In securing the services of blues legend B.B.King for the opening night, the organizers have pulled off a real coup. Rarely seen these days in Europe, the heavyweight blues hero with his trademark semi-acoustic, 'Lucille', joins an illustrious list of jazz and blues legends that have graced the JADD festival over the years. King's presence will further enhance the cachet of the festival, to which not only the exuberant atmosphere but also the superb staging and sound equipment contribute in large measure.
For EVI Audio, who again this year will be providing the sound reinforcement equipment, the Jazz on the Danube festival is a home game, Straubing being the seat of the company headquarters. Last year, the quality of the sound drew an enthusiastic response from performers and public alike. "Since I've been handling this festival," commented the organizer of the jazz marathon, Ralph Huber, "I've never known the musicians to be as unanimous in their praise of a sound system." The team, led by Ingo Haasch, EVI Audio's concert sound manager, are confident they can repeat their success this year.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
