12.-14. September 2024
Siegburg, Abtei Michaelsberg, Bergstr. 26
Gruppenbild Abtei Michaelsberg, 14. September 2024.
Der Bericht von Oliver Weindling (RJR London) zur Tagung „Radio Jazz – Gegenwart und Zukunft“ 12.-14. September 2024
_____________________________________________________________________
The main thread running through the 48th meeting was the change in the programming of the culture broadcasting channels on German public radio ARD and its effects. Starting on 23 September, these changes, some of them still not fully publicised at the time of the RJR meeting, also include changes in jazz programming. Although jazz is still presented in different ways, it actually will be less diverse in several respects, among them the sheer spectrum of choice of topics, regional aspects and a broad spectrum of opinion.
There will definitely be less jazz expertise and individual experience in the regional radio stations of ARD. There’ll also be less space for specialist jazz journalists and producers. Two nights of the week, the same jazz programme will be broadcast on all stations, instead of each having their own local output. This will reduce the scope and budgets for the regional stations to adapt to their own regions’ music offerings. Audiences may not realise the extent of this effect, being just satisfied that at least there is still some jazz to be heard most evenings.
The discussions didn’t just focus on the impact of these changes. We also started considering how this might be compensated for. As an alternative to the new ‘concept’ there might be more attention on jazz being heard and promoted beyond traditional media, such as through new radio stations and online. There’s an interesting bid in Berlin, one of Germany’s jazz capitals, for a new radio station that would be open to all kinds of forms and cooperations. One route – and vision - suggested would be to have jazz presented with equal weight as pop and rock. This has been done to an extent on BBC 6 Music. FIP, a station of Radio France, has in particular a well-curated programme doing this. France Musique and FIP have specialist internet programming for jazz.
Podcasts, as we had discussed at our previous meeting in Bad Goisern, may still have relatively limited ability to push awareness. ARD has talked about plans for jazz podcasts but they still have to come up with actual offerings. It seems disappointing that ARD has not been more imaginative in adapting its programming. FM/DAB listenership figures seem to show decline, especially among younger generations. However that’s not necessarily a reason for jazz programming to be cut, as the ARD is obliged to cultural diversity and to offer programmes for special interests. Also, even with a smaller community of listeners, jazz shows are effective in several ways, not the least in supporting the live sector. So, one has to fight for it to continue.
The musician-led Deutsche Jazzunion is actively fighting the changes, with some effect. It has put together strong evidence that the public radio support to jazz is essential and should not be cut in its regionality and diversity. Among the reasons is the promotion and the recording of live concerts and the production of studio recordings. Given the importance of public radio commissioning, and the broadcast of live gigs and regional festivals, a reduction in producing and broadcasting own recordings will be quite a blow. It would be a thread for the support of musicians trying to get their music presented, recorded and heard. The sheer fact of reduced regional programming will affect clubs and initiatives who rely on the promotion of their activities through public radio. Another downside of this development would be the loss of training opportunities for producers or sound engineers.
In the long run there might also be an effect on the existence of the prestigious jazz big bands of the ARD. For now, though, the main full time big bands, such as at WDR, seem safe. Jazz producer and journalist Jörg Heyd who is closely connected to the WDR Big Band offered interesting insights in the organisation, the working process and the status of the WDR Big Band. Saxophonist Marcus Bartelt, who’s also playing with big bands on and off, pointed out that, for example, had it not been for WDR support at its outset, an ensemble like the Cologne Contemporary Jazz Orchestra probably would not be around now. (It’s funded directly by NRW and other foundations.)
Andreas Felber, head of jazz at ORF, the radio institution of Austria, explained that he’s still able to have a wide ranging schedule although he has to always have a keen eye on how things develop at ORF regarding jazz. He was part of a group that discussed the importance of archiving. The highly-experienced archiving specialist Andreas Kisters (Radio Bremen) gave us some ideas about the challenges of keeping up with the digitalization without losing quality, the importance of precise data and research and the discussions within radio stations but also among the several institutions that make up the ARD. The archives of the ARD contain a wealth of historically profound recordings, some of them getting wider attention with official album releases. Oliver Weindling, from London, confirmed that the live club Vortex has a small archive of live recordings, while the live club Cafe Oto actually has a full archive. Pizza Express club in Soho has started its own label. The Vortex had had initial discussions with a new internet radio, One.Jazz, spun off by two professionals from JazzFM and an outside contractor of jazz programmes for the BBC, about broadcasting live gigs.
These discussions were interspersed with intriguing interviews with musicians as well as heads of jazz festivals from outside Germany. These also included some indications as to where things might go.
Paul Zauner from the Inntöne Festival in Austria and Urs Röllin from the Schaffhausen Festival in Switzerland talked about the impressive history of their very different festivals and their personal attitudes and experiences, How they started and developed their specific identities, the former by just looking hard, asking trusted colleagues for suggestions, and following his passion and instincts, the latter by concentrating on Swiss musicians and projects. Schaffhausen is now streaming its gigs, even generating some additional income for bands. Inntöne stays away from projects like that but is open for cooperation such as with the ORF.
The Siegburg meeting presented the first of, hopefully many, editions of “Das RJR-Porträt”: extensive interviews with musicians. Annette Maye talked about how she set her identity as a “jazz and more” clarinettist and as initiator of the Multiphonics Festival in Cologne. She’s a great example of a musician with a broad stylistical horizon. This you find in her several groups and activities as a working musician as well in the programming of her festival which is more or less built around a special spotlight on clarinet music. Stephanie Wagner explained why and how she concentrated on the flute, switching from classical music to jazz and finding her way into being a working musician who leads her own bands and is always open for collaborations. She’s a teacher as well and an author of a tutorial publication for the instrument. Part of her portrait included two amazing short performances including loop effects. Fascinating how both have succeeded with instruments that are often just second instruments for saxophonists.
RJR at Siegburg was a rich get-together in the great atmosphere of the Abbey. It actually left everybody with not just the Blues regarding the development of cultural public radio in Germany but also with a hint of hope that there’s a perspective – even if the ARD sticks to its plans.
OLIVER WEINDLING, LONDON
Programm – Ablauf:
Do. 12. September
19.30 Meeting: Abendessen Restaurant Milanobar
Fr. 13. September:
Tagungsbeginn: 9.15 Uhr
Begrüßung: Dr. Bernd Hoffmann und Arne Schumacher (Moderation)
Das Jazz-Radio der Zukunft:
Thomas Mau (Moderation)
Tamara Bendig
Hans Jürgen Linke
Arne Schumacher
10.30 Uhr
Jazz und seine mediale Vergänglichkeit:
Arne Schumacher (Moderation)
Oliver Weindling
Stefan Hentz
Dr. Andreas Felber
Dr. Andreas Kisters
11.30 Uhr
Die aktuelle Situation im Jazz Radio der ARD
Bernd Hoffmann(Moderation)
Ulf Drechsel im Gespräch mit Stefan Hentz
14.30 Uhr
Das RJR-Porträt01.
Thomas Mau (Moderation)
Die Klarinettistin und Festivalmacherin Annette Maye
15.30 Uhr
Die Festivals und ihre medialen Präsentationen
Ulf Drechsel (Moderation)
Urs Röllin (Schaffhauser Festival) / Paul Zauner (InnTöne)
16.30 Uhr
In a sentimental mood – zur Stimmungslage der ARD Klangkörper
Arne Schumacher (Moderation)
Jörg Heyd (freier Journalist)
17.30 Uhr
Bernd Hoffmann
Radio Jazz Research: Mitglieder-Informationen
14. September:
9.00 Uhr
Das Jazzradio: Information, Inspiration, Interaktion
Ulf Drechsel (Moderation)
Annette Maye (Klarinette, Bandleaderin) / Marcus Bartelt (Saxophon, Bandleader)
10.00 Uhr
Das RJR-Porträt02
Bernd Hoffmann (Moderation)
Die Flötistin und Bandleaderin Stephanie Wagner
11.00Uhr
Podiumsdiskussion: War es das?
Bernd Hoffmann (Moderation)
Ulf Drechsel (RJR), Camille Buscot (DJU), Arne Schumacher (RJR), Stephanie Wagner (Musikerin), Oliver Weindling (RJR)
Tagungsende 13.00 Uhr
48. RJR-Tagung: Radio Jazz – Gegenwart und Zukunft
Neue Perspektiven bringen neue Präsentationsweisen hervor, und so wird es auch bei der 48. Tagung der Arbeitsgruppe Radio Jazz Research (RJR) sein. War im April 2024 die mediale Repräsentanz des Jazz vorrangig aus der Perspektive seiner historischen Entwicklung aufbereitet worden, so wählt Radio Jazz Research für die kommende 48. Tagung für das Verhältnisses von Jazz und Rundfunk eine eher ungewohnte Perspektive: Es ist der Versuch, aus einer Sichtung der Gegenwart einen Blick in die Zukunft zu werfen. Wo bei der letzten 47. Ausgabe in Bad Goisern Einzelvorträge den Diskurs anstießen und lenkten, steht bei der RJR-Tagung in Siegburg der Versuch, verschiedener Sichtweisen des Mediums Rundfunk in Form von Paneldiskussionen zu umreißen.
Neu sind auch die kurzen Einzelportraits von zwei Musikerinnen, die RJR-Portraits, bei denen neben biographischer Information und ästhetischer Analyse auch die Sinnlichkeit von deren eigentlicher, musikalischer Arbeit zur Geltung kommen wird, sind die zweite – und unbedingt auch auf zukünftige Tagungen zu übertragende – Besonderheit dieser Tagung. In Siegburg wird Ulf Drechsel, ehemaliger Jazzredakteur des rbb), die Kölner Klarinettistin Annette Maye präsentieren, und Bernd Hoffmann öffnet ein Fenster zu der Flötistin Stephanie Wagner und ihrer Musik.
In Anbetracht der sich rasant fortentwickelnden, aktuellen Diskussionen um Reformen des Gefüges des öffentlichen Rundfunks, ist es kaum zu vermeiden, den aktuellen Stand der Bestrebungen zur „Reform“ der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunksystems in Deutschland zu einem Punkt des Tagungsprogramms zu machen. Zum erklärten Programm der Leitungsetagen der in der ARD zusammengeschlossenen Anstalten gehört es, in möglichst vielen Themenbereichen, die Zahl parallel arbeitenden Fachredaktionen drastisch zu reduzieren. Der Jazz ist in dieser Hinsicht nur eines von vielen Themen, allerdings eines, für dessen Lebensfähigkeit die Kooperation mit den Jazzredaktionen für RJR von besonderer Bedeutung ist: Weniger Programmstunden zum Thema Jazz bedeutet weniger eigene Musikproduktionen, weniger eigene Klangkörper, weniger Förderung für regionale Musiker. Weniger ästhetische Bandbreite und Tiefgang. Eine Verödung des Diskurses steht zu befürchten. So dient das Gespräch von Bernd Hoffmann (Jazzforscher und ehemaliger Jazzredakteur WDR) mit Ulf Drechsel, und dem Hamburger Autoren Stefan Hentz über den aktuellen Stand der Dinge als die Achse, um die herum sich Gespräche zu verschiedenen Handlungsfeldern der Kooperation zwischen Jazz und dem Medium Rundfunk gruppieren.
Einen ersten Einstieg ins Thema bietet mit Das Jazz-Radio der Zukunft, einen Gesprächsrunde, in der der WDR-Moderator Thomas Mau, die Hamburger Tonmeisterin Tamara Bendig, der Gießener Musikjournalist Hans-Jürgen Linke und Arne Schumacher versuchen, einige Dimensionen des aktuellen Bildes in die Zukunft zu extrapolieren.
In der Gesprächsrunde Jazz und seine mediale Vergänglichkeit kommt Arne Schumacher, freier Musikjournalist langjähriger Redakteur bei Radio Bremen, mit Oliver Weindling (Jazzclub Vortex, London), Stefan Hentz, Andreas Felber (Jazzredakteur von Ö1) und Andreas Kisters (Archivar RB) auf jazzhistorische Schätze zu sprechen, die sich über die Jahrzehnte in den Archiven der ARD-Anstalten angesammelt haben, von denen einige so nach und nach wieder an das Licht der interessierten Öffentlichkeit kommen. Generell stellt sich die Frage: Wie ist der Zugang zu den jazzhistorischen Quellen in den Archiven der ARD?
Weitere Aspekte der anstehenden Veränderungen der Jazzpräsentation im Radio erörtert Ulf Drechsel im Gespräch «Die Festivals und ihre medialen Präsentationen» mit Urs Röllin (Schaffhausen Festival) und Paul Zauner (InnTöne) den Kuratoren zweier der wichtigsten Festivals direkt hinter den deutschen Grenzpfosten.
Arne Schumacher befragt den mit dem Innenleben der WDR-Big Band wohlvertrauten Kölner Jazzjournalisten Jörg Heyd unter dem sprechenden Titel In a Sentimental Mood – zur Stimmungslage der ARD Klangkörper, und Ulf Drechsel hält in der Gesprächsrunde Das Jazzradio: Information, Inspiration, Interaktion, einem Dreiergespräch mit Annette Maye und dem Saxofonisten Marcus Bartelt, Ausschau nach frischen Bestrebungen, jenseits des Einzugsbereichs der öffentlich-rechtlichen Anstalten, respektables Jazz-Radio auf der Höhe der Zeit zu ermöglichen.
Den Reigen der Gespräche rundet schließlich die Podiumsdiskussion War es das? ab, in der Bernd Hoffmann mit der Geschäftsführerin der Deutschen Jazzunion, Camille Buscot, der Flötistin Stephanie Wagner, sowie den RJR-Mitgliedern Ulf Drechsel, Arne Schumacher und Oliver Weindling die Ergebnisse dieser 48. RJR-Tagung zusammenfasst und Perspektiven für kommende Radio Jazz Research-Tagungen entwickelt.