The 21st International Jazz Workshop presents a week of excellent jazz from August 4-10, 2025, in Saarwellingen. During the day, musicians have the opportunity to learn from renowned jazz greats such as Gilad Atzmon, Amos Hoffman, Marta Capponi, Yaron Stavi, Enzo Zirilli, and many more. In the evenings, concerts take place in the unique atmosphere of the former dynamite factory at Campus Nobel. The lakeside beer garden offers fine wines from Pinard de Picard, freshly tapped beer, and delicious homemade burgers, wraps, paninis, fries, and much more – including vegan and vegetarian options.
The eagerly awaited opening concert of the International Jazz Workshop promises an evening full of captivating sounds, virtuoso performances, and a unique fusion of different styles.
As every year, the opening concert will be performed by all of the workshop's instructors in various ensembles. The ensemble includes Gilad Atzmon (saxophones, clarinet), Johannes Müller (saxophones, clarinet), Tony Lakatos (saxophone), Carlo Nardozza (trumpet), Marta Capponi (vocals), Randolph Matthews (vocals), Thilo Wagner (piano), Claus Krisch (piano), Nicolas Meier (guitar), Amos Hoffman (guitar), John Turville (piano), Ulrich Glassmann (bass), Yaron Stavi (bass), Jim Hart (drums, vibraphone), and Enzo Zirilli (drums).
Every concert evening, the lakeside beer garden offers fine Pinard de Picard wines, freshly tapped beer, and delicious homemade burgers, wraps, paninis, fries, and much more, including vegan and vegetarian options.
Entrance to the campus outdoor area begins at 6:00 PM, so you can enjoy something to eat and drink beforehand. Entrance to the hall is only after the sound check.
The Ensembles are with:
Gilad Atzmon (art director, saxophone, clarinette)
Tony Lakatos (saxophone)
Johannes Müller (saxophone)
Carlo Nardozza (trumpet)
Marta Capponi (vocals)
Randolph Matthews (vocals, beatboxing)
Thilo Wagner (piano)
Claus Krisch (piano)
John Turville (piano)
Amos Hoffman (guitar)
Nicolas Meier (guitar)
Ulrich Glaszmann (bass)
Yaron Stavi (bass)
Jim Hart (vibraphone, drums)
Enzo Zirilli (drums)
International Jazzwerkstatt All Stars 2024
Thilo Wagner 2024
Gilad Atzmon & Tony Lakatos (saxophone)
Amos Hoffman & Nicolas Meier (guitare)
Thilo Wagner (piano)
Yaron Stavi & Ulrich Glaszmann (bass)
Enzo Zirilli (drums)
Marta Capponi (vocals)
Carlo Nardozza (trumpet)
The celebrated pianist Oscar Peterson would have turned 100 this year. And who better to interpret him than Thilo Wagner, also known as the German Oscar Peterson! This homage to Peterson's groundbreaking artistry, his virtuoso technique, and his lasting influence on jazz is a special tribute concert that also showcases the artistry and skill of Thilo Wagner. The Stuttgart-based pianist's fiercely swinging piano style is among the best the German jazz scene has to offer. His breakneck runs with dreamlike precision, his expressive ballads, and his powerfully groovy blues quotations amaze and delight audiences wherever he performs.
Peterson, the Canadian pianist and composer, is one of the most important figures in modern mainstream jazz. Born in Montreal on August 15, 1925, the fourth of five children of Caribbean immigrants, he had his first musical experiences on the piano at the age of five. Peterson quickly developed an individual playing technique. Oscar Peterson achieved his international breakthrough in September 1949 – at just 22 years old – when he performed at New York's Carnegie Hall as part of the "Jazz At The Philharmonic" (JATP) concerts of the bustling impresario Norman Granz. After this spectacular debut, he received offers from all sides. He became one of the stars of the JATP series and toured the world regularly from 1950 onwards.
The 1980s were marked by numerous awards and honors, while also bringing Peterson to the major concert halls of high culture with all-star tours. In the early 1990s, a stroke forced him to completely revise his technique – his compositions became more lyrical, and his return to the stage with his own quartet in 1993/94 was euphorically celebrated worldwide. His musical influence on the development of swing-bopping mainstream piano is immense, and he is ranked alongside Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald as one of the most famous jazz musicians of all time. Peterson died in December 2007.
Randolph Matthews, Enzo Zirilli, Yaron Stavi & Gilad Atzmon 2024
Randolph Matthews (vocals)
Gilad Atzmon, Tony Lakatos & Johannes Müller (saxophone)
Amos Hoffman (guitare)
Jim Hart (drums & vibraphone)
John Turville (piano)
Yaron Stavi (bass)
Enzo Zirilli (drums)
An acoustic journey through the life and music of a jazz giant with the Three Tenors – Tony Lakatos, Johannes Müller, and Gilad Atzmon. This evening, three of Europe's finest tenors will share the stage. They have formed an extraordinary ensemble and will present a concert dedicated to the tenor saxophone.
Almost a century after his birth, the revolutionary spirit of John Coltrane lives on. In honor of his 99th birthday, we present "99 Years with John Coltrane," a thrilling concert experience celebrating the genius of one of jazz's most profound innovators. John William Coltrane, born in North Carolina in 1926, rose to fame in the mid-1950s in trumpeter Miles Davis' quintet and soon became a benchmark in jazz himself.
Maximum instrumental mastery and expression: that's what this musician wanted – and he succeeded. Whatever he played, it sounded excitingly new. He tirelessly practiced and refined in the recording studio, always searching for new sounds. He was completely absorbed in the exploding power of his art – and neglected himself. In 1967, the dramatic diagnosis: terminal liver cancer. Shortly afterward, perhaps the greatest jazz saxophonist of all time died at just 40 years old.
Carlo Nardozza 2024
Marta Capponi & Randolph Matthews (Gesang)
Gilad Atzmon & Johannes Müller (Saxophon)
Carlos Nardozza (Trompete)
Nicolas Meier (Gitarre)
Thilo Wagner & John Turville (Klavier)
Ulrich Glaszmann (Bass)
Jim Hart (Schlagzeug)
A mesmerizing concert honoring the boundless creativity of one of music's greatest visionaries. Join us for an unforgettable night full of genre-spanning soundscapes, from the smoky coolness of Kind of Blue to the electric fusion of Bitches Brew. Instead of Miles Davis, we'll be hearing the bustling Belgian trumpeter with Italian roots, Carlo Nardozza. He will captivate you this evening with his skill, his joy of playing, and his wit. While still a student, he founded his first quintet, which still exists today. Numerous other projects followed, from duos to big bands, and he won awards throughout Europe for his playing and compositions.
Miles Davis is considered the master of jazz improvisation and one of the most influential figures in the history of the genre. He was always open to experimentation and never committed to one style, making him a pioneer in jazz. In particular, Miles Davis is considered one of the inventors of bebop. Miles Davis was born on May 26, 1926, in Alton, Illinois. In 1945, he recorded his first record with Charlie Parker and his quintet and toured with Dizzy Gillespie a year later to popularize bebop in the USA. In 1955, he formed his own quintet, which quickly made him famous. Miles Davis collaborated with many important jazz musicians throughout his career. In 1991, he suffered a stroke in Santa Monica and fell into a coma. He died three weeks later.
Abschlußkonzert in der alten Werkshalle auf dem Campus Nobel
For almost a week, the workshop participants are taught by their tutors. What they have worked out as a combo in this period, you show this evening. The combos are each coached by two lecturers - and it is always surprising how diverse the results of this "work phase" are. And one more thing becomes clear - the combos are the heart of this event, here meet the lecturers and students, here everyone wants to show what he can. And the joy of playing, the joy of music usually leaps over the audience as a spark.
This year, the concert series on Campus Nobel will once again conclude with the big band meeting of the "Jailhouse Big Band" and the "Silent Explosion Orchestra." The evening will be opened by the Jailhouse Big Band under the direction of Thomas Graf. With its approximately 20 musicians, the big band has once again put together a diverse program this year. Jazz standards, works from funk and Latin styles, as well as pieces from contemporary big band music will be featured.
Jailhouse Big Band
Saarland drummer Kevin Naßhan brings together some of the most talented jazz musicians on the southwest German music scene with his Silent Explosion Orchestra, founded in 2014. Throughout this time, the Silent Explosion Orchestra has repeatedly managed to surprise its audiences and create captivating concert evenings through numerous cross-genre project concerts. The concerts are musically of a high standard, but also always bring a touch of youthful ease and entertaining humor.
Silent Explosion Orchestra
Collaborations with dancers, cabaret artists, and classical ensembles are just as much a part of their portfolio as gala evenings with national and international jazz greats. The musicians, led by Kevin Naßhan, have regularly presented their audiences with well-known guests such as Scott Hamilton, James Morrison, and Christopher Dell. In addition, two studio albums and one live album have been produced. As in previous years, the Silent Explosion Orchestra will delight the audience together with guest soloists from the workshop's teaching team.
Single ticket for the lecturers concerts / jazz open air / big band meeting: €20 / reduced €15
(Discount for students / unemployed / social assistance recipients)
Festival pass (without big band meeting) €60 / reduced €45
(Discount for students / unemployed / social assistance recipients)
Free admission for children and young people up to 15 years old