Münster’s International Jazz Festival 2025 is full of aesthetic contrasts

One of Fritz Schmücker’s characteristics as the long-standing artistic director of the Münster International Jazz Festival, and who has been involved in the festival programme for 40 years and has been solely responsible for it since 2000, is that he likes to invite musicians several times.

If they have exciting new projects in their luggage. Or, as in the case of clarinettist and saxophonist Gianluigi Trovesi, have reactivated his historic ‘Dances’ trio after exactly 40 years. The Italian is now almost 81 years old and his music still sounds fresh. Even if his performance of Mediterranean songs and improvised jazz with bassist Paolo Damiani and drummer Ettore Fioravanti on the first evening of the festival at an already late hour was beautifully played, but not really rousing. The compactness as a trio was somewhat lacking. 

The second returning guest of the evening had much more exciting things to offer. German saxophonist Jan Klare (above), long a child of the city of Münster, presented his latest project KIND (=child) in the city's beautiful theatre, which was once again sold out on all three nights. A sextet with three wind instruments, cello, double bass and the Brazilian drummer Bruna Cabral, whose drumming is incredibly subtle, differentiated and rich in sound. Cabral clearly characterised Jan Klare's sometimes unwieldy, but then also electrifyingly grooving, complex compositions and pushed them wonderfully forward. Because the ‘Controlled Deranged ProgChamber’, as Klare himself describes his KIND project, is not a restrained affair. But however you try to describe this band, you absolutely have to experience this marvellously polyphonic ensemble with its strong band members such as Australian trombonist Shannon Barnett live on stage.

Sometimes the unpredictable happens at festivals. That's what happened this time in Münster to South Korean pianist Chaerin Im (pictured above). First, she had to cancel the afternoon performance with her own quartet due to sudden health problems, sending only her three musicians on stage instead, only to surprisingly join in after a few minutes. In the evening, however, nothing worked any more for her. Danish bassist Jasper Høiby had to change his plans for his gig with his trio ‘Three Elements’ at the very last minute. He asked the pianist Daniel García (pictured below), who was already sitting in the restaurant after his own performance and waiting for his well-earned dinner, to stand in for the Korean. The Spaniard, who knew neither Høiby nor his drummer Jamie Peet beforehand, did an excellent job. The likeable musician from Salamanca had previously presented his own new sextet. A band with a young Iranian singer, the fabulous Bosnian trumpeter Miron Rafajlović, the amazing guitarist Reinier Baas from the Netherlands or the fantastic Austrian drummer of Iranian origin Shayan Fathi. Anyone familiar with Garcia's trio with two Cubans in the rhythm section heard now a much broader world fusion from his sextet, in which the Spanish element is just one of many sounds alongside oriental-influenced vocals or biting guitar lines. This sextet, which has only been playing together for a short time, has a lot of potential and will continue to develop. It will be interesting to follow them. In any case, the Münster audience was already completely enthusiastic and paid homage to the musicians at the end with minutes of applause. 

Over the course of an intensive weekend, Fritz Schmücker once again demonstrated his flair for discoveries and also for setting dramaturgies in the course of a concert evening. By the way, the Jazz Price Of Westphalia 2025 went to pianist, singer and composer Clara Haberkamp who showed that you don't have to play the piano in a superficially spectacular way to be held in high esteem. Her trio performed cautiously, sometimes even reverently, setting a famous Friedrich Hollaender composition alongside a piece by Canadian folk and country singer Gordon Lightfoot and her own beautiful compositions. Emotional, lyrical, finely balanced trio jazz with room to breathe, enjoy and discover.