Written by The concept of ‘hot’ could certainly be viewed from two perspectives at this year’s, fourth edition of fill in – International Jazz Festival Saar in Saarbrücken, in south-West Germany, right on the Border with France. Musically speaking, there was certainly something sizzling for the ears. But during the hottest weekend in Germany since records began, one couldn’t help but think of the general heat throughout the festival’s three days.
A national heat record of 41.3 degrees was set in Saarbrücken on the first day of the festival (though this was narrowly surpassed again in eastern Germany in the days that followed). And walking through the city centre towards the station in the late afternoon of that record-breaking day, to catch a bus to the festival venue, one could already sense that a record was on the cards – the air felt that hot. And it was hardly any different inside the listed former industrial hall, the E-Werk. It was hot and anything but pleasant inside the hall; even fanning oneself, the fans that had been set up and the free water offered little relief.
Up on stage, even Mario Biondi seemed rather astonished. “Even back home in Sicily, it’s a few degrees cooler than in Germany at the moment,” Biondi groaned. Hours later, during a chance encounter in the hotel lift, the Italian was still dumbfounded by the temperatures that can prevail in a country like Germany. Could that be why his performance came across as more polished than fiery? Well, that certain nonchalance in everything the man does is, of course, down to his warm, deep, soothing baritone. Biondi is often referred to as the ‘Barry White of Italy’, which is actually quite an apt description. But the singer isn’t just at home in soul; in Saarbrücken, he delivered a fine Brazilian medley, even dancing a samba quite skilfully for a short while. And anyone who says Biondi isn’t a jazz singer could marvel at his affinity for jazz more than once at the E-Werk. Backed by a top-class band, the man from Sicily really delivered. And, of course, he also sang his ever-so-catchy old hit ‘This Is What You Are’. It was a seasoned performance that was actually great fun.
Rebekka Bakken | photo by Iris Maria Maurer
She writes and sings songs about her childhood in a small town near Oslo, about the first kiss she had there, which wasn’t at all good. About her time in New York, where hipsters now prefer to drink green tea rather than wine and cocktails, as they did when she was there. You hear songs about her father or her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend. And also Elvis ballads and an a cappella rendition of a church hymn from her childhood in Norway. In short, Rebekka Bakken – whose style has always been difficult to categorise – took the audience on an intimate, moving journey through her life during her solo performance, with her powerful voice and at the concert grand piano. Through poetic, folk-pop-inspired pieces imbued with Nordic melancholy, the Norwegian singer laid her soul bare. However, almost throughout, the tempo remained sombre and slow. A good hour of music to pause and listen thoughtfully, before the contrasting programme began with plenty of energy on stage.
Louisiana Avenue | photo by Iris Maria Maurer
The Swedish band Louisiana Avenue really got the crowd going. The eight lads, led by their dazzling frontman and singer Pär Stenhammar, threw a lively Mardi Gras party in Saarbrücken – the sort of party you’d be hard-pressed to find even in New Orleans. Driven forward by a powerful mix of soul, blues, funk and jazz, with crisp brass sections and their charismatic frontman. And performed with infectious energy and joie de vivre. During the crowd-pleaser ‘When The Saints Go Marching In’, the band even marched playfully through the rows of chairs. By the end, the audience was dancing – even on stage.
A dancer on stage; the very next day, there’s another one in Antonio Lizana’s quintet, who wowed the audience with his flamenco-jazz. And El Mawi de Cádiz is a force to be reckoned with. A small chap, but full of expression. The way he drums flamenco with his feet on the hall floor. The way he moves so gracefully whilst doing so, using his very own means of expression. And the dancer can sing too. On more than one occasion, he did so in a duet with bandleader Antonio Lizana. The saxophonist and singer from Cádiz is a phenomenon. Who else sings flamenco so fervently and expressively, whilst also playing such a fiery, jazzy alto saxophone! The way Lizana seamlessly blends flamenco nuevo with jazz and grooves in his compositions – and time and again incorporates socially critical lyrics – creates an enchanting fusion that electrified the audience from the very first note to the very last.
Antonio Lizana Quintet | photo by Iris Maria Maurer
Anyone who stayed on after this flamenco-jazz experience to hear the Yellowjackets could immediately sense the difference. The Spaniard embodies the refreshing, innovative modernity of jazz. The legendary fusion jazz quartet led by saxophonist Bob Mintzer and keyboardist Russell Ferrante – which has been around for more than four decades and still knows how to play with virtuosity and treat its audience to familiar, beautiful melodies – sounds, despite all its class and unhurried perfection, somehow a little nostalgic and rooted in the past.
All photos by Iris Maria Maurer | Fill in – International Jazz Festival Saar
Last modified: July 1, 2026
