Documentaries on the Willisau Jazz Festival
At the end of August, the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts will release the publication "Willisau and All That Jazz - a visual chronicle". It is edited by festival founder Niklaus Troxler and music researcher Olivier Senn. The book and a comprehensive online archive will be presented as part of this year's Willisau Jazz Festival.
The publication "Willisau and All That Jazz" tells the eventful history of jazz in Willisau from 1966 to 2013 with numerous photos, posters and press quotes on over 700 pages. Festival founder Niklaus Troxler provides insights into his memories and reports on his encounters with jazz greats such as Keith Jarrett, Irène Schweizer, John Zorn and Ornette Coleman.
The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts has also developed the online database "Willisau Jazz Archive": Primary sources such as concert posters, photos, program booklets and excerpts from unpublished recordings are already accessible online and allow comprehensive research on jazz in Willisau.
Both projects are the direct result of a donation: two years ago, Niklaus Troxler donated his private jazz archive to the Lucerne School of Music. This comprises around 720 hours of sound recordings, over 180 concert posters, a large collection of press reports and all the festival program booklets. In return, the university undertook to organize, inventory, professionally store and scientifically index this data.
The illustrated book "Willisau and All That Jazz" will be presented at the upcoming edition of the festival (28.8. to 1.9.2013). The vernissage will take place on Thursday, August 29, at 6 p.m. in the Festhalle Willisau. The book is published by Till Schaap Edition and is available in stores at a price of 78 francs.
More info:
www.willisaujazzarchive.ch
