The Moers Festival (now officially named mœrs festival) is an international jazz festival in Moers, Germany happening yearly every Whitsun. Moers (also known as Mors or Mörs, in older texts also Murse or Meurs) is a town in the Wesel district in North Rhine-Westphalia Whitsun ( Old English for "White Sunday" is the 49th day (seventh Sunday after Easter Sunday.
Many famous musicians have appeared there: Cecil Taylor, Lester Bowie, Herbie Hancock, Abdullah Ibrahim, Archie Shepp, Sun Ra, and Jan Garbarek just to name a few. Cecil Percival Taylor (born March 15 or March 25, 1929 in New York City) is an American Pianist and poet Lester Bowie ( 11 October 1941 &ndash 8 November 1999) was an American Jazz Trumpet player and Composer. Herbert Jeffrey Hancock ("Herbie" born April 12 1940 is a Jazz Pianist and Composer. Abdullah Ibrahim (born 9 October 1934 in Cape Town, South Africa) formerly known as Adolph Johannes Brand, and as Dollar Brand Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is a prominent American Jazz Saxophonist. Sun Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, Legal name Le Sony'r Ra; Jan Garbarek (born 4 March 1947 in Mysen, Norway) a Norwegian tenor and soprano saxophonist, active in the Jazz
Over the years the festival's music character has changed from pure free jazz to include world music and crossovers with popular music. Nowadays it includes all kinds of jazz-related music, though still with many experimental and avant-garde performers.
History
The festival was founded in 1972 by Burkhard Hennen, as initiator and artistic director. Ned Rothenberg (b Boston, Massachusetts, September 15 1956 is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer The International New Jazz Festival Moers established itself quickly in the national and international free jazz scene.
In the early years it took place in the paved yard of the castle. Later, it moved to a nearby park because of the growing audience. After a few years outdoors, it moved to a large marquee where it remains now.
In 1979 the festival was enlarged with several morning projects.
The African Dance Night was added as a popular event in 1985. Well known musicians like Mory Kanté, Salif Keita, Cheb Mami and Youssou N’Dour played there. Mory Kanté (born March 29, 1950 in Kissidougou, Guinea) is an acclaimed Vocalist and player of the kora harp Salif Keita (born August 25, 1949) is an internationally recognized Afro-pop Singer - Songwriter from Mali. Cheb Mami (شاب مامي Ahmed Khelifati Mohamed, born July 11, 1966) is an Algerian born Raï singer Youssou N'Dour (jusun̩ˈduːʀ (born October 1, 1959 in Dakar) is a Senegalese Singer and Percussionist. After the artistic director changed in 2005 the event was discontinued.
In 2005, after 34 years as artistic director, Burkhard Hennen handed the job over to Reiner Michalke. The festival is now officially named "mœrs festival", with lowercase letters.
Selected discography
- 1974: Anthony Braxton Quartet – At Moers Festival
- 1976: John Surman – Live at Moers Festival
- 1977: Anthony Braxton – Solo: Live at Moers Festival
- The World Saxophone Quartet – Point of No Return
- 1978: Phillip Wilson Quartet – Live at Moers Festival
- 1979: David Murray/Sunny Murray Trio – Live at Moers
- 1987: Reichlich Weiblich – Live at Moers Festival 87
- 1993: Jamaaladeen Tacuma with Basso Nouveau – The Night of Chamber Music
- Richard Teitelbaum – Cyberband
- 2005: James Choice Orchestra – Live at Moers
External links
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