Markus Geiselhart & Big Band Pfaffstätten feat. Andy Haderer

Wiener Neustädter Kanal Suite

Artists: Markus Geiselhart (composition, arrangements, bandleader), Big Band Pfaffstätten, Andy Haderer (trumpet, flugelhorn), Peter Meissner (speaker)

The “Wiener Neustädter Kanal Suite” for jazz orchestra, solo trumpet, and spoken voice by Markus Geiselhart describes the Wiener Neustadt Canal, one of Austria’s most impressive industrial monuments.

The suite begins in the year 1797 with “Building the Canal” and its functions as a transport-ation route and energy supplier; the so-called “Canal Stories” are devoted to people who lived and worked along the canal; the third movement, “The Canal as an Industrial Monument”, finally outlines its present significance.

Markus Geiselhart’s diversified compositions and arrangements are characterised by stylistic variety, a wealth of melodies, and exciting tone colour. During the interludes, Peter Meissner relates stories and anecdotal episodes that once took place along the canal, set to minimal music.

The principal soloist is trumpeter Andy Haderer, who was born in Baden near Vienna and has lived in Cologne for more than thirty years now as a soloist and lead trumpeter of the WDR Big Band, impressively attesting to his outstanding position as a virtuoso. Recommended as an appetizer: “Erinnerungen an einen Vagabunden”, “Memories of a Vagabond” – with a solo by Andy Haderer (flugelhorn).

Under the direction of Markus Geiselhart, the Big Band Pfaffstätten becomes a remarkable ensemble. The band consists of local amateurs and professional musicians from the Viennese jazz scene, featuring, among others, the following soloists: Erwin Schmidt (Hammond B3 organ), Leopold Fuhrmann (tenor saxophone), Manfred Holzhacker  (trumpet) Robert Bachner (trombone), Helmut Hödl (clarinet), Clemens Hofer (trombone), Andreas Lachberger (saxophon), Thomas Froschauer (drums).

Markus Geiselhart has worked in Austria since 2006 and lives in Pfaffstätten. Following “Bulge” (Don Ellis Tribute Orchestra feat. Thomas Gansch, 2013) and “My Instrument Is the Orchestra” (Markus Geiselhart Orchestra, 2016), he has now successfully published his third entirely contemporary, exciting, and vibrant big band album.