Bänz Oester & The Rainmakers

A high voltage line between north and south John Coltrane proved in a particularly impressive way that it is possible to advance into jazz nirvana on the basis of a catchy melody with his magical metamorphoses of the musical song "My Favorite Things" (Coltrane first recorded the piece in 1960 and then kept it in his repertoire almost until his death seven years later). The Swiss-South African Rainmakers, led by internationally renowned bassist Bänz Oester, follow in Coltrane's footsteps on their second live recording ? the debut album was recorded in 2012 at the baptism of fire at the Bird's Eye jazz club in Basel: How they tackle the legendary Jacques Brel chanson "Amsterdam" and the Helvetian long-running hit "Dr Schacher Seppli" is absolutely breathtaking. The five remaining numbers are only marginally less spectacular. So the Rainmakers are undoubtedly a typical live band. And that's why it's only logical that they didn't lock themselves up in a studio to record their second CD: After all, a lion in the wild seems much more majestic than in the zoo. The brilliant band succeeds in squaring the circle, namely the symbiosis of ecstatic seriousness and feelgood cheerfulness. No wonder that the audience in Willisau went wild and reacted with jubilation (the critics also praised them à discrétion). The fact that this memorable concert is now available on record under the title "Ukuzinikela" is therefore a veritable stroke of luck. The name of the nostalgic hit song with which the concert ends can be understood as a kind of promise: "Nach em Räge schint Sunne" (After the rain the sun shines). Or in other words: these rainmakers conjure the sun into our hearts and souls ? it is a matter of honor that they do without top-heavy concepts. Willisau is, according to Keith Jarrett, "one of the best places for music in the whole world". Not only have countless African-American jazz luminaries performed in Willisau, but so have virtually all the legendary figures of South African jazz, including Abdullah Ibrahim, Dudu Pukwana, Johnny Dyani, Louis Moholo, Makaya Nthsoko and Chris McGregor. In the past, most South African musicians fled into exile from apartheid. The new generation, on the other hand, has its center of life mostly in its ancestral homeland, but maintains a lively exchange with various jazz scenes located further north. The Rainmakers are a prime example of this fruitful exchange between North and South: band leader Bänz Oester and Ganesh Geymeier (tenor sax) come from Switzerland, pianist Afrika Mkhize and drummer Ayanda Sikade are among the new high-flyers from South Africa. As a foursome, they form a conspiratorial unit that cannot be divided by anything or anyone. In other words: We are dealing with a formation in which the individual class of all participants is not flaunted in an egocentric manner, but is transformed into collective energy. Oester, who has a long-standing fascination with the extremely rich musical culture of Africa, puts it this way: "I want to communicate with the other musicians at eye level. This requires a certain attitude that does not tolerate hierarchical thinking. For me, it's about breaking down boundaries. I don't dictate anything to anyone ? the music is developed together." And along a high-voltage line between north and south. Admission: 25.-/15. Note: This text was translated by machine translation software and not by a human translator. It may contain translation errors.