Luise Volkmann’s Folk Stories

Luise Volkmann loves to travel—not only to discover new places for herself, but also to grow through a change of perspective. These experiences benefit her as a saxophonist and composer when she performs music that is both aesthetically open and formally cohesive with her variously configured ensembles. For this year’s Cologne Jazzweek, she is bringing her “Folk Stories” to life as a commissioned composition. The focus is on Turkish music with its tonal system known as Maqam, consisting of scales and modes, which, due to its microtonality, also serves as a kind of theory of affect, used to convey emotions and moods in music. While Volkmann will focus on microtonal melodies and experimental ornamentation at the world premiere at Cologne Jazzweek with cellist Anil Aslan and tambur player Merve Salgar, she intends to shift the perspective toward the trans-traditional aspect of her “Folk Stories” at the teaser concert in May with Aslan and guitarist Jordan White.