Jazzenzo, 25-03-2024

(De Limburger, 05-06-2025)Translation:‘Funk and Fireworks’ with Susanne Alt at the Last Jazz aan de SjtasieAfter this coming weekend’s edition, Jazz aan de Sjtasie in Swalmen will come to an end. During the farewell weekend, among others, Susanne Alt will perform—saxophonist and DJ in one.SWALMENPAUL VAN DER STEENSaxophonist Susanne Alt (47) has been performing with DJs since the late 1990s. In 2015, a booker called her with the question whether she also DJed herself. As a joke, she answered “yes.” And if you say A, you must also say B… “I took a few lessons to learn how to DJ and then just put in the hours. It has enriched me. As a saxophonist, you’re more focused on your own solos. A DJ needs to have a much broader perspective. You have to sense the atmosphere. Then you decide what kind of music is needed. There’s also quite a bit of technical knowledge involved.”In 2016, she decided to combine playing saxophone and DJing for her tour with the funky album Saxify. That act grew into Venus Tunes Live, the formation with which she will play at Jazz aan de Sjtasie in Swalmen this coming weekend. “No matter what lineup we perform with, it’s always only women. That’s been a wish of mine for a long time. Because of the automatic way in which male bands are always booked again and again. You rarely see women even in supporting roles or only as singers.”HighlightsThe band’s lineup changes. “It also depends on the wishes of whoever books us and what else is on the program. Sometimes it’s me with one singer and one percussionist, with all three of us DJing as well, to two singers, a violinist, a percussionist, and myself on sax and as DJ. The music also varies, depending on the type of audience and the atmosphere: sometimes it stays fairly mellow, other times it’s all about funk and fireworks.”Alt, born in Germany but now living in the Netherlands longer than she ever lived in her homeland, wants performances to be more than one-way traffic. “They only become real highlights when there’s social interaction: between musicians and with the audience. You can move people with your playing, but also get them to sing and dance along.”TributeBesides Venus Tunes Live, Alt still tours with the material from her jazz album Royalty for Real, which was released early last year. The idea for that album arose during the pandemic. “With all the time to reflect, I concluded that it was time for a real jazz project and it became a hommage to trumpeter Roy Hargrove (1969–2018). I’ve always admired him. Because of his playing, with which he could say so much with so few notes. Especially his ballads have always stayed with me. Also I loved the way he approached jazz; he always was looking for jazz sessions where he could join and play, encourage other musicians.. I recorded Royalty for Real in New York with musicians Roy often played with.”Hargrove, along with Joshua Redman, was one of the musicians who first introduced the then-teenage Alt to jazz. “Both my parents worked in music. But they didn’t listen to jazz. I myself had classical saxophone lessons since I was twelve. In Bavaria, where I grew up, saxophone was mainly destined for concert bands. But I knew the saxophone was also a real jazz instrument.”VideotapesAlt went looking for the music herself. “I would record jazz concerts on videotapes that aired on TV at night. And I went to the library to read biographies of musicians and dive deeper into jazz history.”Hargrove and Redman were not only gifted instrumentalists, but also young and cool. Years later, she met them at jam sessions at festivals like North Sea Jazz.“I didn’t push myself forward there, but waited calmly for my moment. If you didn’t immediately play a five-minute solo, the famous Americans also liked getting to know the local musicians that way. I immediately had a good connection with Hargrove. A kind of friendship developed.”In the coming years, Alt wants to play many styles mixed together and provide entertainment. “For me, there’s only bad and good music. I like to contribute to good music. And in my case, it preferably has to groove.”Jazz aan de Sjtasie takes place 6th, 7th and 8th of june at the previous station in Swalmen. performing artists are a.o. Benjamin Herman, Han Bennink, Hans Dulfer, Philip Catherine, Mike Roelofs and Bart Oostindie. - JazzenzoTranslation:Saxophonist Susanne Alt has been a prominent figure in the nightlife of major cities in recent years. We found her in the company of DJ Spinna, DJ Maestro, Ronald Molendijk, Promiss, Cassie 6, Graham B, and Natarcia, among others. Her spirited, soulful, and funky sound is highly valued in this hip scene.Now, this powerhouse presents her sixth album, 'Royalty for Real', a tribute to the prematurely deceased trumpeter Roy Hargrove, with whom she often crossed paths during the after-hours jam sessions at the Bel Air Hotel following the Hague years of the North Sea Jazz Festival. Events that have become legendary and often lasted until dawn.ToneThe idea for this production arose during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Alt has surrounded herself with three top players from the New York scene: keyboardist James Hurt, bassist Gerald Cannon, and drummer Willie Jones III. This time, acoustic jazz takes center stage: in seven compositions, she showcases various facets of the genre.The album kicks off strongly with 'Roy Allan', in which the unrivaled rhythm section naturally plays a significant role. The spirited alto saxophone triumphantly sounds above the raucous groove. Attention is definitively captured, and the more reflective 'Blue Notes & Fairy Tales' provides a nice follow-up with plenty of room for Alt's shining tone. A track followed by the introspective 'Rue Lepic': a melody that remains indelible in your ear.ClassicThe atmosphere of the old North Sea Jazz Festival is captured in 'Bel Air Bop': a time when programming was still done with heart and soul, not just with the cash register in mind. You can envision Roy Hargrove sweating in front of you, spurred on by the enthusiastic audience. An energy that we also find in 'Classy Cats', where James Hurt makes the distinctive sound of the electric Fender Rhodes shine.Perhaps the most beautiful illustration of her highly successful return to real jazz is heard in Alt's brilliant version of the ballad 'The Nearness of You', in which she, along with her band, delves into and penetrates the essence of this classic for a full eight minutes. A more than impressive moment, after which Alt concludes with the delightful title track 'Royalty for Real'. An album begging to be listened to over and over again, at home and on the go!