25 years of JazzBaragge: A home for the moment

The JazzBaragge has long been a fixture in the Moods program. Every Wednesday, the scene meets there to jam together. This year, the format is celebrating its 25th birthday. A good occasion to look back with one of the founders.

It's Wednesday evening at Moods. Right next to the entrance, in front of a red curtain, there are drums, amplifiers, a piano, a double bass, several microphones and, on some occasions, a Rhodes. Musicians stream in one by one, grab a drink at the bar and listen to their colleagues. This is the Wednesday Jam; this is the JazzBaragge.It all began on 28 February 2001, when Dave Feusi and Peewee Windmüller organised the first jam at the Chäsbaragge in Zurich's Brunau district. A year later, the event moved to the Jazz School Zurich club, and since 2016, the JazzBaragge has been based at Moods. Over the years, it has developed into one of the most important venues on the Swiss jam scene.But what makes JazzBaragge so special? Founding member Dave Feusi, who still performs on stage regularly, describes it like this: 'The JazzBaragge Wednesday Jam is a celebration of the moment. It's a place where people meet and get to know each other, immersing themselves in creative sound conversations that emerge organically." This tradition dates back to the jam sessions that developed in New York in the early 20th century. What is the idea behind it? Making music together spontaneously, true to the motto: improvisation instead of a fixed programme.Feusi clearly emphasises the importance of this form of music-making: 'History shows us how important well-organised jam sessions are as breeding grounds for creativity, particularly for nurturing young jazz talent.' The JazzBaragge association recognises this and acts accordingly. 'We actively seek contact with music academies, have a long-standing collaboration with the ZHdK and invite students to perform as opening bands or to be involved in the evening's events, whether at the box office or as evening managers. We hope that they will find their way to us — and perhaps even to the board — and thus help to lead the JazzBaragge in the future."Musically, the JazzBaragge follows the tradition of jazz and related styles, but not exclusively. "We don't set any stylistic guidelines and we also want to break through these boundaries — sometimes by chance during the session and sometimes by intentionally forming the jam band differently," Feusi explains. The format is primarily aimed at the local and national scenes, but it also attracts international guests from time to time — an enrichment, according to Feusi.The JazzBaragge is now celebrating its 25th anniversary in style. On 25 February, three days before the official anniversary, the big anniversary jam will take place at Moods. In addition, a "vintage edition" will be held once a month, featuring at least one musician who performed in the founding year. It's a small retrospective, and a look at how lively this tradition has remained.

Special JazzBaragge Wednesday Jams at Moods

11FebWed
HSLU @ JazzBaragge
- JazzBaragge Wednesday Jam
  JazzJam
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25FebWed
25 Jahre JazzBaragge Birthday Jam
- JazzBaragge Wednesday Jam
  JazzJam
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04MarWed
25 YEARS VINTAGE JAM BAND
- JazzBaragge Wednesday Jam
  JazzJam
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01AprWed
25 YEARS VINTAGE JAM BAND
- JazzBaragge Wednesday Jam
  JazzJam
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27MayWed
SPECIAL: SOFIA (Support Of Female Improvising Artists)
- JazzBaragge Wednesday Jam
  JazzJam
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