Tunnel of sound Jazztube series goes underground again
The way to good jazz leads down an elevator. The Jazztube series is currently running in three underground stations in Bonn - and proves to be a talent factory already.
The way to good jazz leads down an elevator. Going down to the underground stations, where commuters and tourists, shoppers and museum visitors rush in and out of trains, is a music treat these days - when people stop to curiously watch and listen when young bands let their sound resonate off the walls at the stops Hauptbahnhof/Thomas-Mann-Straße, Universität/Markt and Heussallee/Museumsmeile, turning them into small clubs.
The popular Jazztube series - in its sixth year - is currently giving aspiring artists in three underground stations in Bonn the opportunity to find an audience for their music, and it proves to be a talent factory already. Until September 22, music fans are in for a treat of free music between 5 and 7.30 pm on every Friday, and they can vote for their favourite artists via their mobile phones. The three bands with most votes are playing again on November 3 in the Pantheon. Of course the bands are playing for transit commuters, for all those who are on the way home from work or on the underground trains for other reasons. But many listeners are already regular guests.
„I am coming from Cologne for years already to listen to the music here“, says Dagmar Engelfried, who even brought a folding chair on the opening night of the jazz series, listing to the Jerry Lu Sextett at the Thomas-Mann-Straße station. „I think this series of concerts is simply great, because one can experience great music and get to know new young bands.“ During brief intermissions, it’s off to the other stops, and because the artists play three sets, she gets to see them all. „I basically do it the same way“, says initiator Thomas Kimmerle, who organises the event in cooperation with the Stadtwerke Bonn. „I want to be able to listen to all the musicians. But I know of people who spend the first half an hour to rush from one band to the next and then pick their favourite.“ Concerts like these are not only special for the audience, also the bands are in at the deep end.
„I have never done anything like this before, and rarely play outdoors“, admits clarinet player Dmitri Schenker, who enlivens the Universität/Markt stop. „But I think it’s brilliant. Sometimes there is a bit of a draft, but the acoustics are excellent and the audience is really intrigued, amazingly. But: nobody danced yet.“ He laughs. „That might still happen though.“ The Jazztube series is not only meant to introduce new bands to new fans and to provide commuters with some fresh sounds on their way home. The concept turned out to be a first class talent factory by now. Both Jin Jim and Laura Totenhagen have started their careers here and managed the next step to the Leverkusener Jazztage and the Jazzfest Bonn. Those, who want to see artists like this, need to go down - deep down, as long as the music plays down there.
