Bauer / Kalima / Drake (50. Leipziger Jazztage)

The trombone icon of the festival’s first generation meets sophisticated percussion perfection and Finnish-Berlin-style guitar virtuosity—a summit of improvised music. 

In ’60s rock, the term “supergroup” was coined for bands like Cream or The Dirty Mac, whose members had already made a splash in other contexts. In jazz, this term is less commonly used because projects tend to emerge much more ad hoc. However, it would be absolutely apt for the collaboration between German trombonist Conny Bauer, Finnish guitarist Kalle Kalima (who lives in Berlin), and Chicago-based drummer Hamid Drake.

The names and projects with which Bauer (b. 1943), Drake (b. 1955), and Kalima (b. 1973) have shared studios, stages, and tour buses throughout their long careers would fill an entire program booklet on their own. Bauer was one of the pioneers of the East German free jazz scene, which used free improvisation to create an artistic counterpoint to the regimented daily life under “real existing socialism.” He made his debut at the 1st Leipzig Jazz Days in 1976 with the group FEZ. And even after that, he was a regular part of the festival lineup in various ensembles.

Hamid Drake, for his part, is one of the leading figures of the AACM, which is constantly seeking new connections between tradition and the future. And Kalima comes from a jazz tradition heavily influenced by rock, film music, and other genres, which he dissects and reassembles with great humor. It’s impossible to even begin to imagine what exactly will happen when this trio takes the stage—even if you’re familiar with Bauer and Kalima’s album “13 Kuukautta”—because Drake will bring a completely different dimension to this collaboration. But one thing is certain: regardless of their generation or background, all three embody an unconditional desire for freedom that manifests itself in new and surprising ways with every performance.

(Wolf Kampmann)