Open-air Jazz Barcelona (4th June 2011)

There are some things which would be very hard to find in England which happen very regularly in Spain. One of these is the use of large public spaces for cultural events. The chances of finding a free open air concert in one next to one of London's landmarks seems very slim, but in Spain this is a different matter. And what better setting for an open-air jazz concert than at the Arc de Triomf?

Arc de Triomf seen from Passeig de Lluis Companys

Due to the large palm-fringed boulevard which stretches out South from the arch towards the Parc de la Ciudatella, this has been the setting for many large scale events, such as last week's Championship final, where nearly 35,000 people joined in to watch the match on giant screens.

Last night, as part of the annual “Alemania in Barcelona” events, which took plae at the famous Arc del Triomf, two Jazz trios lit up the stage in two individual concerts and one jam session in a weekend event which was all about ties between Germany and Spain. The first group to perform was the Catalan group called Biel Ballester Trio, formed by to guitarists and a cello player. The second group to perform was the Hamburg-based trio called the Tingvall Trio d'Hamburg.

Perhaps as this photo shows, Spaniards tend to delay everything as far as possible to make the most of something which they come by. I'm sure most people sitting here would have things to do, but any opportunity to gather together and listen to music is very well received, especially if one of the bands playing is from Catalunya. The bands played from 8:30 pm until 11:10pm, the time when most Spaniards have supper, but the turn out was excellent. Even a few groups of young adolsecents were sitting there enjoying the music, albeit with the usual “botellon” (social congregations of drinkers in large public places)

Biel Ballester Trio

The Catalan group clearly had a traditional influence. Some songs combined fiery runs of notes played on the guitars backed by a furious cello. One could see very easily that this group had taken Spain's most well-known instrument, the guitar, and combine its sounds with traditional jazz rhythms, which produced a very balanced sound overall, sometimes mellow and calm, other times fast and furious.

The listeners all clapped them off with heavy cheering and clapping: some of them probably did so more out of a sense of patriotism rather than from a particular enjoyment of the music itself. I couldn't help but think that this was something very innovative and entrepreneurial for Spaniards to do, especially due to their reputation as a rather laid back nation, something which has left many people unemployed through a certain lack of pro-activity. In the current crisis, there is nothing better to do than to break away from the chains of the rigid labour market by setting up your own project, something which this particular group of Catalans had rightly followed.

Tingvall Trio d'Hamburg

The Hamburg-based trio was equally as innovative, creating a fusion of drum beats with dramatic sounds from the grand piano on the stage and the cello in the baclground. Although the Catalan trio had combined tradition with modern music, this trio was even more adventurous, in particular playing with the dynamics and capacities of each individual instrument. 

The style of this group was best showcased in this area: many of their pieces started off at a rather average pitch and loudness, but in nearly all cases the middle of the piece would rise to a rush of high notes, scales and runs, and then gradually diminish to a piano ending. The piano player conveyed this best. He would be quite still during the start and end of a piece, but during the middle section he would be jumping up and down, raising his arms in the air and suddenly lowering them onto the keys in a swift but light movement. Its surprising that with so much moving of his actual body he managed to keep every single run of notes completely smooth! At times, instead of leaning towards the notes he was going to play he would lean sideways away from them, and at other times he would arch his back and amrs over his head when the notes were forte and, when he brought his hands up in the air as if to come crashing down on the keys, he would deliver a very piano string of notes.

Image of both trios after the jam session.

The groups were playing for over three hours, with a selection of songs from some of their albums. But the collaboration between both groups in the jam session was something which stood out: it embodied perfectly what the event "Germany in Barcelona" was all about: it was about sharing the same passions and skills and put them to use for everyone's benefit.

And let's face it: with the laid back attitude and night-owl lives they lead (and free entrance, of course), this was perfect for a good night of music. But what was to follow was going to attract eve more attention... More on that on the next post!