Leibnitz jazz festival adds Ottersbach Castle to tour

The Leibnitz Jazz Festival will run from September 24 to 27, taking audiences from the historic wine cellar at Seggau Castle to the Leibnitz Cultural Centre and, for the first time, Ottersbach Castle, ORF reported.

The 14th edition will feature US saxophonist Greg Osby, jazz veteran Alexander von Schlippenbach and the Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra.

Artistic director Otmar Klammer said the festival aimed to combine the highest artistic standards with a deliberately manageable scale. The programme opens on Thursday, September 24, at Seggau Castle, where the stage will be set between wine barrels. The Austrian trio Haezz will perform first, followed by New York cornettist Kirk Knuffke with his trio and jazz violinist Charlie Burnham.

Friday’s programme includes Sonic Organism and Greg Osby, a newly formed quartet featuring Swiss drummer Florian Arbenz, US saxophonist Osby, accordionist João Barradas and bassist François Moutin. The Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra, a Berlin-based large ensemble, will then play its only concert in Austria this year.

Later that evening, 88-year-old pianist Alexander von Schlippenbach will perform with Monk’s Casino, an ensemble dedicated to the work of Thelonious Monk. The festival will also present a children’s concert by the Stefan Heckel Group and author Heinz Janisch for schools and kindergartens.

Saturday’s line-up includes the Scandinavian double-bass ensemble Triple Double, the KOKO Trio and Cuban pianist Ramón Valle with trumpeter Maite Hontelé. Klammer acknowledged that the festival had a lower proportion of women performers this year than in some previous editions, noting that the international jazz scene still consists of roughly 30 percent women and 70 percent men.

The festival will conclude on Sunday with an open-air matinee in the historic park of Ottersbach Castle. French accordionist Vincent Peirani and his group Living Being will perform there. All weatherproof seats have already sold out, but more tickets may be released if the forecast is favourable.

About 1,200 people attended last year, when three of the four festival days sold out. The budget for this year’s event is around 150,000 euros, organiser Isabella Holzmann said. The festival receives support from the federal government and the province of Styria, which has a three-year agreement running until 2028, although funding is currently secured through 2027.

Auto supplier Magna has joined as the festival’s new main and general sponsor. Holzmann said the new backing had eased some of the financial uncertainty facing the cultural sector and the festival in recent years.