Various - 2016 - New Jazz Festival Balver Höhle (New Jazz 1974 & 1975)

Various

2016 

New Jazz Festival Balver Höhle (New Jazz 1974 & 1975)

Samstag, 27. Juli 1974 / Saturday, July 27, 1974

1-1 Contact Trio– Improvisation

Bass – Alois Kott

Drums – Michael Jüllich

Guitar – Evert Brettschneider

26:52

1-2 Brötzmann - van Hove - Bennink – Improvisation 1        

1-3 Brötzmann - van Hove - Bennink – Improvisation 2        

1-4 Brötzmann - van Hove - Bennink – Improvisation 3        

1-5 Brötzmann - van Hove - Bennink*– Improvisation 4       

Drums – Han Bennink

Piano – Fred Van Hove

Tenor Saxophones, Clarinet – Peter Brötzmann

2-1 Jasper van't Hof - Pork Pie – Improvisation 1    

2-2 Jasper van't Hof - Pork Pie – Improvisation 2    

Alto Saxophone, Flute, Nadaswaram, Soprano Saxophone – Charlie Mariano

Bass – John Lee 

Drums – Aldo Romano

Guitar – Philip Catherine

Keyboards – Jasper van't Hof

3-1 SOS (Surman - Osborne - Skidmore) – Improvisation 1        

3-2 SOS (Surman - Osborne - Skidmore) – Improvisation 2        

3-3 SOS (Surman - Osborne - Skidmore) – Improvisation 3        

3-4 SOS (Surman - Osborne - Skidmore) – Improvisation 4        

Alto Saxophone – Mike Osborne

Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Electronics – John Surman

Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone [, Drums – Alan Skidmore

Sonntag, 28. Juli 1974 / Sunday, July 28, 1974

4-1 Dieter Scherf Trio– Improvisation

Bass – Jacek Bednarek

Drums – Bulent Ates

Saxophone [Sax] – Dieter Scherf

4-2 Franz Koglmann Quintet - Steve Lacy Quintet– Flaps

4-3 Franz Koglmann Quintet - Steve Lacy Quintet– Der Vogel Opium

4-4 Franz Koglmann Quintet - Steve Lacy Quintet– Wünschelrute

4-5 Franz Koglmann Quintet - Steve Lacy Quintet– Weanerisch Dearn

4-6 Franz Koglmann Quintet - Steve Lacy Quintet– Life On Its Way

Bass – Toni Michlmayr

Computer, Electronics – Gerd Geier

Drums, Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax] – Muhammad Malli

Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax] – Steve Lacy

Trumpet – Franz Koglmann

5-1 Misha Mengelberg - Han Bennink - Duo*– Suite

5-2 Misha Mengelberg - Han Bennink - Duo*– Impro One

Drums – Han Bennink

Piano – Misha Mengelberg

5-3 Unknown Artist– Announcement 0:57

5-4 Jazzcrew Stuttgart– Improvisation 1

5-5 Jazzcrew Stuttgart– Improvisation 2

6-1 Jazzcrew Stuttgart– Improvisation 1

6-2 Jazzcrew Stuttgart– Improvisation 2

Bass – Jan Jankeje

Bass Saxophone [Bass Sax] – Bernd Konrad

Drums – Martin Bues

Keyboards – Paul Schwarz

Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax], Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax] – Walter Hüber

Trumpet, Flugelhorn [Flugel Horn] – Frederic Rabold, Herbert Joos

6-3 Polish Jazz Summit– Improvisation

Bass Clarinet [Uncredited], Tenor Saxophone [Uncredited] – Tomasz Szukalski

Bass [Uncredited] – John Lee (3)

Drums [Uncredited] – Cees See

Saxophone [Sax], Cello, Piano [Uncredited] – Zbigniew Namyslowski*

Trumpet – Tomasz Stanko*

Violin – Zbigniew Seifert

7-1 Gary Burton Quintet– Improvisation 1

7-2 Gary Burton Quintet– Improvisation 2

7-3 Gary Burton Quintet– Improvisation 3

Bass – Steve Swallow

Drums – Bob Moses

Guitar – Mick Goodrick, Pat Metheny

Vibraphone [Vibes] – Gary Burton

Samstag, 31. Mai 1975 / Saturday, May 31, 1975

8-1 Jan Wallgren Orkester– Love Chant

8-2 Jan Wallgren Orkester– Drone Piece

8-3 Jan Wallgren Orkester– Wallgren Et Sueco

Bass – Ivar Lindell

Drums – Ivan Oscarsson

Flugelhorn, Trumpet – Hakan Nyqvist

Flute, Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax], Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Tommy Koverhult

Piano – Jan Wallgren

8-4 Unknown Artist– Announcement 0:37

8-5 Jiri Stivin - Rudolf Dasek - System Tandem– Improvisation 1

8-6 Jiri Stivin - Rudolf Dasek - System Tandem– Improvisation 2

9-1 Jiri Stivin - Rudolf Dasek - System Tandem– Improvisation 1

9-2 Jiri Stivin - Rudolf Dasek - System Tandem– Improvisation 2

9-3 Jiri Stivin - Rudolf Dasek - System Tandem– Improvisation 3

9-4 Jiri Stivin - Rudolf Dasek - System Tandem*– Improvisation 4

9-5 Jiri Stivin - Rudolf Dasek - System Tandem*– Improvisation 5

Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Flute, Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax], Piccolo Flute [Piccolo] – Jiri Stivin

Guitar – Rudolf Dasek

9-6 Unknown Artist– Announcement 1:00

9-7 Krzysztof Zgraja - Barre Phillips - Duo– Improvisation 1

10-1 Krzysztof Zgraja - Barre Phillips - Duo– Improvisation 1

Bass – Barre Phillips

Flute – Krzysztof Zgraja

Sonntag, 1. Juni 1975 / Sunday, June 1, 1975

10-2 Unknown Artist– Announcement 0:07

10-3 Brom Gustav Big Band– Blues

Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Frantisek Navratil

Baritone Saxophone [Baritone Sax] – Josef Audes

Flute – Zdenek Novak

Piano – Milan Vidlak

Trombone – Mojmir Bartek

Trumpet – Jaromir Hnilicka

10-4 Unknown Artist– Announcement 0:57

10-5 Brom Gustav Big Band– Semper Ignotus

Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Frantisek Navratil

Baritone Saxophone [Baritone Sax] – Josef Audes

Flute – Zdenek Novak

Trombone – Mojmir Bartek

Trumpet – Jaromir Hnilicka

10-6 Unknown Artist– Announcement 1:55

10-7 Brom Gustav Big Band– D-E-F-G-A-H-C

Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Frantisek Navratil

Baritone Saxophone [Baritone Sax] – Josef Audes

Flute – Zdenek Novak

Piano – Milan Vidlak

Trombone – Mojmir Bartek

Trumpet – Jaromir Hnilicka

10-8 Unknown Artist– Announcement 0:59

10-9 Brom Gustav Big Band– Suite For Gustav Brom

10-10 Brom Gustav Big Band*– Calling Up The Rain

Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Frantisek Navratil

Baritone Saxophne [Baritone Sax] – Josef Audes

Composed By [Composer] – Karel Blatny

Flute – Zdenek Novak

Piano – Milan Vidlak

Trombone – Mojmir Bartek

Trumpet – Jaromir Hnilicka

11-3 Eero Koivistoinen Quartet– Clear Dream

11-4 Eero Koivistoinen Quartet– Spanish Dance

Bass – Pekka Sarmanto

Drums – Raino Laine*

Electric Piano [E-Piano], Piano – Olli Ahvenlahti

Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax], Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Eero Koivistoinen

11-5 Emil Viklicky Trio*– Choral

11-6 Emil Viklicky Trio*– For My Sister

Bass – František Uhlir*

Drums – Milan Vitoch

Piano – Emil Viklicky*

Liner Notes [Festival Announcement] – Karlheinz Klüter

Photography By – W. Tiede

Excerpts were [previously] released on the 4-LP set Jazzfestival Balver Höhle Ausschnitte Vom New Jazz Programm 1974 & 75.

Thanks to Udo Sawinski for help and forwarding stuff from his collection.

Special thanks to Lutz Klüter for rights and tapes.

Box includes a 32-page booklet with press clippings and reviews originally published in local newspapers.

Some artists mentioned in the articles, on posters and flyers are not included in thís set because they didn't perform or the tapes didn't survive.

On track 4-1 Dieter Scherf plays alto saxophone.

The musicians of the Polish Jazz Summit differ from those listed in the booklet. According to the announcer on the recording, Adam Makowicz couldn't make it to the festival, Cees See replaces Janusz Stefanski, and Tomasz Szukalski and John Lee ("from America") were added to the group. No pianist is announced but there clearly is a piano (though not electric). Best guess is that Zbigniew Namyslowski plays the piano himself.

Echoes from the Depths: The New Jazz Festival Balver Höhle of 1974 and 1975

Introduction

In the annals of European jazz history, few events capture the spirit of innovation and rebellion quite like the New Jazz Festival Balver Höhle. Held in the cavernous depths of the Balve Cave (Balver Höhle) in Germany's Sauerland region, this festival emerged as a beacon for avant-garde and free jazz during the mid-1970s. The years 1974 and 1975 marked its inaugural editions, showcasing a eclectic array of performers from across Europe and beyond, all unified by a commitment to pushing the boundaries of jazz beyond traditional structures. The cave itself, a natural amphitheater with prehistoric roots, provided an acoustically unique—and occasionally challenging—backdrop, where echoes amplified improvisations into ethereal symphonies or, humorously, turned solos into unintended duets with the stone walls (one might imagine the bats overhead critiquing the vibrato as overly "chiropteran").

This article explores the festival's origins, its organizers, the lineups and performances of those pivotal years, and its lasting legacy. Drawing on archival recordings, contemporary reviews, and historical context, it situates the event within the broader socio-cultural ferment of 1970s Germany, where jazz became a vehicle for generational defiance. While scholarly in tone, we intersperse humorous notes to reflect the festival's playful, anarchic energy—after all, what better way to honor free jazz than with a dash of irreverence?

Background on the Organizers and the German Jazz Scene

The New Jazz Festival Balver Höhle was the brainchild of Karlheinz Klüter, a pivotal figure in Germany's post-war jazz landscape. Often described as a "one-man show," Klüter handled everything from booking artists to serving drinks at the bar, operating without public funding in a testament to grassroots tenacity. His involvement in earlier festivals, such as the Burg Altena event organized by Heinz Bonsack, equipped him with the networks and vision to launch Balver Höhle in 1974 at remarkably short notice. Klüter's approach emphasized inclusivity, inviting musicians from behind the Iron Curtain and blending European free jazz with American influences, continuing themes from Altena.

The festival's genesis must be understood against the backdrop of 1970s German jazz, a "golden age" of free improvisation that mirrored societal upheavals. Young Germans, rejecting the conservative values of their parents' generation—tainted by the Nazi era—embraced jazz as a form of cultural rebellion. Festivals like Moers (organized by Burkhard Hennen) and Wuppertal became hubs for this movement, featuring luminaries such as Peter Brötzmann and Alexander von Schlippenbach. Balver Höhle fit neatly into this ecosystem, its cave venue symbolizing a literal underground resistance. Humorously, one could quip that Klüter's choice of location was a sly nod to Plato's allegory—musicians emerging from the shadows to enlighten the masses, though the damp air likely enlightened more than a few instruments about rust.

The broader Festspiele Balver Höhle, encompassing theater and music since the 1980s, traces its roots to earlier cultural initiatives in the cave, including jazz and blues events from 1970 onward. However, the "New Jazz" focus in 1974-1975 was distinctly Klüter's imprint, prioritizing experimental forms over mainstream appeal. By 1984, the festival had shifted toward more accessible genres, but its early years remain a high-water mark for avant-garde expression.

The 1974 Edition: A Cavernous Debut

The inaugural New Jazz Festival Balver Höhle unfolded over a weekend in late July 1974, drawing enthusiastic crowds that filled the cave with the clamor of a rock concert—cheers echoing like thunderclaps. Friday featured traditional "Hot Jazz," but the core "New Jazz" programming commenced on Saturday and Sunday, spanning genres from jazz-rock to unbridled free improvisation. The lineup was a who's who of European and American innovators, reflecting Klüter's internationalist ethos.

Saturday kicked off with the Contact Trio (Evert Brettschneider on electric guitar, Alois Kott on double bass, Michael Jüllich on drums), whose fluid, ensemble-driven jazz-rock set clocked in at over 26 minutes of seamless improvisation. They were followed by the explosive trio of Peter Brötzmann (saxophones and clarinet), Fred van Hove (piano), and Han Bennink (drums), whose four improvisations totaled nearly 45 minutes of raw energy. Brötzmann's shrieking clarinet and Bennink's parodic military marches injected humor and chaos, as if the group were waging a mock battle against tonal convention—perhaps the cave's acoustics added an unwitting fourth member, "Echo the Stalactite."

Jasper van't Hof's Pork Pie, a multinational ensemble featuring Charlie Mariano (reeds and Nadaswaram), Philip Catherine (guitar), John Lee (bass), and Aldo Romano (drums), delivered two extended pieces blending fusion and ethnic influences, with Mariano's Nadaswaram evoking Eastern mysticism amid the Western cave. The British trio SOS (John Surman, Mike Osborne, Alan Skidmore on saxophones) innovated with EMS synthesizers, looping sounds in four improvisations that drew from Renaissance polyphony and even included a Bach encore— a scholarly fusion of old and new, though one wonders if the cave's humidity warped the electronics into accidental dub effects.

Sunday opened with the Dieter Scherf Trio (Scherf on saxophone, Jacek Bednarek on bass, Bulent Ates on drums), offering a modulated, Coltrane-inflected energy in a 28-minute improvisation. The Franz Koglmann-Steve Lacy Quintet (with Lacy on soprano saxophone, Koglmann on trumpet, Toni Michlmayr on bass, Muhammad Malli on drums/percussion, and Gerd Geier on electronics) performed pieces like "Flaps" and "Der Vogel Opium," blending cerebral composition with electronic experimentation.

Other highlights included the Gary Burton Quintet (featuring dual guitars by Mick Goodrick and Pat Metheny), opening with "Phase Dance"; the Jazzcrew Stuttgart septet with its varied post-bop; Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink's ICP "Suite," mixing ragtime and free jazz; and the Polish Jazz Summit (Tomasz Stanko on trumpet, Zbigniew Namyslowski on saxophone/cello, Zbigniew Seifert on violin, Adam Makowicz on piano, Janusz Stefanski on drums), whose set grappled with amplification issues but shone in mournful dirges. The festival's success was immediate, with crowds reveling in the subterranean vibe—though, humorously, the lack of natural light might have left some attendees pondering if they'd emerged into a new era or just forgotten their sunglasses.

The 1975 Edition: Triumph Amid Turmoil

Building on 1974's momentum, the 1975 festival (May 31-June 1) faced logistical hurdles, including contractual disputes that excluded German musicians and a last-minute cancellation by the Howard Johnson Tuba Ensemble due to unpaid flight costs. This shifted focus to Eastern and Northern European acts, underscoring Klüter's commitment to cross-cultural exchange despite challenges.

The lineup emphasized duos and smaller ensembles. Czechoslovakia's System Tandem (Jiri Stivin on reeds/woodwinds, Rudolf Dasek on guitar) performed seven improvisations blending folk, jazz, and rock. The Gustav Brom Big Band delivered a "Suite for Gustav Brom," oscillating between big-band swing and free jazz anarchy. Emil Viklický's piano trio offered a short, Bill Evans-inspired set, hampered by the festival's out-of-tune piano— a humorous reminder that even caves can't escape entropy.

The Krzysztof Zgraja-Barre Phillips duo (flute and double bass) crafted two half-hour improvisations with dynamic shifts, while Sweden's Jan Wallgren Orkester (quintet with Wallgren on piano, Tommy Koverhult on saxophones/flute, Hakan Nyqvist on flugelhorn, Ivar Lindell on bass, Ivan Oscarsson on drums) explored post-bop in pieces like "Love Chant." Finland's Eero Koivistonen Quartet closed with sparse Euro-jazz, their 20-minute set evoking dreamlike minimalism.

Anecdotes from 1975 highlight the festival's improvisational spirit: Amplification woes turned sets into acoustic adventures, and the enthusiastic, raucous audience amplified the cave's natural reverb into a collective roar. One can't help but chuckle at the irony— a free jazz festival plagued by "contractual chains," leaving the tuba ensemble grounded while the music soared underground.

Legacy and Reflections

The New Jazz Festival Balver Höhle's 1974-1975 editions are preserved in an 11-CD box set released in 2016 by B.Free/Be! Jazz, capturing over 13 hours of live recordings. Reviews praise its breadth, from Pork Pie's fusion to Brötzmann's ferocity, though some note the variable sound quality due to the cave's acoustics. The festival influenced subsequent events, embodying the era's experimental ethos.

In conclusion, under Klüter's stewardship, Balver Höhle transcended its stony confines to become a crucible for jazz innovation. Its humorous quirks—the echoing cave, the piano's detuning, the cancellations—only underscore its humanity. As echoes fade, the music endures, reminding us that true art often thrives in the shadows.

Overview of the Box Set

The "New Jazz Festival Balver Höhle (New Jazz 1974 & 1975)" is an 11-CD box set released in 2016 by B. Free (catalog number 6233/43), capturing live recordings from the inaugural and second editions of the New Jazz Festival held in the resonant acoustics of Balve Cave in Germany's Sauerland region. Organized by Karlheinz Klüter at short notice in 1974, the festival featured a mix of European and American artists across "New Jazz" styles, including free improvisation, fusion, modal jazz, and big band elements. Each festival ran Friday to Sunday, with Friday dedicated to traditional "Hot Jazz" (omitted here) and the weekends to innovative "New Jazz." The recordings, made by Cologne's WDR radio, total over 13 hours and include a 32-page booklet with photos, posters, flyers, and newspaper clippings (some in English). The set presents performances chronologically by day, though not always in original order, with many tracks simply titled "Improvisation" due to unspecified or unknown names. Sound quality is vivid and high, capturing the cave's natural reverb without excess echo, and the enthusiastic audiences—often sounding like rock crowds—reflect the era's youth-driven interest in alternative music in West Germany.

Critically, this collection serves as a valuable snapshot of the vibrant 1970s European jazz scene, blending high-energy free jazz with more structured fusion and post-bop. Reviewers praise its historical significance, though note some quirks like track mislabeling (e.g., CD5's tracks 6-8 are actually on CD6) and the 1975 edition's relative weakness due to cancellations and contractual issues excluding German acts. Overall, it's rated highly for its breadth and archival value, with standout moments in collective improvisation and individual virtuosity, though some sets lose visual context in audio form.

General Review of the "New Jazz Festival Balver Höhle 1974 & 1975" 11-CD Box Set

The "New Jazz Festival Balver Höhle (New Jazz 1974 & 1975)" 11-CD box set, released in 2016 by B. Free, is an ambitious and historically significant collection capturing the inaugural and second editions of the New Jazz Festival held in the acoustically unique Balve Cave in Germany’s Sauerland region. Spanning over 13 hours of live recordings from 1974 and 1975, this set showcases a vibrant cross-section of European and American jazz artists pushing boundaries in free improvisation, fusion, modal jazz, and big band styles. Recorded by Cologne’s WDR radio, the audio quality is consistently high, leveraging the cave’s natural reverb to create a vivid, immersive listening experience without excessive echo. The set is accompanied by a 32-page booklet featuring photos, posters, flyers, and newspaper clippings (some in English), adding valuable context to the festival’s cultural moment.

Strengths

The box set excels as a time capsule of the 1970s European jazz scene, a period marked by bold experimentation and cross-cultural collaboration. The 1974 recordings, in particular, are a high point, featuring standout performances from groups like Jasper van’t Hof’s Pork Pie, with its eclectic fusion and Charlie Mariano’s versatile reeds, and the British trio SOS (Surman-Osborne-Skidmore), whose innovative use of electronics and polyphonic reeds creates a rich, layered sound. The Peter Brötzmann Trio’s raw, chaotic free jazz and the Franz Koglmann Quintet with Steve Lacy’s cerebral compositions further highlight the diversity of styles, from high-energy improvisation to melodic sophistication. The 1974 sets benefit from a strong lineup and the festival’s fresh, enthusiastic energy, reflected in the rock-concert-like audience responses that capture the era’s youth-driven embrace of avant-garde music in West Germany.

The 1975 recordings, while less consistent due to cancellations and contractual issues limiting German acts, still offer gems, particularly from Eastern European groups like the Gustav Brom Big Band and the Jiri Stivin-Rudolf Dasek duo, which blend jazz with folk influences. The set’s chronological organization by festival day provides a clear narrative arc, and the sound quality enhances the listening experience, making even sprawling improvisations feel immediate and engaging. For jazz historians and enthusiasts of free jazz and fusion, the collection is a treasure trove, documenting lesser-known groups like the Contact Trio and Jazzcrew Stuttgart alongside established names.

Weaknesses

Despite its strengths, the box set has some drawbacks. The 1975 edition feels weaker overall, with some performances, like the Polish Jazz Summit, suffering from technical issues (e.g., an out-of-tune piano) or less cohesive interplay. The sheer volume of material—over 13 hours—can be daunting, and the frequent use of generic titles like “Improvisation” (due to unspecified or unknown track names) makes navigation challenging, especially for casual listeners. Minor production errors, such as track mislabeling (e.g., CD5’s tracks 6-8 appearing on CD6), add confusion. Some sets, like the Misha Mengelberg-Han Bennink duo, lose impact without the visual context of their theatrical live performances, as their anarchic humor and physicality don’t fully translate to audio. Additionally, the set’s focus on extended improvisations may overwhelm listeners unaccustomed to the free jazz idiom, and the 1975 discs, particularly CD11, feel like a less climactic close due to their brevity and uneven quality.

Overall Assessment

This box set is a remarkable archival achievement, offering a deep dive into a pivotal moment in European jazz history. Its strengths lie in its comprehensive scope, excellent sound quality, and the inclusion of both iconic and obscure artists, making it essential for collectors and scholars. Highlights like Pork Pie’s fusion mastery and SOS’s innovative textures justify its hefty runtime, though the 1975 recordings don’t always match 1974’s intensity. Minor flaws like track mislabeling and the occasional lack of visual context don’t detract significantly from its value. For dedicated fans of free jazz, fusion, and 1970s avant-garde music, this set is a rewarding, if demanding, journey, rated highly (around 4/5 stars) for its historical and musical significance. It’s less accessible for casual listeners but a must-have for those invested in the era’s experimental spirit.