From the 2010 Salzbur­ger Jazz-Herbst

The Salzburg based vi­ol­in­ist Ben­jamin Schmid, equally vir­tu­ous in clas­sic­al mu­sic and jazz, and the pi­an­ist Sa­bina Hank, who has achieved a large in­ter­na­tion­al repu­ta­tion in jazz, are ba­sic­ally reg­u­lars in the pro­gramme of the Salzburg Jazz-Herbst.

In the first part of the con­cert “Wings” by Friedrich Gulda is per­formed, a con­cert piece for solo vi­ol­in, cham­ber or­ches­tra and per­cus­sion group. In ad­di­tion, you hear Sa­bina Hank’s com­pos­i­tion “Three Songs For An Aban­doned An­gel”. Join­ing them is the Cam­erata Salzburg.

In the second part im­pro­visa­tions on themes by Friedrich Gulda and Sa­bina Hank fol­low, played by the Sa­bina Hank Trio fea­tur­ing Ben­jamin Schmid. The Vi­en­nese Ben­jamin Schmid, now liv­ing in Salzburg, prac­tices “jazz and im­pro­visa­tion on a like­wisely high level with equal in­teg­rity” (quote Ye­hudi Menuh­in).

Schmid has been solo part­ner to Stephane Grapelli sev­er­al times. In 1980, Grapelli’s con­cert at the Jazzfest­iv­al Burghausen made an un­for­get­table im­pres­sion on the then 12 year old Ben­jamin Schmid. Five years after this first en­counter, he was awar­ded the first prize for “Im­pro­visa­tion and Jazz” at the “Con­cours menuh­in” in Par­is by jury chair Grapelli. And in 1994, three years pri­or to the in­geni­ous jazz vi­ol­in­ist’s death, they to­geth­er opened the Salzburg Fest­iv­al at the Felsen­reit­schule (Former Sum­mer rid­ing School). Schmid played with the jazz mu­si­cians Didi­er Lock­wood, the broth­ers Muth­spiel, Ray An­der­son and Mark Feld­man, among oth­ers. One of his former idols was Jean-Luc Ponty.

1. Ben­jamin Schmid plays Vi­ol­in Con­cer­tos by Friedrich Gulda and Sabina Hank

Vi­ol­in con­certo "Wings" by Friedrich Gulda
“Three Songs for an Aban­doned An­gel” by Sa­bina Hank

Ben­jamin Schmid, vi­ol­in
Cam­erata Salzburg
Al­ex­an­der Meik, bass
Chris­ti­an Lettner, drums

2. Sa­bina Hank Trio feat. Ben­jamin Schmid plays Gulda & Hank

Im­pro­visa­tions on Themes by Friedrich Gulda by Sa­bina Hank

Sa­bina Hank, vo­cals, pi­ano
Ben­jamin Schmid, vi­ol­in
Al­ex­an­der Meik, bass
Chris­ti­an Lettner, drums