1. Unkersdorfer Jazz Days 2001
The idea for the former Unkersdorfer Jazz Festival was inspired by a Klazz Brothers concert in 2000 celebrating the 650th anniversary of a local area called Unkersdorf. The spontaneous positive response to jazz music in the Unkersdorfer church and community helped the idea of a jazz festival come to forwishen.
The idea remained in a dormant state for 8 months, but still kept the attention of the church pastor, Thilo Daniel and bassist of the Klazz Brothers, Kilian Forster. In July, 2001 the municipal of Gompitz decided to support the emergence of a jazz festival in Unkersdorf and the very “first Unkersdorfer Jazz Days” to place from September 20th- 23rd, 2001.
Despite the extremely short preparation time, and inability to advertise through local magazines, the festival was able to draw 500 visitors. Five years later, the festival moved to Dresden.
In the following years, the organizers managed to maintain the high artistic standards of the first festival and double the amount of festival visitors from year to year. The aim of the organizers was to establish a reoccuring, high quality highlight in the cultural scene of Dresden.
After five years of success, the festival was renamed, “Jazztage Dresden.” The intimate atmosphere and excellent acoustics in the Unkersdorfer church were very special, however, the church lacked capacity and expansion possibilities for this fast growing festival. Changing the festival to a new location, Dresden, was done to allow better accessibility, and to have more venue options.
The Jazztage Dresden is an international festival that has been prescribed for first-class jazz in all its variety and scope, through its artist, content and time; however, Jazztage Dresden clearly separates itself from the Dixieland Festival. Highest quality and professionalism, emotion, fun and excitement for jazz is found in the city of Dresden. The festival attracts an ever-growing and enthusiastic audience of every generation.
Jazztage Dresden complements the rich cultural life of Dresden.