Review of the 44th Saalfelden Jazz Festival

After more than 60 concerts, both indoors and outdoors, in the city and the surrounding nature, on established stages and improvised performance spaces, it's hard to believe. Yet, with such a packed program, the 44th edition once again flew by in no time.

A Successful Opening
The unofficial opening on Thursday was marked by the now almost traditional "We Hike Jazz" with Lukas Kranzelbinder. Forty music and nature enthusiasts joined Kranzelbinder on his journey: with a bass slung over his shoulder, they hiked – interrupted by extraordinary musical breaks – up to the Lindlalm at 1,500 meters above sea level, where they performed a final concert in a picturesque setting together with Leila Martial, Mats Gustafsson, and Théo Ceccaldi. In Saalfelden, the Berlin septet "Make A Move" set the mood for the first visitors on the festival meadow, preparing them for a weekend program in the city park that had music lovers dancing non-stop. And there were plenty of them, as never before have so many attendees taken advantage of this free offering at the festival’s central gathering point, proving to Mario Steidl, Marco Pointner, and their team that these concerts are no longer a well-kept secret.

Innovative Sound Experiences at Nexus and Otto-Gruberhalle
Artist in Residence Chris Janka presented his Totally Mechanized MIDI Orchestra at Nexus. The human-mechanical sound adventure, peppered with interactive recordings from the city of Saalfelden, provided a playground full of surprises for various musicians throughout the following festival days. The French-Belgian-Portuguese group "Bonbon Flamme," led by Valentin Ceccaldi, Fulco Ottervanger, Luis Lopes, and Étienne Ziemniak, as well as "otherMother," featuring Arthur Fussy, Judith Schwarz, and Jul Dillier, exemplified how the concerts at Nexus defy musical categorization. In Otto-Gruberhalle, the venue’s industrial charm created the perfect setting for the experimental improvisations of the Austrian formation Regenorchester XVII. The highly concentrated sound experimenters, led by trumpeter Franz Hautzinger, transformed the hall into an eerie yet beautiful sound experience.

Musical Highlights on Festival Friday
Festival Friday kicked off early with a hike to the hermitage. Still shrouded in morning fog upon arrival, the brass duo Eberle & Eberl provided the perfect soundtrack for the sun’s breakthrough with their musical reflection. A birthday serenade for the current hermit, Alois Penninger, gave the audience an extra boost to either climb more altitude or head back down.

Back in town, singer Laila Martial and cellist and electronic musician Valentin Ceccaldi launched the concert series at Nexus with their "Search for an Imaginary Folklore." Shortly after, Théo Ceccaldi, in a duo with Tomeka Reid, opened the musical encounters at Buchbinderei Fuchs. The rest of the festival day turned into a whirlwind journey through musical worlds: whether it was the noise offensive of the trio Millà/Gustafsson/dieb13 challenging conventional listening habits, Botticelli Baby mixing seemingly unholy alliances of jazz, blues, Balkan, and punk, or the minimalist big beats of the Austrian trio "Radian," moving between acoustic identity and sonic distance.

Opening of the Main Stage and International Sounds
The main stage at the Congress in Saalfelden, the festival’s hub, was officially opened by Mona Matbou Riahi with the premiere of her project "Nebulift." She transformed the hall into a continuously shifting soundscape between composition and improvisation. Canadian Kris Davis and her trio bridged the gap between tradition and modernity, while Daniel Erdmann and his "Thérapie de couple" created a similar link between France and Germany, with the bandleader’s humorous asides reflected in both the music and his commentary. The day ended with Sofia Jernberg’s incredible vocal power and her group "The End," combining industrial grindcore free jazz with sing and noise hardcore folk aesthetics.

Saturday and Sunday at the festival were no less diverse. Alongside intimate musical encounters such as Sofia Jernberg and cellist Tomeka Reid or guitarist Mary Halvorson and drummer Tomas Fujiwara, large ensembles like the Dutch Brainteaser Orchestra, the Synesthetic Octet, and the North East Ska*Jazz Orchestra, together with the Wicked Dub Division, rocked both the main stage and the city park stage.

A Successful Festival with a Lasting Impression
Many visitors highlighted Erik Friedlander’s "The Throw," Amirtha Kidambi’s Elder Ones, Sylvie Courvoisier’s "Chimaera," and The Messthetics with saxophonist James Brandon Lewis as program highlights, reflecting the audience’s incredible openness once again this year. Their stamina was also on display as many die-hard fans headed to Nexus after the main concerts to follow the late-night sessions at the Kunsthaus bar until the very end. Yet many of them were up early the next morning, heading into nature to start the new day the way the previous one ended: with music.

"The memory of this year’s edition will resonate with me deeply, as celebrating my 20th anniversary at the Saalfelden Jazz Festival in such a way leaves me breathless," said Mario Steidl, the festival’s director.

Marco Pointner, the festival’s organizer, adds: “We look back on a highly successful 44th Saalfelden Jazz Festival. With an impressive 97% attendance rate, we once again demonstrated that interest in this unique musical event remains strong. This year saw over 28,000 concert visits in total. A particular highlight was the diverse audience that gathered at various venues. We are especially pleased to see that the festival is attracting younger and more international guests each year. This not only adds to the vibrant atmosphere but also shows that we are appealing to a broad, global audience. Additionally, more locals are showing interest in the event, as reflected in the growing support. Another positive trend is the increasing number of overnight stays. More and more visitors are taking the opportunity to extend their stay in Saalfelden and the surrounding area, which strengthens the local tourism industry. The festival was organized with a total budget of around €870,000, of which €180,000 came from ticket sales. These figures highlight that the Saalfelden Jazz Festival is not only a cultural highlight but also a significant economic factor for the region. The festival’s economic impact can be estimated at approximately €2.18 million, underlining its positive effect on the local economy. We thank all visitors, artists, sponsors, and partners for their support, and we are already looking forward to next year!"

See you next year – from August 21 to 24, 2025, when the 45th Saalfelden Jazz Festival will take connoisseurs and enthusiasts on new musical journeys from near and far.

Images available for download: https://www.jazzsaalfelden.com/de/service-info/presse/bilder

© Matthias Heschl