were to be promoted just as much as the city’s many hidden clubs. And so both seasoned music lovers and quirky nerds were offered a broad spectrum ranging from mainstream and free jazz to experimental and fusion. An artistic package full of musical surprises and discoveries was presented, reminiscent of the vibrant spirit of optimism of the 90s. Berlin’s Senator for Culture took the opportunity to act as patron and open this important event for jazz.
The central question of the seven musical days was: “How visible are jazz and improvised music in Berlin?” Under this year’s motto “sichtbarkeit_visibility”, there were not only numerous concerts, but also discussions between musicians, audiences, organizers, scientists and political representatives. The aim was to shed light on the role of jazz in the diverse metropolis and increase its visibility. The initiator of the festival was an organization with the unwieldy, bureaucratic and not very aesthetically pleasing name “IG Jazz Berlin”. This is the most important cultural-political representation of the Berlin scene for jazz and improvised music. With around 350 members, it not only supports the musicians, but also the organizers and other players in this field. Their commitment made the festival an event that went far beyond the musical performances and made an important contribution to Berlin’s cultural diversity.
Held for the sixth time this year, Jazz Week Berlin was more than just a series of concerts; it was a celebration of discovery. Small, often overlooked venues in hidden corners of the city became vibrant centers of music. The atmosphere was reminiscent of the wild 90s, when Berlin was a city of unlimited possibilities and creative freedom, which is becoming increasingly restricted in the wake of ubiquitous gentrification. Some may still remember the days when bars and clubs were changing location on a weekly basis, when unheard-of musical noises suddenly burst from empty apartments or when all you had to do was follow a crowd in the eastern part of the city late at night to find yourself at a crazy event a few moments later. Even though these times are long gone, the events still had an air of this daring spirit about them. With over 25 participating clubs, IG Jazz Berlin presented the full and above all cool spectrum of jazz. From well-known venues such as A-Trane or b-flat to hidden gems such as Jazz am Helmholtzplatz, Donau 115, Peppi Guggenheim or the Intergalaktischer Kulturverein, you could get to know the capital’s elegant and quirky diversity. Even smoking clubs – a rare sight these days – were among them and conveyed a casual feeling of bygone jazz authenticity. There was a spirit of optimism everywhere, showing that local jazz is alive and varied. It also became clear how important international exchange has become. If you ask jazz musicians around the world where they would like to be, the inevitable New York is now immediately followed by Berlin and not London or Paris. The event days have proven that jazz and improvised music are not only visible, but also indispensable. They contribute to the musical diversity and vibrancy of the city and remind us that it is often the hidden corners where the most exciting discoveries await. After a double-digit number of concerts, we returned to our home stereos and LP collections, slightly exhausted, but all the same vowing to repeat the voyage of discovery of the last few weeks in smaller doses. And if you’ve got a taste for some daring jazz venues in Berlin and dare to venture out to the outskirts or slightly darker courtyards on your next visit, then why not visit the IG Jazz homepage and browse through the information there? It’s sure to be a groovy pleasure.