It seems jazz concerts in Egypt are like buses, you wait an age for one and then they all come at once. Those lucky enough to be present in the Jesuit Center, Alexandria, were given an insight into contemporary jazz at its very best by the highly talented German musician Wolfgang Haffner and his band and a preview of the quality of music to be found over the coming days.
Sponsored by the Goethe Institute, the event acted as a curtain raiser for the ongoing Jazz Factory festival.
Born to a classical musician in 1965, Haffner was quick to follow in his father’s musical footsteps playing the piano and drums from the age of six.
His talent enabled him to turn professional when he was only 18 years old, joining the German French Jazz Ensemble, conducted by German jazz legend Albert Mangelsdorff.
He has never looked back since and has gone on to perform with some of the biggest names in jazz, in addition to household names such as Chaka Khan, touring and performing in festivals all over the world.
If that wasn’t enough, he has played on approximately 350 albums and has recorded to date 11 of his own, including the acclaimed “Acoustic Shapes due to tour in Spain, Italy and Germany in the coming spring.
Touring has played a large part of his life and he himself admits that the meeting of people, witnessing different cultures and feeling the different energies of varying audiences from around the world provides the most enjoyable and inspirational elements for his music.
With a set-list mainly drawn from “Shapes, a packed Jesuit Center were treated to thumping bass lines and lively trumpet and guitar solos with Haffner himself at the center bossing the stage with his drums.
The current ensemble, many of whom have known each other for over 20 years, explain that there is no one singular influence in their music and that it has been influenced by all sorts of genres including classic jazz, rock, pop and funk.
The energetic set, lasting over an hour, varied in its tempo and contrasts, evident through the funk orientated “New Life and the slow, mellow “Silent Way featuring the excellent Sebastian Studnitzky on the trumpet. “Blue Bar, inspired by a seaside bar in Spain, acknowledges the multiple influences that Haffner draws from the locations he has performed. All music is written by Haffner himself but the set closed with a Miles Davis track, a man the band admitted was a fundamental influence and inspiration to their music, a sentiment echoed by jazz musicians the world over.
The audience, representing a diverse cross section of Egyptian society, demonstrated the power of music in bringing people together. Nodding heads and tapping feet, regardless of age, gender or social backgrounds, they moved in unison throughout the theater. The audience’s approval forced the band to perform repeated encores, a gesture appreciated from both sides of the stage.
