jazzwerkstatt Peitz Nr. 50

Just a few kilometres away from the Polish border in the German-Sorbian region of Niederlausitz lies the town of Peitz where the largest jazz festival of the GDR took place once a year – and occasionally even several times a year – since 1973. However, the former socialist regime did not permit the festival to present the most influential trends and developments of contemporary jazz in Europe. Almost 30 years later, the jazzwerkstatt Berlin-Brandenburg Association has relaunched the festival and has produced its 50th edition in 2013.
In celebration of this anniversary, the festival presented an extensive event programme at several venues throughout the town – this time featuring the Berlin and New York jazz scenes. Although the historic retrospective provided a starting point for a new, forward-looking artistic concept, the festival events primarily focused on promoting international artistic encounter, strengthening its workshop character and reaching out to new and younger audiences.

Artistic directors: Ernst Bier, Ulrich Blobel
Artists: Archie Shepp Quartet (US), Joseph Bowie’s Defunkt (US), Jon Irabagon Trio (US), Andrew Cyrille + Duology (US), Joe Sachse Trio plus Jon Irabagon (GB/US), Zentralquartett, Tom Rainey Trio (US), Vesna Pisarovic with Suspicious Minds (CRO/AUS), Henrik Walsdorff Trio, Silke Eberhard + Potsa Lotsa