For the first time in its 25-year history, the Berlin Philharmonic Kammermusiksaal was completely sold out for a jazz concert, with an audience of 1200. 3 pianists - Iiro Rantala, Leszek Mozdzer and Michael Wollny proved – as soloists, in duos and as a trio – that jazz can break down the rigid old borders between "serious" and "entertaining" music. They showed an audience of largely classical fans that, in no uncertain terms, classical and jazz are anything but opposites. The Tagesspiegel newspaper wrote that it was an event "with rarity value for Berlin" and the public broadcaster ZDF said: "That was fantastic, if not to say world class".
The return of a legend:In 1944, the notorious American jazz impresario Norman Grantz (1918 – 2001) had a vision: He wanted to anchor the uniqueness and virtuosity of improvised music deep in society, enable the musicians to garner the rank and recognition that they deserved, and create something entirely new by spontaneously combining different styles and approaches in unexpected ensembles. There could only be one place to make this plan a reality – a classical concert hall: "Jazz at the Philharmonic" was born. Grantz' concerts, which later also went on tour, enjoyed fantastic success for 20 years. He presented the most famous jazz musicians of the era, including the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson and Lester Young. Jazz got sophisticated.Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic: The new concert series in the Cha...
line upiiro rantala , michael wollny & leszek możdżer / piano & Fender Rhodes (on 06 & 08)
Recorded live in concert at the Berlin Philharmonic (Kammermusiksaal), December 11, 2012
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Walter Quintus
Presented by Stiftung Berliner Philharmoniker in cooperation with ACT
Produced by Siggi Loch
ACT would like to thank: Sir Simon Rattle, Martin Hoffmann and Alfred Brendel.
