CD: Life Rhythm Live
Wolfgang Haffner
release date: 30 May 2025
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.
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.