Brass Bands Meet Jazz: Shake Stew Celebrates Its Anniversary in Saalfelden

One of the festival's highlights will take place on Saturday, 22 August, when "The Big Shake – A Saalfelden Homecoming" brings together Shake Stew, the Bürgermusik Saalfelden and the Eisenbahner Stadtkapelle Saalfelden for an extraordinary street performance where traditional brass band music meets contemporary jazz.

A musical procession of around 70 musicians will make its way from Saalfelden's Town Hall Square through the town centre, filling streets and public spaces with Shake Stew's compositions and turning the town itself into a concert stage. Under the title "The Big Shake – A Saalfelden Homecoming", Jazzfestival Saalfelden presents a unique musical collaboration between the internationally acclaimed ensemble and the two traditional local brass bands Bürgermusik Saalfelden and Eisenbahner Stadtkapelle Saalfelden. The project marks a true homecoming, bringing together the region's musical heritage and contemporary jazz in a remarkable new way.

Back where it all began: ten years of Shake Stew

For Shake Stew, Saalfelden represents a full-circle moment. It was here, at the festival's opening concert ten years ago, that the Austrian band's remarkable journey first began. Since then, bandleader Lukas Kranzelbinder has established his septet as one of the leading voices in contemporary European jazz. Critics have championed the band from the very beginning. German weekly Die ZEIT described Shake Stew as "Austria's jazz band of the moment", while German broadcaster NDR hailed them as a "cult band". Their growing international reputation has been further recognised with prestigious honours including the German Jazz Prize 2021 and the Amadeus Austrian Music Award 2023.

This year, Shake Stew celebrates its tenth anniversary with a project created exclusively for Saalfelden. Together with the Bürgermusik Saalfelden and the Eisenbahner Stadtkapelle Saalfelden, Kranzelbinder's compositions have been reimagined for large brass ensemble, with arranger Siegmund Andraschek translating the music into its new orchestral dimension.

The Town as a Concert Hall: From Town Hall Square to the Stadtpark

The performance begins at the Town Hall Square, where Shake Stew and members of the two Saalfelden brass bands will set off together towards the festival's Mainstage at the Congress Saalfelden, where another musical stop awaits.
The grand finale takes place in the Stadtpark, with Shake Stew performing on stage while the musicians of the Bürgermusik Saalfelden and the Eisenbahner Stadtkapelle assemble directly in front of them. The performance concludes with selected pieces from Shake Stew's current double album, TEN ONE TWO.

Quotes:

"For us, everything began here in Saalfelden ten years ago, and ever since then both I personally and Shake Stew have shared a very special connection with the festival," says Lukas Kranzelbinder. "That's why I'm absolutely delighted that we've been able to bring such an ambitious idea to life for our anniversary. Both the festival and the band share the belief that music is a universal force capable of building bridges and bringing people together. Marching through the town with around 70 local musicians while performing our music is a dream come true."

For the participating brass bands, the project also symbolises their close connection with both the festival and the region's vibrant cultural scene.
Christian Hofer, Chairman of the Eisenbahner Stadtkapelle Saalfelden, says: "As an integral part of Saalfelden's artistic and cultural life, we are especially pleased to participate in 'The Big Shake' as a traditional brass band within the framework of Jazzfestival Saalfelden. We have many wonderful memories associated with the festival, particularly our annual ‘Musihoffest’ and ‘Jazz mountain concert’, which we hosted until 2019. We are therefore delighted to be part of this exceptional collaboration and to help showcase the diversity of Saalfelden's cultural landscape through music."

Wolfgang Schwabl, Musical Director of the Bürgermusik Saalfelden, adds: "Saalfelden Leogang combines musical tradition with international culture in a truly unique way. As the Bürgermusik Saalfelden, we are proud to play an important role in shaping our region's vibrant cultural life and to be part of Jazzfestival Saalfelden this year with 'The Big Shake'. It is a great honour for us to participate in an event that enjoys international recognition and has enriched Saalfelden's cultural identity for more than four decades. We look forward to performing alongside musicians from a wide range of musical backgrounds, celebrating the unifying power of music and sharing the cultural diversity of our home with audiences."

Artists & Line-up:

Shake Stew
•    Lukas Kranzelbinder – bass, guembri, kalimba
•    Yvonne Moriel – saxophone, flute, FX
•    Mario Rom – trumpet
•    Johannes Schleiermacher – saxophone, flute, FX
•    Oliver Potratz – bass, FX
•    Nikolaus Dolp – drums, percussion
•    Herbert Pirker – drums, percussion
Bürgermusik Saalfelden (Musical Director: Wolfgang Schwabl)
Eisenbahner Stadtkapelle Saalfelden (Chairman: Christian Hofer)
Composition: Lukas Kranzelbinder
Arrangement: Siegmund Andraschek

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