Italian Romanticism with French Flair in a German Jazz Club, or a Homecoming for the “Bass Professor”
It’s not every day that the manager of a jazz club personally picks up a bass after announcing the concert. Mini Schulz is a professor of bass playing at the Stuttgart University of Music and Performing Arts, as well as one of the founding partners of the BIX Jazz Club.
The versatility of his musical work is evident once again this evening with “Via Con Te,” a project that portrays the Italian music legend Paolo Conte. Whether with the SWR Radio Symphony Orchestra, the SWR Big Band, Max Greger, Lou Reed, Paul Kuhn, or Wolfgang Dauner, his musical career to date is unparalleled in its diversity. And so it is this evening: “Something completely different, an experiment that works wonderfully and is also a lot of fun!” he remarks during the introduction.
These are the same: “Something completely different, an experiment that works wonderfully and is also a lot of fun!” The band is international, and singer Marie Foessel is equally versatile, specializing in jazz and vocal music.
She teaches voice at the Conservatoire de Beaulieu-sur-Mer and regularly performs in concerts and festivals, as well as in various chamber music and jazz-oriented projects. Marco Vezzoso is an Italian jazz trumpeter from Alba who studied at the Turin Conservatory and has lived in France since 2012, where he is a professor of jazz trumpet at the Conservatoire National de Nice.
Alessandro Collina is an Italian jazz pianist known, among other things, for his extensive work with Vezzoso. The duo has performed in Japan, China, Southeast Asia, and Europe, representing Italy at festivals such as the European Jazz Festival in Canton. Further collaborations have led to concerts and recordings with Trilok Gurtu and Dominique di Piazza.
Austrian drummer Bernd Reiter, who studied in Graz and New York and now lives in Paris after several years in Munich, has performed worldwide with many jazz greats such as Harold Mabern, Kirk Lightsey, Don Menza, Steve Grossman, Jim Rotondi, and countless others. His playing has received numerous awards; he is an indispensable figure at the pinnacle of the European jazz scene.
A Time of Getting Used To, Conte Songs, and Beautiful Female Vocals
The concert begins with a swinging, “circus-like” musical element, in which the performers demonstrate their virtuosity on their respective instruments within the first few minutes. So far, so good, as far as the instrumental sound is concerned.
When the French vocalist raises her voice after a few minutes of instrumental prelude, some listeners, who have Conte’s rough voice in mind, are confused. Something doesn’t seem to fit, says the subconscious, which has stored the “raspy” spoken-word style of the Italian chansonnier.
The Italian lyrics are presented in a soft, gentle voice with a slight French accent. The overall quality is quite pleasant to listen to, but as mentioned, those conditioned to listening habits of Conte might have some difficulty adjusting.
After a few minutes of getting used to it, the quality does become apparent, and one can enjoy this diverse musical journey. Trumpeter Marco Vezzoso takes center stage with his intelligent solos, while his bandmates initially remain discreetly in the background.
During the breaks between songs, singer Foessel speaks charmingly and humorously, sometimes in English, sometimes interspersed with snippets of French, recounting, among other things, how she discovered Paolo Conte through her father and was captivated from the very beginning.
For the first half hour, the musical performance meanders along somewhat lethargically. The spark doesn’t quite ignite with the audience at first.
Even lesser-known pieces find their place. In the second part of the evening, once the listeners’ habits have adjusted to the “different sound,” the performance picks up some momentum. The musical quality also improves considerably, as the soloists can now dedicate more time to showcasing their individual talents.
The sound becomes more jazzy, although pianist Alessandro Collina occasionally makes a slip-up during his solo excursions. What might be interpreted as a dissonant note from trumpeter Vezzoso is intentional and moves beyond conventional trumpet playing.
Drummer Bernd Reiter remains discreetly in the background with his understated playing, but manages to shine with a crisp, short, yet technically brilliant solo. And, of course, host Mini Schulz also has the stage to himself for a few minutes with one of his characteristically professional solos.
Marie Foessel (vocals)
Marco Vezzoso (trp)
Alessandro Collina (p)
Mini Schulz (b)
Bernd Reiter (dr)
