Foreword

16th Glatt&Verkehrt Festival

This summer Glatt&Verkehrt is presenting an opulent program and may hope for a rich artistic yield: at the festival’s 16^th anniversary, the phenomenon of world music will again be reflected and maybe even redefined somewhat anew. At least, we will give our best to do so, for instance on the five festival days at the Winzer Krems: besides premieres of local musicians (Martin Mallaun, Burkhard Stangl, Elektro Guzzi) and surprising encounters—like the one with the great Japanese community of the Brazilian metropolitan Sao Paolo—international stars can be expected: Eric Bibb, Juan de Marco Gonzalez’ Afro Cuban All Stars, and Hugh Masekela will be in Krems for the first time. Radio Ö1 will again be quite busy recording all 15 concerts, see to a good monitor sound at the venues, and for the first time this year, one whole festival day will be broadcasted live, namely Sunday, June 29, when African ways of life and legends are scheduled: the multiple award-winning balaphone player Mamadou Diatbaté, who has been living in Austria for many years, and his ensemble are bringing pure traditional West African music from his home country Burkina Faso. We will then hear Fatoumata Diawara, a shooting star from Africa’s singer songwriter scene. Trumpeter Hugh Masekela, 72 years young and an iconic figure to many people in South Africa, will close the festival.

The festival, which takes place from June 28 to July 29, will feature a focus on music from the Danube countries. On June 30, during a boat trip through the Wachau region, live music from Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Romania will be offered, curated and musically arranged by Frank London. The US-American trumpeter is familiar with the region; he has worked with Lower Austrian brass orchestras he will once more integrate in his current project.

More than ever the festival is rooted within the region: free concerts at the Heurigen and Buschenschank restaurants, films and concerts at the Minorite Church in Stein, as well as the Music Workshop at the Göttweig Monastery.

Cuba, Korea, and Mexico; the Basque region, Hokkaido, and Persia: nations, regions, and cultures from literally all over the world will meet at Glatt&Verkehrt. World Music, once slightly ridiculed from a mainstream point of view, has grown into the possibly most exciting of all musical ideas.

Jo Aichinger & Albert Hosp