Willisau Jazz Festival ends after a top-class concert program
Published: Sunday, Sep 1st 2024, 17:50
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The Willisau Jazz Festival came to a positive close on Sunday after a top-class program. This year's 48th edition scored with good weather and an excellent atmosphere, according to the organizers.
The number of visitors over the five days remained stable compared to the previous year. Among the musical highlights, the organizers counted the opening by Space on Wednesday, the Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet on Thursday and the Asher Gamedze Turbulence and Pulse Quartet on Friday.
Despite the cancellation at short notice of guitarist Tisziji Muñoz, who was unable to make his flight from Washington due to the weather, "The Harvest Time Experiment" reportedly performed brilliantly. The ad hoc band led by American bassist Joshua Abrams, reinforced by Lucerne musicians Hanspeter Pfammatter and Christoph Erb, played a tribute to Pharoah Sanders' legendary performance in Willisau in 1977, which gave the project its name.
On Saturday evening, Zurich saxophonist Co Streiff performed in a quartet with Russ Johnson, before New York-based Swiss pianist Sylvie Courvoisier closed the festival on Sunday.
Philipp Läng was on the road with his "Klängbus" throughout the festival, introducing the region's elementary school to improvised music. On Thursday evening, he performed the results in a spontaneous concert with 60 Willisau primary school pupils, as the festival organizers reported.
Next year, the Willisau Jazz Festival will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. The anniversary edition will take place from August 27 to 31, 2025.
©Keystone/SDA
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