HUBERT VON GOISERN & DIE LUNGAU BIG BAND
Hubert von Goisern and the Lungau Big Band
Brass, bellows & woodwind
Music from the heart of Austria - is how the Lungau Big Band describe what they play. And they've been doing this for 40 years now: in 2023 the ensemble from the very centre of Austria celebrated their milestone anniversary. It's not often the case that a jazz ensemble remains active for such a long time.
All the more reason to celebrate therefore - and with a musical collaboration that has been on the wishlist for a long time: Hubert von Goisern will join the Lungau Big Band on stage more dates in 2024. They'll be performing the artist's own songs arranged for brass, bellows and woodwind.
A colourful programme full of jazz and brass, with lots to hear from many of the points on Hubert von Goisern's musical journey.
On 5 July 2024 the musical collaboration will be crowned with the release of a live album.
Live Album: Blech, Balg & Holz
Blech, Balg & Holz
- 01. drawig
- 02. oben und unten
- 03. herschaun
- 04. iawaramoi
- 05. snowdown
- 06. brenna tuats guat
- 07. schönberger
The Lungau Big Band makes music from the heart of Austria - and has done so for the last 40 years: in 2023 the ensemble celebrated their big birthday. It's not often been the case that a jazz ensemble has survived for such a long time.
So it was a worthy occasion to drop my decades-long resistance to bandleader Horst Hofer's request and to embark on the big band adventure for a few select dates. With my own songs, arranged for: brass, bellows and woodwind.
What came from it dispelled my scepticism. The colourful programme, full of jazz and brass, is a foray through many of the stage of my musical journey. A foray that stretches over a good 30 year - from the Alpinkatzen era to today. All arranged for a highly motivated 17-member ensemble. The majority of the arrangements came from Burkhard Frauenlob, with whom I had already worked on the albums fön, iwasig und trad 1, two come from Alex Trebo, who has been at my side on the keyboard since 2019.
I am grateful to my longtime friend and agent, Hage Hein, for insisting on releasing these recordings as an album, and to Wolfgang Spannberger, with whom I am united in an equally longstanding friendship, for the great sound, which lets me forget what a battered state I was in back then, on 27 March 2024 at the Vienna Konzerthaus. You can look forward to a very special listening experience.
Hubert von Goisern
Live at the Isar Philharmonic Munich
Hubert von Goisern & the Lungau Big Band: Live in Munich - 19 November 2024
Photo: © Andreas Gebert/Gasteig
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Munich - 19 November 2024
Photo: © Andreas Gebert/Gasteig
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Munich - 19 November 2024
Photo: © Andreas Gebert/Gasteig
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Munich - 19 November 2024
Photo: © Andreas Gebert/Gasteig
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Munich - 19 November 2024
Photo: © Andreas Gebert/Gasteig
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Munich - 19 November 2024
Photo: © Andreas Gebert/Gasteig
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Munich - 19 November 2024
Photo: © Andreas Gebert/Gasteig
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Munich - 19 November 2024
Photo: © Andreas Gebert/GasteigGlobally alpine: Hubert von Goisern at the Isar Philharmonic
On this evening, everything is perfect: lighting concept, exceptional artists, message, musical variety and the Austrian maestro.
Within second the room transforms into a musical cinema film.
Imagine a noble concert hall in which 13 wind players, a drummer, a stunningly singing percussionist, a bass player, a guitarist, a pianist and a solid front man with an accordion seem completely unpretentious and within a few seconds transform the room into a rich musical film.
19 musicians, illuminated from the ceiling by 19 red-white lights, not to come across as folksy and Austrian, but simply because everything is just right on this evening: lighting concept, exceptional artists, message, musical diversity.
Hubert von Goisern cannot be pigeonholed
The Upper Austrian singer-songwriter Hubert von Goisern never wanted to be comfortable, serve a particular genre or even let himself be pigeonholed musically or even professionally. If he picks up the rumor somewhere that he is an "alpine rocker" or a representative of "New Folk Music" - he'll slip into a completely unexpected new musical guise and teach the labellers and stereotypers a lesson.
Music that takes you on a ride through the film world
Together with his fantastic accompanying band at the Isar Philharmonic, he creates uphill and downhill rides through his own creativity in diverse locations around the world like Canada, Africa, South Africa, the Philippines and Tibet, stimulating the imagination to reminisce about experiences or film evenings. Sometimes the audience imagines themselves in a Miss Marple film, sometimes in a Harold Lloyd classic, sometimes in a Mabuse film or a modern crime thriller from today.
Of course, he also knows how to create a familial atmosphere of conversation in a relaxed and believably spontaneous way, like a mountain hut landlord; at one point he suddenly gets the audience to rehearse a huge "juchitzer" cheer.
The audience cheers
He is very concerned with the independent thinking of each individual and the credo coined by a long-time companion: There is no dividing line between us humans and the rest of creation.
From yodel to lullabye
Socio-critical interludes, politically highly explosive songs, like the emotionally smart peace song Snowdown, a homage to Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden, who revealed the espionage practices and internal affairs of the US army, a declaration of love to the people who have the courage not to silently accept the often strange decisions made by politicians.
Those who aren't completely au fait with dialect might not understand every word, which doesn't matter, since the symbiosis of dynamism and mission is clearly recognisable and the key sentences are understandable to people who do not come from the Alpine language area too.
Each individual artist is honoured, everyone impressive plays their instrument and excellent solos. Personal anecdotes are casually woven in, such as: "In 2002 I composed a yodel. My pianist Burkhard Frauenlob listened to it and asked: And now what? Where's it going? Then I added to the yodel and made a lullaby out of it."
An evening full of mysteries and tempations
The trombone solo from stage grenade Robert Bachner sends a refreshing and strengthening chill down your spine, the magnificent singer and percussionist Maria de Val takes the listeners breath away at several points during the evening. She is no unknown in Munich, playing at the Kammerspiele and with Angela Aux.
The evening ultimately ends with the Schönberger yodel, which has nothing to do with Arnold Schönberg, as well as Brenna tuats guat, one of the few Oktoberfest Wiesn hits with clear criticism of capitalism. It feels as though you've been to a Roma festival, and a Frank Zappa, Miles Davis and Sting concert all in one and at the same time you were able to listen to the high ideological demands of the Alpine maestro in your living room.
An evening full of mysteries and temptations, world music, the finest jazz and the artist's final words: "Diri jo, dü hudi dü hi, goodbye."
Live in Salzburg
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Salzburg - 12 November 2024
Photo: © Manfred Siebinger
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Salzburg - 12 November 2024
Photo: © Manfred Siebinger
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Salzburg - 12 November 2024
Photo: © Manfred Siebinger
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Salzburg - 12 November 2024
Photo: © Manfred Siebinger
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Salzburg - 12 November 2024
Photo: © Manfred Siebinger
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Salzburg - 12 November 2024
Photo: © Manfred Siebinger
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Salzburg - 12 November 2024
Photo: © Manfred Siebinger
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Salzburg - 12 November 2024
Photo: © Manfred Siebinger
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Salzburg - 12 November 2024
Photo: © Manfred Siebinger
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Salzburg - 12 November 2024
Photo: © Manfred SiebingerAlpine world music hits in super cinematic sound
The Lungau Big Band celebrates their 40th anniversary in the Konzerthaus with Hubert von Goisern
You could almost lay money on the vital sound of the Lungau Big Band led by trumpeter Horst Hofer and celebrated across Europe, getting even the weary-footed up and dancing. But on Wednesday Hubert von Goisern hobbled on stage with crutches in the Vienna Konzerthaus: the result of a skiing accident.
It had no effect on the swing and groove. At full power we promptly head into a varied evening that was designed as a journey through more than 30 years from the Alpinkatzen era to today - with songs from the alpine rock musician in super cinematic sound, mostly arranged for the highly motivated 17 member ensemble by longtime friend and pianist Burkhard Frauenlob.
The meaning of the hyper-nervous Drawig is just what it sounds like: "We're in a rush." Iawaramoi based on a Styrian folk tune with a wonderful solo by Gernot Strebl on the baritone sax originally took a stand against the unfortunate Jörgl in gstanzl form – and yet is shockingly timeless. The gospel Sinnerman by Nina Simone is called Sünder by Goisern, with a view to the madness of liars and world-destroyers and the apocalyptic lyric "Koana woaß wie longs die Welt nu gebn wird ... Wo solln ma hingehn am letztn Tog" (Nobody knows how long the world will exist ... Where should we go on the final day) and is combined with the request that the audience call out "Power".
A lovely anecdote of a memory of a performance at the Austrian embassy in Washington introduces the rumbling blues Snowdown, a homage to US whistleblowers Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden, dedicated to "Julian". Ultimately Heast as nit is a song beyond the past and future. It's about transience. Why is someone still singing the critical songs of before? Because they must be sung.
KURIER rating: ★★★★
Live in Graz
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Graz - 26 March 2024
Photo: © Harald Leitner
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Graz - 26 March 2024
Photo: © Harald Leitner
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Graz - 26 March 2024
Photo: © Harald Leitner
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Graz - 26 March 2024
Photo: © Harald Leitner
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Graz - 26 March 2024
Photo: © Harald Leitner
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Graz - 26 March 2024
Photo: © Harald Leitner
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Graz - 26 March 2024
Photo: © Harald Leitner
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Graz - 26 March 2024
Photo: © Harald Leitner
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Graz - 26 March 2024
Photo: © Harald Leitner
Hubert von Goisern & die Lungau Big Band: Live in Graz - 26 March 2024
Photo: © Harald LeitnerHubert von Goisern gives a triumphant performance at the Orpheum
A new chapter in world music: Hubert von Goisern performed with the Lungau Big Band and brought the sold out hall to boiling point
This concert was only ill-fated in physical health; musically-speaking it was at full power, vitality and human integrity. Hubert von Goisern had had to cancel his appearance with the Lungau Big Band last year when his vocal cords temporarily gave up on him. At yesterday's rescheduled concert, he hobbled on stage on crutches. Skiing accident! But it didn't stop the exceptional artist giving what can only be described as a triumphant show.
He had long resisted this collaboration, but was finally talked into it, which was fortunate for the very enthusiastic audience at the Orpheum in Graz, which was full to bursting on Tuesday evening.
Would these two musical cosmoses go together? On one side there's the charismatic world musician and traveller, who has eagerly crossed every border between the Salzkammergut, Mali and Louisiana, and on the other side there's the similarly unbridled Big Band from Lungau in the province of Salzburg, which fearlessly swings between Glenn Miller, Thad Jones and Peter Herbolzheimer. It all goes together! Not least because they don't play in parallel but rather together. What is uniting and respectful in translated into notes and melodies, the collective gives the soloists enough space, the vanity fair is left to put up its tents elsewhere.
Hubert von Goisern was the cheerful master of ceremonies, but had the grace to keep stepping back to give sufficient room for the many talented players on the stage. He has opened another window with this collaboration, entered another soundscape in which he is audibly and visibly comfortable. The fact that he keeps having to rest his injured leg does nothing to detract from the empathetic dynamic of this evening.
The programme is a small cross-section through the 40-year Goisern oevre, from which the big hits were mostly omitted; but the critical lateral thinker likes playing with expectations. A colourful pot pourri full of jazz and brass, in which there were moments from many of the stages of Hubert von Goisern's musical journey. Herschauen turns into a Balkan groove, Snowdown becomes a time-critical reckoning using the ever-popular Floriani principle, that turns the temperature up even further, the gospel cover of Sinnerman is a furioso blame and sin street ballad, and the Schönberger-Jodler leads into the harmoniously earthy finale.
All in all, music has always been a wide, open, visa-free land for Hubert von Goisern, without barriers, fenced-off refugee routes, resentment, fear and exclusion. He has broken new ground once more with the Lungau Brass Band - with an injured leg, but at full power in heart and mind.