3 Days of Jazz Festival in Saalfelden Leogang - January 17 to 19, 2020

Unlike the Saalfelden Summer Festival, “3 Days of Jazz” is a smaller event that takes place in the snow-clad mountainscape of the Salzburg Alps. The 2020 festival will welcome giants of the European jazz scene as well as young Austrian formations.


9 Concerts on 3 Stages

On Friday and Saturday, three concerts will take place at Kunsthaus Nexus in Saalfelden and two at the Mining and Gothic Museum; and there will be one free event at the Stöcklalm in Leogang. Visitors who arrive one day early on Thursday for a short winter vacation in Saalfelden Leogang can also catch an evening performance of Brüder Kühn - Zwei Musiker spielen sich frei at Kunsthaus Nexus. This documentary tells the story of German jazz musicians Rolf and Joachim Kühn. Born in 1929 and 1944, respectively, each one of the two brothers has struck out on his own to achieve worldwide fame. In spite of their advanced age, they are still very present on the stage. Together with Klaus Paier, Asja Valcic, and Patrice Héral, Rolf Kühn will perform at Kunsthaus Nexus on Saturday. At 90, he is the oldest musician to perform at the 2020 “3 Days of Jazz” Festival.

Austrian trumpeter Lorenz Raab will officially open the “3 Days of Jazz” Festival on Friday. Taking cues from Joe Zawinul’s track “In a Silent Way,” his septet strikes out on a musical expedition to create some seriously rocky grooves with their electrified instruments.

Musicians from France, the United States, Germany, Hungary, and Italy will participate in the winter festival, among them French jazz saxophonist Émile Parisien, who will present his newest album “Double Screening” with his quartet. Another headliner is Ken Vandermark, who will be joining forces with the Grencsó Collective Special 5 to perform in the closing act on Friday. Other highlights include the French trio Aïrés and the Italian band Ghost Horse, which has teamed up with the exceptional American artist Dan Kinzelman.

The Sunday performance at the Leogang Mining and Gothic Museum will showcase Austrian musicians. Clemens Sainitzer will perform a cello solo concert in this intimate setting. Perfectly attuned to each other for the past 20 years, Gerald Preinfalk and Klaus Paier will also perform at this venue.

In addition to the concerts at Kunsthaus Nexus and the Mining and Gothic Museum, a free concert will take place at the Stöcklalm in Leogang’s Asitz ski region on Saturday afternoon, when Brother Buffalo serves up some sharp rock songs.