Interview with the Swiss singer Seven by Dessislava Berndt
Translated from German: Dessislava Berndt,
Proofreading: Polina Georgieva
In our column “Artist of the Week” we are following with great interest the musical way of artists, which we have “discovered” for you.
Seven is one of those artists who is known mainly in the German-speaking countries. In 2016 he took part in the TV show “Sing my song” in 2016 where he impressed the audience with interpretations of known German singers like Samy de Luxe, Nena and BAP.
This was followed by numerous appearances in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, as well as by the albums “Best Of 2002-2016” and “4COLORS”. And in 2017, the visitors and fans of the International Jazz Festival in Bansko enjoyed his very successful premiere in Bulgaria.
What has happened since then? How does his musical journey continue? To answer these-and other-questions, I met the singer before his gig in Christikirche, Bochum, where we spoke about his current tour and music.
Seven with his band and the guest of the evening Roman Lob, Photo: desenze
Seven, we remember quite well your 4COLORS tour. Now follows the Soulmate tour. How was the idea for this tour born?
Around 2011/2012, for the first time in Switzerland, I did a tour that took place in concert halls with setas and an intermission between the two musical parts of the evening.That felt different than the usual concerts or performances, because it lets you be more emotional and play calmer pieces than the ones played in a cllub athmosphere.And I wanted to do it again. Also, I wanted to confuse or, rather, to surprise, our fans from the last two tours in Germany.
Seven and his Band in the Christikirche Bochum, Photos: desenze
Since I didn’t want to do the same thing again, another dream of mine- that I have had for a long time- fitted in perfectly. I had the dream to play with all these artists, and in particular with all the German artists, I have met in the recent years. It’s not always convenient or there is time to record a song together, to work together in a studio, etc. Everybody has their plans, their world and their stories. And now I had the chance to play with all these musicians, with whom I – except for Wolfgang Niedecken and Stefanie Heinzmann – had never sung together on stage before.
And that’s a challenge for us, for me and my band. Every night, the audience gets something that happens only once and for the first time our nervousness rises. For example, now we rehearsed the songs for tonight. And that gives the whole tour experience yet another excitement, feeling of somehow being “naked” because you can smell the music and see through everything. That’s why the concept of a concert where people sit is appropriate here.
Seven and his Band in the Christikirche Bochum, Photos: desenze
Now it was the right time to combine these two ideas and with “Soulmate” it’s very clear what it means: I have a friend with me every night and we make Soul together. That’s how the idea came about.
The International Jazz Festival in Bansko is one of the biggest summer musical events in Bulgaria and one of the foremost international cultural happenings on the Balkans.
Since its foundation in 1998 the festival has been held every year in August in the small town of Bansko. The concerts are free for the public.
Traditionally, the programme features styles and groups representing almost all jazz trends. During the festival week jazz is also played on various smaller stages in the large resort complexes and restaurants.
Interview by Dessislava Berndt with the GRAMMY® Award-nominated Norwegian singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Jarle Bernhoft
Proofreading: Polina Georgieva
Bernhoft and The Fashion Bruises, Photo: desenze
The first time I discovered Bernhoft was at the Traumzeit festival in Duisburg 2011 and brought him to your attention with the following interviews in our column “Artist of the Week”.
Since then, with curiousity and with great pleasure, we‘ve been following the musical way of this extraordinary musician and a very sensible and intelligent person.
Tonight, he played in the iconic club Gloria in Cologne with his band. We met before the gig and spoke about his current tour and music.
To put a face to the interview Jarle sent some video greetings for our readers here:
Jarle, we‘ve known for seven years now, and we‘ve kept track of your musical development. But how do you see your development as a musician so far?
In terms of music, so far I am very happy. I am still able to do what I like. But the music business is changing in a very fundamental way. Objectively speaking, I think it is harder for an artist like me who is not world stadium touring and selling tons of records.
Bernhoft and The Fashion Bruises, Photos: desenze
It is more difficult now because it is a concentration of power and resources to enormous artists like Beyonce and Jay Z. And of course, it helps to have your own streaming providers like they have. Today, everything is much more dependent on social media awareness and being a celebrity. Read on →
Interview with the dancer and choreographer Sri Satishkoemar Myre-Makhan by Dessislava Berndt
Proofreading: Polina Georgieva
Satish, you will be for the second time with your dancers in Wuppertal. How was your first time here?
It was an excellent, heartwarming, welcome feeling. The audience, musicians and the Hall’s energy were so open, that we- the dancers and I, could give ourselves up to it completely and express the art the way it is supposed to be.
Satishkoemar Myre-Makhan at Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal, photo:desenze
We, as artist / Dance Company, are there with our art to show, as well as to spread the energy. So the audience was filled with happiness. And that’s what I felt during the performance and after.
The piece you will present in Wuppertal is called “Indian Swan Lake”. Why did you choose the “Swan lake” ballet composed by Tchaikovsky for another interpretation?
Since I was young I’ve admired the ballet dancers and performances. The one that I was really touched by was “Swan Lake”. And during that period I was learning Bharatanatyam. While watching the ballet I was thinking: “how could this be with Indian dancing?” Not that I wanted to change the concept. I love ballet in its original way. But as an Indian dance student I was already thinking about changing the choreography in the Indian dance way. So, for years it was turning around in my head. And then I thought: why not making an Indian piece of it!
Interview by Dessislava Berndt with the Fado singer Carminho
Proofreading: Polina Georgieva
The Festival Klangart is held for the 10th time this year in Wuppertal. Art, music and nature can be felt and appreciated together with world known musicians bringing the richness of their musical cultures.
I am lucky to exclusively present to you the Fado singer Carminho who performed there on July 22. The show of Carminho and her musicians was very impressive and ended with standing ovations.
Carminho shared with the audience some very personal stories and with a lot of humor made sure best mood and welcome feelings were there all the time.
Carminho, photo:desenze
Carminho, are you for the first time in Wuppertal?
Yes, we‘ve just arrived. I saw this beautiful building (editor’s note: Villa Herberts, called also Villa Waldfrieden) and was fascinated by all of the rooms and the details, the pictures, the curves, the decoration of the house…
The International Jazz Festival in Bansko is one of the biggest summer musical events in Bulgaria and one of the foremost international cultural happenings on the Balkans.
Since its foundation in 1998 the festival has been held every year in August in the small town of Bansko. The concerts are free for the public.
Traditionally, the programme features styles and groups representing almost all jazz trends. During the festival week jazz is also played on various smaller stages in the large resort complexes and restaurants.
Once upon a time, there was a little peasant. He worked very hard and with love and perseverance rose to an influential and wealthy industrialist and benefactor, and not only in his own city. It was important for him to help the young and the old, to bring joy to the people.
Chapel-gift from Radka and Pencho Semovi, photos: desenze
He didn’t just build many factories and gave work to his employees, but he also dreamed that his care and protection would transfer to the future and spread like a wing over them. For this purpose, he built a beautiful and big House and named it Homestead.
Homestead “Pencho Semov” Gabrovo, photos: desenze
The House had long and elegant corridors, many rooms, a great view and even more wonderful park and a lake, where a boat took the visitors from the city. Next to the drinking fountain with cold water, there was always sweet Turkish delight for anyone, who would stop there to refresh.
Homestead “Pencho Semov” Gabrovo, photos: desenze
Years were passing by, The House was blooming and was welcoming guests from near and far. Until one day disaster stroke and brought war, death and destruction.
Homestead “Pencho Semov” Gabrovo, photo: desenze
The benefactor could not bear the sufferings, that were caused to his beloved city, and died. Before that, he expressed his wish that his whole property and heritage should be donated for good purposes. And that the beautiful Homestead should become a home to the old and feeble.
Interview by Dessislava Berndt with the author, publisher and translator Ilija Trojanow
Translation from Bulgarian: Dessislava Berndt
Proofreading: Polina Georgieva
The City Church in Wuppertal is known for its high-quality and sophisticated event program, as well as for the good cooperation with other partners.
At the invitation of the Catholic Educational Institute and in cooperation with the bookstore Mackensen and the cultural bureau of the city of Wuppertal , CityKirche Elberfeld (Old Reformed Church) hosted for an evening politically and socially interested people and enthusiasted readers. They had the luck to meet the award-winning author Ilija Trojanow at the presentation of his new book in a conversation with Hubert Spiegel from Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
The author read and commented – with a lot of humor- numerous stories and pieces from his new title, “After the flight”. If you had to leave your country, you will surely recognize yourself in the book. And, even more- as if the author speaks right from your heart. The topic of “escape” has accompanied him throughout the years and subconsciously has been in his mind for so long, that the book was created in an “eruptive” way and was written in just a few weeks.
And in case you haven’t had such an experience, you should read the book by all means. It is an attempt to share these experiences with others and thus to bring more understanding for this ” certain category of man – the refugee”. Mr. Trojanow has an important voice in Germany and abroad and hopefully it will now be heard by more people through the book and attract more attention in public debates.
Here is our interview with the author, done shortly before the presentation and reading of his book.
Mr. Trojanow, what does „homeland“ mean to you?
Well, that’s why you have to read my new book (laughs): because I actually needed 100 pages to show how difficult the question of homeland is and how complex, multi-layered, kaleidoscopic and fragmentary this question turns out to be for a refugee. So, the question pretty much can’t be answered or summarized in one sentence.
Ilija Trojanow in discussion with Hubert Spiegel, photo: desenze
And it can’t be answered, because at the beginning of each conversation one should first clarify the term “homeland” and ask “what do you mean by homeland?”. That’s an incredibly diffuse term. Read on →
Interview by Dessislava Berndt with the Swiss musician Jan Dettwyler
Translation from German: Dessislava Berndt
Proofreading: Polina Georgieva
The 20th jubilee edition of the Bansko Jazz Festival is now history. For more than seven days from 5th to 12th August, numerous world stars celebrated a party marathon together with the audience. The Swiss singer Seven and his band had already heated the audience on 7th of August 2017. The thousands of spectators rewarded the musicians’ debut with great enthusiasm, standing ovations and, of course dancing and celebrating.
In the following interview – done shortly after the festival – Jan Dettwyler, founder and singer of the band, spoke with us about the first performance of his band in Bulgaria.
Seven at XXth International Jazz Festival Bansko 2017, Photo: desenze
Jan, you have had and still have a number of performances at various festivals in the German-speaking area. How was the performance at the International Jazz Festival Bansko, Bulgaria on 7.08.17?
The performance was anything but normal for us. We had no idea what to expect and the audience had no idea what to expect from us either. So, we were even more excited than usual, we were very pleased about the invitation and accepted the challenge.
Seven in Bansko 2017, Photo: desenze
I was there too, and I experienced an audience that was very enthusiastic, that was dancing and greeting the band with rapturous applause. How did you feel during this first performance in an Eastern European country using the Cyrillic Alphabet?
It was a very warm welcome and we were greeted with open arms. I felt a sense of insecurity in the audience when we started with our set, because people really didn’t know what to expect or what we will do with them.
That great audience was very easy to get carried away and gave itself up to the music. This is always the most beautiful moment, when everyone relaxes at the same time and the stage disappears.
Interview with Toma Sprostranov by Veselina Filipova published in the jubilee book edition “20 years International Jazz Festival Bansko”
112 pages
Compiled by Veselina Filipova
Publisher: Factory for books, Print: BG book ЕАД
ISBN: 978-619-230-008-1
First publication in“Zhalt trud” newspaper, 2016
His name symbolizes artistic longevity. An emblematic DJ, the man-radio. They define Toma Sprostranov as the most recognizable voice in the Bulgarian air. To the listeners he is a legend, and to the International jazz festival in Bansko – the favourite erudite and sweet-talking host.
Toma Sprostranov, photo: BULFOTO
How did your love for the jazz festival started?
It was born at the time it originated. In Bansko, at a magnificent place, I hosted a rock festival. The chief of “Tanne” hotel was bringing groups, starting from the duet Baccara to Ken Hensley (the author of “July morning” and most of “Uriah Heep”s hits). Back then the director of the Jazz festival, Mr. Iliev who was treating with dry needling in his clinic (even at the time Vasko Petrov and Kameliya Todorova used to sing in the living room of the hospital), so the doctor decided to move the party to the square and de facto put the beginning of the Festival in Bansko, 19 years ago.
Curiously enough, in Bansko pop singers like Dancheto Hristova and Lili Ivanova used to sing, as well as Lili Drumeva with her country group. The doctor tried making the Fest resemble Montreux and the other jazz festivals around the world, which also had blues and boogie-woogie performances.
Five times in a row Axel Zwingenberger visited us, the king of boogie woogie piano.
Some big star is our guest every year. The year before the last they were “Incognito” that greeted me on the occasion of my birthday, which was the next day.
This year I was greeted not by some unknown person, but by Joss Stone whose voice, they say, resembles the one of the queen of soul music, Aretha Franklin.
Interview with the Journalist Vesselina Filipova by Dessislava Berndt
Translation from Bulgarian: Dessislava Berndt
Proofreading: Polina Georgieva
20 years International Jazz Festival Bansko
112 pages
Compiled by Veselina Filipova
Publisher: Factory for books, Print: BG Buch EAD
ISBN: 978-619-230-008-1
Since 2009 Public Republic has been a media partner of the International Jazz Festival Bansko with the aim of popularizing the festival in Bulgaria and abroad, especially in the English and German speaking online community.
The festival programme is presented every year with the column „News from International Jazz Festival Bansko“ in the three languages of the magazine – English, German and Bulgarian. In the column there are also interviews with stars like Ana Moura, Axel Zwingenberger, Keito Saito, Seven, Jacky Ryan, Lila Emmons, Jive Aces, Yoni Vidal, Elina Duni, Eftekasat, Maya Nova and many others.
In the year of the 20th anniversary of the Jazz Festival, Public Republic was invited to be part of the anniversary book edition with interviews conducted with artists together with other noted journalists and media.
Public Republic thanks for the invitation to Dr. Iliev, founder and manager of the festival and to the journalist and editor of the book Vesselina Filipova, as well as to our colleagues providing the interviews and corresponding translations – Polina Georgieva, Elisaveta Baltova, Yana Radilova and Dessislava Berndt.
Today we would like to present to your attention our interview with Vesselina Filipova about the selection and compilation of the jubilee book edition “20 years International Jazz Festival Bansko” that will be published in the next days.
Vesselina, how did you come up with the idea of the jubilee book edition “20 years International Jazz Festival Bansko”?
The idea to create a book is not new. It has been considered before when the festival celebrated its 5th, 10th and 15th birthday. Unfortunately, nothing happened. Obviously, positive energies had to come together in one direction. Personally, I really wanted to immortalise this phenomenal cultural event, the biggest music forum in Bulgaria.
Indeed, few are the local festivals that managed to prove themselves through the years – not only in Bulgaria, but also abroad. Through the written words I wanted to treasure for the further generations the incredible atmosphere in Bansko and the emotion conveyed by the interviews and reports of my colleagues, the Bansko Jazz Festival authorized journalists. Read on →
The International Jazz Festival in Bansko is one of the biggest summer musical events in Bulgaria and one of the foremost international cultural happenings on the Balkans.
Since its foundation in 1998 the festival has been held every year in August in the small town of Bansko. The concerts are free for the public.
Traditionally, the programme features styles and groups representing almost all jazz trends. During the festival week jazz is also played on various smaller stages in the large resort complexes and restaurants.
