BMW Welt Jazz Award 2017’s finalists.

Munich. The prestigious jury of the BMW Welt Jazz
Award has chosen the contestants for the finale 2017: Renaud
Garcia-Fons from France and Eva Kruse from Germany will compete
against each other on May 6 at BMW Welt’s auditorium. The winning
ensemble will be awarded with a prize money of 10,000 Euro as well as
a trophy designed by BMW Design specifically for this purpose. The
runner-up will receive a prize money of 5,000 Euro.

 

The ninth season’s theme of the BMW Welt Jazz Award was “Amazing
bass”, putting this exceptional instrument in the spotlight of the
international jazz competition at BMW Welt’s double-coned structure.
Six cost-free matinees took place between January and March, with the
audience voting for their own favorite, who will be awarded during the
finale as well. The winning ensemble will receive the audience award
donated by Schloss Elmau and an exclusive invitation to appear at this
year’s edition of the Jazz Classica Festival at resort Schloss Elmau
in July.

 

On their social media channels, BMW Welt and BMW Group Culture will
soon introduce both finalists:
https://www.facebook.com/bmw.welt/

and
https://www.facebook.com/BMW-Group-Culture/

 


Finalists

Renaud Garcia-Fons: Revoir Paris

The Ibero-Frenchman Renaud Garcia-Fons might just be the greatest
virtuoso among jazz bassists. Aged 53, he turns what is often reduced
to a rhythmic humdrum of a bell metronome into a lyrical, singing and
polyphonic cornucopia of bouncy staccato and legato strokes in the
highest ranges otherwise known only from violin or guitar
performances. For many years Garcia-Fons has been using this unique
tone for his programme featuring Mediterranean jazz influenced by
Italian, southern French, Spanish and even Arabic and Southeastern
European folk music. In this trio, together with accordionist David
Ventucci and vibraphonist and percussionist Stephen Caracci, he now
turns back to the urbanity of his native Paris. This reunion, named
“Revoir Paris”, covers a broad range indeed – from musette to hot
jazz, from chansons in the tradition of Charles Trenet to folklore
imaginaire, from “Montmartre en courant” to “Rue du Dragon”.

 

Eva Kruse: On the Mo

Bassists and drummers typically act as the supporting acts of jazz.
Which is why it is all the more remarkable when the career of a female
bassist is linked to a single ensemble, as is the case for Eva Kruse
and Trio [em]. Ever since the early stages of the new
millennium, she has symbolised the new beginnings of young German jazz
together with Michael Wollny and Eric Schaefer (also as the winners of
the very first BMW Welt Jazz Award 2009). After her parental leave,
Kruse changed directions, moved to Sweden, played with star trombonist
Nils Landgren and finally brought her very own projects to fruition.
Following “In Water”, which won the Echo Jazz, she will present “On
the Mo”, her next fascinating programme, at BMW Welt. Arranged for a
quintet, its outstanding qualities are the result of a somewhat
unusual orchestration: Eric Schaefer on the drums, Christian Jormin on
the piano, Uwe Steinmetz on the saxophone and Tjadina Wake-Walker on
the oboe.

 


Jury

The distinguished panel of jurors includes renowned jazz experts and
specialists of the jazz scene, who will choose the winner of the BMW
Welt Jazz Award 2017. Led by Oliver Hochkeppel (journalist for music
and cultural affairs at the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung), the
jury includes the following members: Andreas Kolb (editor-in-chief of
the magazines JazzZeitung and neue musikzeitung), Roland Spiegel
(editor at the music desk and jazz expert at the German broadcasting
station Bayerischer Rundfunk BR‑KLASSIK), Heike Lies (musicologist,
Music and Music Theatre Division of the Department of Cultural Affairs
of the state capital Munich) and Christiane Böhnke-Geisse (Artistic
Director of the international jazz festival “Bingen swingt”).

 

As seen during the Sunday matinees, the final concert will be hosted
by Beate Sampson (editor at German broadcasting station BR-KLASSIK).
Dr Nicolas Peter, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG,
Finance, will present the winners with the custom-made trophy designed
by BMW, alongside Dr Hans-Georg Küppers, head of the Department of
Arts and Culture of the state capital Munich.

 

The final concert followed by an award ceremony will take place on
May 6 at 7 PM at the sold-out auditorium of BMW Welt.

 

This edition of the BMW Welt Jazz Award will once again enjoy the
generous support of BR-KLASSIK, nmz, nmz-online and JazzZeitung.de as
well as resort Schloss Elmau and the Department of Cultural Affairs of
the city of Munich.

 

Photographic material is available at BMW PressClub (
www.press.bmwgroup.com
)

and via LoeschHundLiepold Kommunikation GmbH

on behalf of the department for public relations of BMW Welt.

Telephone: +49-89-720187-291

Email:
bmw-welt@lhlk.de

 

For further questions please contact:

 

Dr Thomas Girst

BMW Group Corporate and Intergovernmental Affairs

Head of Cultural Engagement

Telephone: +49-89-382-24753

 

Leonie Laskowski

BMW Group Corporate and Intergovernmental Affairs

Cultural Engagement

Telephone: +49-89-382-45382

 

Bernhard Ederer

BMW Group Corporate and Intergovernmental Affairs

Spokesperson BMW Welt

Telephone: +49-89-382-28556

 

www.press.bmwgroup.com

Email:
presse@bmw.de

 

About BMW Group’s Cultural Commitment

 

For almost 50 years now, the BMW Group has initiated and engaged in
over 100 cultural cooperations worldwide. The company places the main
focus of its long-term commitment on contemporary and modern art,
classical music and jazz as well as architecture and design. In 1972,
three large-scale paintings were created by the artist Gerhard Richter
specifically for the foyer of the BMW Group’s Munich headquarters.
Since then, artists such as Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Daniel Barenboim,
Jonas Kaufmann and architect Zaha Hadid have co-operated with BMW.
Currently, female artist Cao Fei from China and American John
Baldessari are creating the next two vehicles for the BMW Art Car
Collection. Besides co-initiatives, such as BMW Tate Live, the BMW Art
Journey and the “Opera for All” concerts in Berlin, Munich and London,
the company also partners with leading museums and art fairs as well
as orchestras and opera houses around the world. The BMW Group takes
absolute creative freedom in all its cultural activities – as this
initiative is as essential for producing groundbreaking artistic work
as it is for major innovations in a successful business.

Further information:
www.bmwgroup.com/culture

and
www.bmwgroup.com/culture/overview

 

 

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BMW-Group-Culture-925330854231870/

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroupculture/

@BMWGroupCulture

#BMWGroupCulture

 

BMW Welt – at the heart of the brand, on the pulse of the city

The BMW Welt welcomes over 3 million visitors per year. With its
pioneering architecture, BMW Welt is the heart of all the brands in
the BMW Group – BMW, the sub-brands BMW M and BMW i, MINI, Rolls-Royce
Motor Cars and BMW Motorrad, which are impressively presented in their
own worlds of experience. But it is not only the exhibitions and the
collection of new vehicles that are highlights for car lovers from all
over the world. Visitors can enjoy a year-round programme of varied
events covering culture, art and entertainment as well as a popular
event location for over 400 external events per year. The various
restaurants of the BMW Welt offer a variety of culinary delights up to
star gastronomy. In the BMW Welt Junior Campus, children and
youngsters can enjoy exciting guided tours and workshops on the themes
of mobility and sustainability.

 

The BMW Group

 

With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the
world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles
and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global
company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly facilities
in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

 

In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million cars and
145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax was approximately
€ 9.67 billion on revenues amounting to € 94.16 billion. As of 31
December 2016, the BMW Group had a workforce of 124,729 employees.

 

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established
ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain,
comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to
conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

 


www.bmwgroup.com

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/BMWGroup

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/BMWGroup

YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/BMWGroupview

Google+:
http://googleplus.bmwgroup.com