Corona, fire protection requirements, Gema fees: “The clubs and pubs are closing in rows,” says Stefan Zenker, which is why there are fewer and fewer opportunities for musicians to perform. But the saxophonist doesn’t just want to regret this development, he wants to take countermeasures. That’s why he’s launched a new series: Every Thursday in March there will be jazz in Ebersberg, in Sieghartsburg. “It’s a great location in the middle of the city, where many concerts took place when I was young,” says Zenker. Even magic mountain he experienced there once. But now the hall is used by an Italian restaurant as a room for private parties and is therefore less busy. “In this respect we would like to revive the Sieghartsburg as a concert stage.”
The row is overwritten with Unlimited Blue, the Munich group was founded in 2006 by saxophonist Stefan Zenker, brother of bassist Martin Zenker, together with trumpeter Franz Weyerer, pianist Jan Eschke and Ernst Techel on bass, and Frankfurt drummer Max Mahlert. The band’s name refers to the famous Blue Note label, so the program features pieces from the 1950s to 1960s, for example by Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis or Wayne Shorter Coltrane. In recent years, the group has had numerous performances in the region and has often been heard in the Ebersberg district, including at the Grafingen concert series “Jazz im Turm”.
The concerts should be relaxed, like meeting old friends
In the Sieghartsburg, this idea of Unlimited Blue is now being spun further, by selected professional musicians in changing casts. There are two sets with a break in between. Above all, however, it is important to Zenker that it is “relaxed”, like at a meeting of old friends. Admission is already at 6 p.m., starts around 7 p.m., admission is free. However, if you want, you are very welcome to throw a voluntary contribution into an improvised safe. “I’ll weld it together myself,” says Zenker and laughs.
At Jazz in Sieghartsburg there are drinks and delicious food from the kitchen of the Italian restaurant, the musicians do not sit on the stage but in the middle of the audience. “The evenings should be more sessions than concerts,” says Zenker, “even if we don’t have a stage that’s open to spontaneous newcomers.” Rather, the audience should participate in the musical development process of trying out and refining together. “We want to develop a program and I’m sure something great will develop there!” And should the first five dates in March prove to be successful, Zenker can definitely imagine continuing the series. Maybe even completely unlimited.
“Unlimited Blue”: Jazz in the Ebersberger Sieghartsburg, every Thursday, it starts on March 2nd. Admission from 6 p.m., start at 7 p.m.