three musical colors of the Jazz à Vienne festival

Jazz concerts in Vienna follow one another but are not alike. Very different atmospheres on these three evenings before the closing with Goran Bregovic this Thursday, July 13. Joe Bonamassa, Norah Jones and Pat Metheny have confirmed the eclecticism of this festival whose international reputation is well established.

1Joe Bonamassa

This Monday, July 10 was undoubtedly one of the hottest days of the week, but American guitarist Joe Bonamassa did not hesitate to raise the temperature even more, which he himself described as “fuckin’ hot!”.

After a first part with a classic blues provided by the veteran Joe Louis Walker, the virtuoso “Big Joe” set fire to the powder with a show revealing all his palette of dexterity. Extended solos, volume pushed to the limit and requiring the impressive battery of amps to be sealed off behind a plexiglass wall, deluge of cascading notes, and above all an anthology of prestigious vintage guitars from the best years of Gibson and Fender. Bonamassa is known for collecting valuable instruments, for this concert he simply played a different guitar for each song! Legendary models, some of which will soon reach 80 years of existence, such as a 1955 Stratocaster, or several Les Pauls from the end of the fifties and the start of the sixties.

Accessible behind the scenes in all simplicity, the guitar-hero was accompanied by the finest of current blues-rock, notably guitarist Josh Smith or even the “living legend” Reese Wynans, former keyboardist of Stevie Ray Vaughan, and for whom Bonamassa has asked the audience for a standing ovation. This same audience found itself a little disconcerted during the opening of the rather surprising show where the musicians enter the stage to the sound of background music, a piece by Tom Petty. But it was above all the end of the concert that frustrated the Viennese ancient theater full to bursting, when Bonamassa and his group had to give up an encore due to the festival schedule.

2norah jones

After the deluge of sound, make way for an intimate atmosphere with Norah Jones and her hushed jazz-pop. The evening had first started under soulful auspices by inviting the dean Mavis Staples. We had already greatly appreciated it at the Nuits de Fourvière four years ago, but this Tuesday, July 11, in addition to the classics For what it’s worth eyou respect yourselfthe American singer interpreted the famous The Weight of the group The Band which she had accompanied in 1976 during the legendary concert The last waltz, filmed by Martin Scorsese. A title that was missing in 2019 and which was warmly welcomed by the public. Mavis Staples celebrated her 84th birthday on Monday evening, and the ancient theater in Vienna sang a happy birthday vibrant for this great lady of Soul.

Norah Jones did not fail to pay tribute to him again in the second part of the evening. Ravi Shankar’s daughter seduced the audience with her sweet voice and her arrangements sometimes bordering on folk or even country. After an opening on vocals alone, accompanied by her formidable trio of musicians, she sat down at the piano, before taking the guitar later on a few songs.

Despite the very large stage, the quartet played tightly, as if they were cramped in an amateur club. A perfect cohesion that suits the singer’s musical universe well. Norah Jones conquered the public without difficulty with her hits Sunrise, Come away with me and the inevitable don’t know why at the end of the set. Unlike Joe Bonamassa, the artist was able to come back for an encore, a cover of Jesse Harris I’ve Got to See You Again. An angel passed Vienna that evening, and several voices in the audience cried “we love you!”. Norah Jones confirmed her attachment to the French public by returning the favor: “I love you too”.

3Pat Metheny

Another style, another atmosphere Wednesday evening July 12. Unlike the previous two, Pat Metheny’s concert was entirely seated. With such a configuration, one might have feared a somewhat select and elitist jazz, reserved for insiders. But on the contrary, the virtuoso guitarist immediately puts everyone at ease with his simplicity and relaxation. In shorts, sneakers and a sweatshirt, Metheny plays in front of the public as if he were in our living room. Although presented as the main name of the evening, he became the opening act before the forty-something jazz-rock-fusion group Sixun. He is probably the only headliner of the festival to be on stage while it was still daylight.

Alone on stage to begin, he officiates on a unique guitar in the world, the Picasso model with no less than 42 strings! Celtic harp and Japanese Koto sounds mingle with more traditional guitar colors. But rather than flaunting his technique, Metheny embroiders airy and magical melodies. A masterful introduction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_E3cygM5Oc

He is then joined by his two equally virtuoso musicians, drummer Joe Dyson and keyboardist Chris Fishman who also performs the bass parts with a stunning sound reproduction, worthy of a real double bass. On a single title of the set, it is the guitarist who will act as bass player through an octave effect. The sounds of the musician seem at times to come from another planet, whether through his guitar-synth or his device of mechanical automatons activating various instruments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l11jK2RSxEo

The trio duet twice, Metheny playing a piece with each of his musicians. The title in duet with the drummer is the occasion of a surprising performance where the guitarist demonstrates that a classical guitar with nylon strings can also sound rock by being amplified in a distorted way!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NHm5j4xpY8

After about an hour and a half of concert, a solo encore offers a moment of grace in the ancient theater of Vienna. Alone on the acoustic guitar, Metheny revisits several of his most famous melodies and enchants the public. A voice at the end shouts “THANKS !” while everyone rises to cheer the guitarist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eVM467ODak

The trio returns one last time, accompanied by the automata system, to deliver a majestic finale that brings the audience to their feet once again. A sincere and well-deserved standing ovation for this great moment.

Three concerts, three very distinct colors which gave a representative and faithful overview of the Jazz à Vienne festival, always keen to offer a rich and varied program, for all tastes. Successful bet again for this 2023 edition.