Dixie & Swing Festival

Southern jazz gets Eastern Styria going

Tatiana Eva-Marie from the USA brings the right vibes to Weiz(Bild: Rachel Zeller)

If you feel the heat of the city in Weiz and the surrounding area this summer, it's not just because of the temperatures. From August 9 to 18, the Dixie & Swing Festival will once again reign supreme, bringing the classic jazz of the southern states to Eastern Styria.

The Dixie & Swingfestival, which this year also honors Ilz, Heilbrunn and for the first time Riegersburg with performances in addition to the main venue in Weiz, is more than just a series of concerts. It is a piece of lifestyle that is a little nostalgic, but always in a good mood. The best way to experience this is at the big street music festival on 17 August in the center of Weiz, when there is music and dancing everywhere.

Dance is a big thing this year anyway: In a total of eight dance workshops for beginners, advanced and professionals at , you can learn and perfect the swing dances of the 1920s and 1930s. As always, Antonia Suanjak is coordinating these workshops, and this year's line-up includes two outstanding dance instructors from Barcelona, Sonia Ortega Betriu and Hèctor Artal Parada.

Dance trainers Sonia Ortega Betriu and Hèctor Artal Parada(Bild: Carlos Lopez-Recuerda)

Of course, there is no dance without music, so the musicians still play the leading role. The ravishing Tatjana Eva-Marie and her Avalon Jazz Orchestra will dedicate themselves to gypsy jazz at the Kunsthaus Weiz on August 15, the Coquette Jazz Band will focus on the dance elements of this style of music the following day, and the grand finale will be performed by Australian multi-instrumentalist James Morrison together with the Jazz Big Band Weiz on August 17.

James Morrison is a guest on August 17(Bild: CAMERON BLOOM)

An insider tip is the concert with Rossano Sportiello and Mátyás Bartha, who will play the program "From Harlem Stride Piano to Bebop" on two grand pianos at the Weizer Kunsthaus on 14 August. "Rossano Sportiello is the artistic gem for our festival in August, the special one, the crown jewel in the music showcase, as he has succeeded in bringing a kind of contemporary Fats Waller from the USA to our festival," says organizer Johannes Hödl happily about this special coup. An evening where jazz fans will get their money's worth.

Rosano Sportiello (right) and Mátyás Bartha invite you to an evening dedicated to the great Fats Waller(Bild: DixieSwingFestival)

Jazz is also reflected artistically every year, as can be seen in the "Farbton" exhibition at the Weberhaus from August 13. Works by Ingrid Pfeiffer and Ursula Meister can be admired there.

Lifestyle and cuisine
In addition to the music, the lifestyle that goes with Dixie & Swing will also be celebrated. You can also stock up on pretty accessories such as hats, hair ornaments and caps. And of course, no culinary wish remains unfulfilled. The Dixie & Swingfestival Weiz has something for everyone. All information can be found here.

For "Krone" BonusCard holders, there is also a 50 percent discount for the concerts on August 14, 15, 16 and 17 in Weiz. All information and tickets can be found at vorteilswelt.krone.at.