The third concert of the 11th Sindelfingen Jazz Days ensures a packed house at the Sindelfingen Stadthalle. Thanks to Kai Podak, Pearl Bretter, Magnus Mehl, and the STB Big Band.
Sindelfingen is fortunate when it comes to its big band scene. Three powerfully swinging ensembles are jazzing up the Daimler city. One of them is the STB Big Band. It has become so jazzy in recent years that around 600 visitors didn’t want to miss the sound spectacle.
Former FÜENF singer Kai Podak, as a guest, naturally also exerted a great attraction, as did a program that focused on Sinatra, Bublé, and Cicero.
Swing Hits Non-stop
With the Count Basie classic “Moten Swing,” the band chose a “swing-in” number that immediately lays its cards on the table with crisp brass interludes. Essentially “laid-back” swing with dynamic touches. Then the vocal marathon begins.
A hurricane-like introduction to “Ain’t That A Kick In The Hand.” Podack’s swinging voice, garnished with sparkling clean brass riffs, has a kind of “wake-up call” effect and signals the direction the band should be heading: precision, sharp breaks, and excellent dynamics.
The 2015 Baden-Württemberg State Jazz Prize winner, alto saxophonist Magnus Mehl, has undoubtedly left his mark on the band since taking over at the end of 2021. The meticulous rehearsal work is bearing fruit, so that the amateurs and semi-professionals of the STB have now reached a professional level.
A Little Macho
After the Bublé number “Feeling Good,” Podack hands over to his colleague Pearl Bretter, the big band’s vocal flagship for years. With a sonorous timbre and convincing stage presence, she brings the Pink Panther film to life. “It Had Better Be Tonight” (Bublé) is spiced up with rhythmic unison phrases, and “This Can’t Be Love” from Natalie Cole’s album “Unfogettabele” seems tailor-made for Bretter.
For “Murphy’s Law” from the Cicero album “Männersachen,” Podack is allowed, no, of course, must, go on stage again! Listening to his introductions, it seems that behind this great singer there is also a little macho, but a lovable one! “The more you drink, the better you sound,” he joins in after the beer break at halftime.
There, too, there are no compromises when it comes to male self-reflection (“compromises” – R. Cicero), before sprinting out of the starting blocks with a STB favorite: “SingSingSing.” The food is served; the hot meal is given a special spice by soloists drummer Ralf Püpcke, as well as alto saxophonists Alex Förschner and Roman Ording.
Then the colorful round of voices continues. “I’m Gonna Live Till I Die,” premiered on “The Frank Sinatra Show” in 1951, is performed by Bretter in a cheerful and powerful manner. The mood is generally upbeat both on stage and throughout the audience.
The band receives particularly appreciative applause when Podack gives full scope to his voice on “Me and Mrs. Jones.” With his falsetto voice, he climbs to lofty heights just as he moves with warmth, timbre, dynamics, and razor-sharp intonation in the lower registers. This is probably also due to his years of experience with the a cappella ensemble FÜENF.
In Cicero’s “Nicht Artgerecht” and “Frauen Regier’n die Welt,” he can once again let his macho side shine, which he clearly enjoys. But that’s not all. The first of the frenetically demanded encores is another Cicero hit: “Zieh die Schuh aus” (Take Off Your Shoes); and because it was so beautiful, the brutally swinging “SingSingSing” again in a shortened version, but with captivating solo interludes.
Sven Fisch opens on trumpet, followed by trombonist Eberhard Budziat, the Korber professional who replaced Christian Klemme, who was ill at short notice. Finally, the bandleader himself grabs his trumpet and, with drummer Püpcke, performs a superb Afro-Cuban-inspired a cappella alto saxophone/drums solo.
All in all, an evening that made the hearts of big band fans beat faster. STB newcomers are sure to be repeat offenders!
STB Big Band
Conductor
Magnus Mehl
Wind
Alexander Förschner
Steffen Leopold
Oliver Guhl
Anja Merz
Bernd Gentner
Roman Ording
Brass
Eberhart Budziat
Johannes Kneer
Philipp Pollauf
Karl Mutschler
Joachim Vogel
Sven Fisch
Thomas Neugebauer
Fiona Schneider
Patrick Sturm
Rythm
Ralf Püpcke
Claus Regelmann
Gunter Maag
Dietmar Lang
Vocals
Pearl Bretter
Kai Podak
