21.08.2025 – 24.08.2025
The 3-day jazz festival invites you on a musical journey full of tonal diversity and contrasts. With concerts at various locations, the festival presents 184 high-calibre artists from Austria and 25 other nations. In addition to popular formats such as the ‘We Hike Jazz’ hike led by bassist Lukas Kranzelbinder, the experimental shortcuts and the free ‘City Tracks’ in the city, visitors can look forward to other special concert venues. The concert hike to the atmospheric 17th century hermitage high above Lichtenberg Castle remains a highlight.
The creative spirit Leonhard Skorupa will kick off the sound research on the Main stage. Known for his projects Sketchbook Orchestra, AHL6 or the ensemble Kuhle Wampe and celebrated as a ‘young rebel of Austrian jazz’ (Ö1), the Austrian Skorupa will premiere a specially developed commissioned work with an all-star line-up consisting of Silke Eberhard, Kirke Karja, Robert Landfermann and Leif Berger – a transnational sound project between Austria, Germany and Estonia. Tomoki Sanders, child of jazz legend Pharoah Sanders, makes his eagerly awaited European debut in Saalfelden. Characterised by an African-American and Japanese background, Tomoki’s music combines elements of Great Black Music, electronic music and avant-garde. After years in the Kassa Overall band and numerous projects, Tomoki will present the music from the album announced for 2026 live for the first time with a high-calibre line-up.
The European premiere of an extraordinary quartet marks a special event: Reid Anderson and Dave King (both founding members of The Bad Plus) meet Chris Potter and Craig Taborn. The focus is on the music of Keith Jarrett’s ‘American Quartet’ – not as a nostalgic retrospective, but as an exploratory continuation of a musical state of mind. And of course, Saalfelden also offers a stage for Austrian musicians: Chez Fria, ‘Nothing Causes Anything’ by Vincent Pongracz, Lukas König in a duo with Kasho Chualan, Alfred Vogel with the BEZAU BEATZ Orchestra of Good Hope and in the trio ‘Eyes to the Sun’ with Leo Genovese and Camila Nebbia.
Jazzfestival Saalfelden 2025
21.08.2025 – 24.08.2025
various locations, Saalfelden
www.jazzsaalfelden.com
