CD: Life Rhythm Live

Wolfgang Haffner is one of the most sought-after musicians in European jazz and certainly its most successful drummer-bandleader. He maintains a packed schedule where a series of concerts in Japan can lead directly into an extensive European tour... followed by a brief stop for a meeting in Ingolstadt—where he is now in his second year of programming for the Ingolstadt Jazz Days—and then it's on.

Wolfgang Haffner has undergone a remarkable transformation in his career. He has evolved from a background figure in the bands of artists such as Al Jarreau, Jan Garbarek, and Nils Landgren to a bandleader who sets the tone—a role for which he is particularly well-adapted. And while his studio albums, like his last, "Life Rhythm," emphasized high production values ​​and the careful creation of a deeply relaxed flow, the new album, "Life Rhythm - Live," not only captures all that finesse and deep craftsmanship, but also conveys the kicking energy and dynamic momentum of Haffner's live concerts. The album also demonstrates why—uniquely—Wolfgang Haffner's concerts, consisting exclusively of his own music, always sell out in advance in the largest concert halls.

For the album recording and tour of "Life Rhythm," Wolfgang Haffner assembled a dream team. "Both keyboardist Simon Oslender and bassist Thomas Stieger have been part of almost all of my musical ventures over the past few years," he explains. Trumpeter Sebastian Studnitzky was also part of some of my previous bands. And when I met guitarist Arto Mäkelä about two years ago, his sensitive playing immediately made a very strong impression on me. With him, the band stood as a complete unit; I had put together my dream team." With these musicians' personalities in mind, Haffner wrote the songs for the album "Life Rhythm," released in the summer of 2024. In the autumn of that year, the band went on tour, playing in many of Germany's most beautiful concert halls. And here, too, Haffner fulfilled a dream: "It was a rather elaborate production, with a five-person crew, sophisticated lighting and sound technology, a true dramaturgy from start to finish, sparing no effort or expense.

Planning immediately went into overdrive. Haffner remembers: "The band was a perfect fit from the very first second and grew from day to day. What we achieved together, night after night, was truly a great achievement." And it was clear to me from the start that we should capture the show on a live album. Wolfgang Haffner loves the live situation, the entire alchemy of what can happen between the notes. He manages the balancing act between advance planning and freedom. Gentle acoustic passages are contrasted with emphatic moments that are precisely planned, where sound and light are in harmony. His fellow musicians, all experienced in both jazz and pop, follow their leader with instinctive ease and precision into an in-between world where fusion, electro-jazz, and rock meet and merge. And the audience accompanies them every step of the way. Standing ovations follow. Everywhere. Naturally.

In addition to several tracks from the last studio album, "Life Rhythm Live" also draws on Haffner's back catalog. The bandleader has rearranged several earlier songs: "Leo," "Nacho," "Simple Life," "Homerun," and the often-requested "Keep Going" for the current lineup. They fit seamlessly into the newer, obviously more dramatic repertoire. On the one hand, the album is a statement of the current situation, but also a summary that already opens up new pages and hints at what might happen next. For Wolfgang Haffner, who is celebrating his 50th stage anniversary this year, still has many plans for the future: "I am very grateful that I can make a living from music. More than ever, I enjoy playing the drums, writing new music and performing new musical ideas with wonderful people on stages all over the world for an audience that I love." This simple and honest expression of joy just happens to sum up the recipe for Wolfgang Haffner's remarkable success, why it has endured so well and why it will continue.