Music energizes you. In summer I danced and jumped about wildly to Van Halen’s Jump (sic!). I landed twisting my knee and snap went my meniscus. The young buck is a thing of the past.
Never mind. Let’s follow the call of the muses instead. They say it is the dream of any artist to become one with his or her work. Here are my attempts at this union:
Mira Lu Kovacs & Clemens Wenger
THE URGE OF NIGHT – Vinyl Release & Concert on Dec 9
The songs of Mira Lu Kovacs have entranced me, right from her very first performance with her band Schmieds Puls about 7 years ago at JazzWerkstatt Wien. This year we realized a joint dream of ours at the Festival Glatt & Verkehrt: THE URGE OF NIGHT – Mira’s compositions, newly arranged by me for a 10-piece ensemble.
The initial concert in July was recorded by Ö1 radio, now we offer this recording in a limited VINYL edition. Order here->
We will present and celebrate the release live on Dec 9 in the wonderful Stadtsaal Wien. Tickets here->
Mira and I were also guests of the Kleine Zeitung newspaper’s Popcast. The format is dedicated to explaining the genesis of a song. There we talk in detail about Bones – from Mira’s composition process to my arrangement for ensemble. If you can spare half an hour for insider talk –> here is the link to the podcast
5/8erl in Ehr´n & Jazzorchester Vorarlberg
FC HOLLYWOOD – Live in December!
That pesky torn meniscus means I am not allowed to play basketball, but I can live my passion for team sport indirectly in this special constellation. FC HOLLYWOOD – the Vienna soul of 5/8erl in Ehr´n meets the marvellous Jazzorchester Vorarlberg. We enter the pitch twice at the end of the year, currently I am working on the arrangements for this new team.
screenshot of an arrangement | “Alaba, how do you do?” for 5/8erl & Jazzorchester Vorarlberg
Imagine the work of an arranger like that of a football trainer. Different moves go through your head – how shall we tackle the 90 minutes? Full attack from the start or spend the first minutes entering into the groove, starting at leisure and rearing up towards the end….hmmm…how to pace the training units, to whom to entrust a lot of responsibility from the start, who to send on as joker….. One thing is certain: “Attack sells tickets, defence wins championships!” I don’t mind letting others score, my speciality are the championships 😉
“FC Hollywood – 5/8erl in Ehr´n hits and curios newly arranged for the big screen. Wembley goals. The Hand of God. Diving. Excitement. Complaint. Joy. Keeping the ball low. Winning comfortably. Shirt swap at the end.”
(from the press release)
Videoshoot – Screenshot – new single “Die Sonne über Europa” coming soon!
By the way: 5/8erl in Ehr´n are currently recording our 6th album! I will mix the material and in spring (probably April) we will present the record. Hand on heart: I love the new songs. Watch out for it…the legend continues.
Max Nagl Trio MOPED – new CD and tour in 2020
When it comes to championships, Max Nagl is my hero even before Kobe Bryant. Since 2006 I have had the privilege of learning from Max and working with him. The Max Nagl Trio, with my long-term musical partner and former flat mate, master drummer Herbert Pirker, is an unfathomable marvel of a band. If everything was as easy as that…
Max Nagl – sax, compostions | Herbert Pirker – drums | Clemens Wenger – synth
“MOPED” CD release 24. JAN 2020 via JazzWerkstatt Records
LIVE
St. Johann i. Tirol | 18. JAN 2020 – Info & Tickets
Wien, rhiz | 5. FEB 2020 – @ JazzWerkstatt LABELNIGHTS Festival
Jazzit Salzburg | 7. FEB 2020 – Info & Tickets
Kino Ebensee | 8. FEB2020 – Info & Tickets
JazzWerkstatt Wien LABELNIGHTS 2020
rhiz Wien | Jan 7 & 8, Feb 4 & 5
The JazzWerkstatt Wien is a fantastic collective. In the last 18 months we only met to discuss and dream and allowed ourselves a time-out on event planning. We are searching for new formats and ideas. We argue a lot and do not agree at all about the what, the how and the where of JazzWerkstatt’s future. This is good. We take it seriously.
Meanwhile we have sharpened the focus on our label JazzWerkstatt Records. Out of this effort several new publications have emerged, which we will present live in a bundle as a mini festival in spring.
For the first time in the rhiz, a venue on the Vienna Gürtel, on Jan 7 & 8 and Feb 4 & 5 – two bands on each evening. -> FESTIVAL program
Cultural Award of the Province of Lower Austria
Ö1 Intermezzo Sun, Dec 1
As a native of Krems I was awarded a merit prize by the province of Lower Austria. It came with a short video portrait of me, here.
On Dec 1, I was invited by Ö1 radio to talk with Benno Feichter in his Intermezzo format. The result is a 20-minute conversation about my work as composer, musician and arranger for Mira Lu Kovacs, Felix Hafner, JazzWerkstatt Wien, 5/8erl in Ehr’n and Max Nagl.
As always, central themes for me are teamwork, inspiration in composing and resisting the growing pressure to fit art to the rules of the market. You can listen to it here. Enjoy!
Clemens Wenger 