The 1st Jazz Marathon Day in Vienna proves to be a success – Living in cities

It will be understood, the objective of Jazz in Vienna this year was to reconnect full pot with the city center. To no longer ensure that there is no longer a break between the ancient theater and the rest of the city, as was sometimes the case in the past.

It began after two years of absence, with the very welcome return of Cybèle, the beating heart of the Festival and its concerts throughout the day. Then by the jazzy dressing of the old center signifying to passing tourists that a Festival was taking place well within the walls of the city…

The third part of this return to the city center took place this Sunday, July 3 with the 1st Jazz Marathon Day in Vienna. No concert in the evening at the ancient theatre, but activities that are out of the ordinary at the Festival, which are intended to be very festive and have a Jazz connotation, throughout the day. All of this draining a large audience that was also often not the one you usually come across at Jazz à Vienne, in this case, therefore in part, a new audience.

It all started at 6:45 a.m. this Sunday, with a “Sunrise” concert on the Belvédère de Pipet, which overlooks the ancient theatre. With a rare program: that provided by Louise Jallu, a bandoneon player, an instrument rarely encountered in Jazz…

Hence a nice surprise. With her original music, halfway between Hector Piazzolla and Jazz, but dressed in the same nostalgia and haunting movement of the tango, Louise Jallu lit up the first steps of the day’s marathon with beautiful improvisations.

A crowd success, despite the very early hour. About sixty deckchairs had been deployed: nearly 200 people responded to this initiative which should be renewed in the future, at least we hope so.

No breakfast on site like last year at Pipet, but then a return to Cybèle where from 8 a.m. breakfast and brunch were offered by the team of the Viennese restaurant Mama-Trötter and its chef Ryma Prost – Romand. Again a 1st, highly appreciated by spectators descended from Pipet.

At the same time, at the municipal theater, a first experience of “musical listening and self-perception” was taking place, combining Jazz and mindfulness meditation led by two specialists, Elisabeth Petit and Frédéric Charbaut.

The latter explained to the sixty or so meditators present how to listen to music by listening to it… truly and fully without letting your mind wander, by refocusing on yourself; and this, with the help of pieces by Dhafer Yousseff, Michel Portal, and even Miles Davis.

We were only there in the middle of the day’s marathon which continued in the afternoon with an original “Battle BD”, pitting two cartoonists against each other on the big stage of Cybèle, the very large audience, again, the deciding.

A little later, to continue in innovation, the town hall square was transformed into a roller dance floor, with a glittery DJ, very 70s, officiating on the balcony.

A perfectly playful animation led by the master of roller dance, BBFX who gave the funky disco rhythm. Here again, a success of attendance for this original animation within the framework of Jazz à Vienne, making you want to put your skates back on and attracting the most experienced roller dancers as well as beginners…

Tomorrow, Monday, July 4, the Festival will return to normal after this unbridled day with Gregory Porter, in the evening on the stage of the ancient theater and the launch of the Tremplin Rezzo intended to designate the best young Jazz formation from seven regions of France… The show must go on…

As a bonus, Jazz’Actu de Vienne TV, the Festival in pictures: click HERE