In exactly one month, the countdown will be over: from 20–23 August, the 46th Jazzfestival Saalfelden will once again transform the Saalfelden Leogang region into an international hub for jazz and contemporary music. One of the festival's highlights will take place on Saturday, 22 August, when "The Big Shake – A Saalfelden Homecoming" brings together Shake Stew, the Bürgermusik Saalfelden and the Eisenbahner Stadtkapelle Saalfelden for an extraordinary street performance where traditional brass band music meets contemporary jazz.

A musical procession of around 70 musicians will make its way from Saalfelden's Town Hall Square through the town centre, filling streets and public spaces with Shake Stew's compositions and turning the town itself into a concert stage. Under the title "The Big Shake – A Saalfelden Homecoming", Jazzfestival Saalfelden presents a unique musical collaboration between the internationally acclaimed ensemble and the two traditional local brass bands Bürgermusik Saalfelden and Eisenbahner Stadtkapelle Saalfelden. The project marks a true homecoming, bringing together the region's musical heritage and contemporary jazz in a remarkable new way.

Back where it all began: ten years of Shake Stew

For Shake Stew, Saalfelden represents a full-circle moment. It was here, at the festival's opening concert ten years ago, that the Austrian band's remarkable journey first began. Since then, bandleader Lukas Kranzelbinder has established his septet as one of the leading voices in contemporary European jazz. Critics have championed the band from the very beginning. German weekly Die ZEIT described Shake Stew as "Austria's jazz band of the moment", while German broadcaster NDR hailed them as a "cult band". Their growing international reputation has been further recognised with prestigious honours including the German Jazz Prize 2021 and the Amadeus Austrian Music Award 2023.

This year, Shake Stew celebrates its tenth anniversary with a project created exclusively for Saalfelden. Together with the Bürgermusik Saalfelden and the Eisenbahner Stadtkapelle Saalfelden, Kranzelbinder's compositions have been reimagined for large brass ensemble, with arranger Siegmund Andraschek translating the music into its new orchestral dimension.

The Town as a Concert Hall: From Town Hall Square to the Stadtpark

The performance begins at the Town Hall Square, where Shake Stew and members of the two Saalfelden brass bands will set off together towards the festival's Mainstage at the Congress Saalfelden, where another musical stop awaits.

The grand finale takes place in the Stadtpark, with Shake Stew performing on stage while the musicians of the Bürgermusik Saalfelden and the Eisenbahner Stadtkapelle assemble directly in front of them. The performance concludes with selected pieces from Shake Stew's current double album, TEN ONE TWO.

Artists & Line-up:

Shake Stew

• Lukas Kranzelbinder – bass, guembri, kalimba

• Yvonne Moriel – saxophone, flute, FX

• Mario Rom – trumpet

• Johannes Schleiermacher – saxophone, flute, FX

• Oliver Potratz – bass, FX

• Nikolaus Dolp – drums, percussion

• Herbert Pirker – drums, percussion

Bürgermusik Saalfelden (Musical Director: Wolfgang Schwabl)

Eisenbahner Stadtkapelle Saalfelden (Chairman: Christian Hofer)

Composition: Lukas Kranzelbinder

Arrangement: Siegmund Andraschek

Service and ticketing

The response to this year’s festival has been strong, and the musical hiking events “We Hike Jazz” to the Asitz and Steinalm, as well as the Shortcuts passes, are already sold out.

Mainstage tickets are still available, and the VIP option for an enhanced festival experience can also still be booked: https://tickets.jazzsaalfelden.com/

As a digital companion, the free JAZZ SAALFELDEN app bundles all key information directly on your smartphone. Thanks to regular push notifications, visitors stay up to date with current events and short-term updates at all times.

https://www.jazzsaalfelden.com/en

Photo (c) Victoria Nazarova