by John Donson
In 2012, the Hamburg-based American John Hughes started a weekly concert series at the Grete Margaretenkneipe/ Kulturverein in the lively Schanzenviertel district in Hamburg. Mostly comprised of local musicians, the Thursday Night live music program showcases the diversity of this beautiful city. From flamenco to free jazz, Syrian folk music to Argentinian tango, bluegrass to bebop, the eclectic lineup offers something for every music lover.
Although contrabassist John Hughes, who won the 2015 Club Kombinat Award for Best Music Presenter, no longer curates the program once known as JIG (Jazz in Grete), the jazz master is a regular performer at the Grete along with his many groups such as ORIENTAL BAND with Syrian Qanun master ZEAD KHAWAM, the brazilian beats of OS BESOUROS featuring bossa nova guitarist Wado Barcelos, and his own jazz piano trio HOSHO. His next performance at the Grete will be on October 19th.
Last week’s concert (September 21, 2017) featured drummer/composer Janosh Pangritz’s band YOUPHORIC, a dynamic Hamburg jazz quartet. The trumpet playing of Jan Gospodinow upheld the group’s motto: emotion through sound which knows no borders. Their dramatic music extended from melancholic minimalism to fiery euphoria.
The Grete is located just a short walk from the train station S Sternschanze on the S21/S31 line Exit the station direction Max Bauer Allee; the Margareten Strasse is the next parallel street to the Max Bauer Allee.
Concerts begin every Thursday at 8:30pm and end promptly at 10pm. There is no entrance fee, but donations are appreciated. Beware if you are a non-smoker as the Grete is a smoker’s pub and can get relatively stuffy . As the program is extremely varied, be sure to check out the Grete website in advance:
www.margaretenkneipe.de
facebook.com/Margaretenkneipe/
GretenEvents@web.de
Kulturverein Schanzenviertel e.V.
Margaretenstraße 33
20357 Hamburg
