Berlin Jazz Fest 2011 intro 
Berlin JazzFest 2011 – Jazz from Poland!
(based on Berlinerfestspiele press release)
The focus of this year edition was jazz from Poland. That’s why it formally started 15 of October with an opening performance of IRCHA ,the latest output from one of the most dynamic polish jazzman – Mikolaj Trzaska and his Clarinet Quartet. It took place at Martin-Gropius-Bau and was related to the opening of the exhibition titled “Side by Side. Poland –Germany. A 1000 Years of Art. And History”. Next to follow ,a week later ,was an ATOM String Quartet. Another interesting project which came from a young artists ,but took audience by storm with his freshness and vitality. Then as usual the main part of the Fest took place from 2 to 6 November and as always supposed to be long awaited by every jazz lover . A special highpoint of this year’s festival was music from Poland, with appearances by trumpeter Tomasz Stańko, pianist Leszek Możdżer, and many other Polish jazz musicians.
The motto of these projects was to present to the vast audience music of Krzysztof Komeda ,probably the most famous polish jazz composer and a godfather of jazz movement in Poland during a communistic period and after. International encounters represented concerts by Richard Galliano, Joe Sample, Charles Lloyd with Maria Farantouri, Carla Bley with Steve Swallow, and Gregory Porter and Lizz Wright. This year edition brought a lots of changes too. Long time artistic director of the festival – Mr. Nils Landgren had been leading venue last time .Also Henning Wagenbreth –graphic designer and painter responsible for festival image since 2003 finished his significant contribution with 2011 poster.“ On Sunday, JazzFest Berlin 2011 came to a close with sold-out concerts at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele and in the clubs Quasimodo and A-Trane. Nearly all concerts at this year’s festival were sold out – more than 8000 visitors attended 27 events, greeting the performers on stage with unbridled enthusiasm. To summarize: this farewell festival for Artistic Director Nils Landgren was a terrific success: “I am overwhelmed by the positive, even ebullient response on the part of the public. And I want to thank all of the musicians who have appeared at JazzFest Berlin for their marvelous performances. Their music made this festival a huge success. This has been the most wonderful parting gift I could have hoped for! Thank you! It was a joy to shape five editions of JazzFest Berlin. I wish Bert Noglik, my successor as artistic director, the best for the coming years with JazzFest Berlin, and I owe a great debt of gratitude to the festival and to all of its participants.”Joachim Sartorius, Director of the Berliner Festspiele, also extended his thanks to the public and to the performing artists for this resoundingly successful festival, but in particular to Nils Landgren for the enthusiastically received programmes he assembled for JazzFest Berlin (in 2001 and in 2008-2011). “We knew, all of us, that Nils Landgren is a fantastic trombonist, a passionate musician, and an outstanding singer. But over the last four years, and in 2001, he demonstrated that he is great festival director as well, always close to the people, always taking care of everything. I am very, very pleased with his work – tusen tack!!” These were the words of Joachim Sartorius on Sunday evening during his farewell speech at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele. (from BFS PR)Once again this year, the concerts of JazzFest Berlin were recorded by ARD radio stations and Deutschlandradio Kultur and in some cases broadcast live. The remaining broadcast dates spread over the year will be publicized by the respective broadcasters.
Besides Haus der Berliner Festspiele, clubs A-Trane and Quasimodo, Hotel Savoy Berlin and Jazz-Institute Berlin’s Georg-Neumann-Saal at Einsteinufer had been the venues for JazzFest Berlin 2011.
Official programme of JazzFest Berlin 2011