Experience improvised music at first hand

Music lovers seeking something more than familiar melodies and rhythms will find a fertile improvised music scene in Vienna. Music is entertainment, but it is also an adventure into unknown territory for those willing to chance it.

Improvised music is for people who think outside the box and who don’t want to be constrained by rules. Based on the spirit of 1960s free jazz, it spurns musical scores and concentrates on mood and intuition.

One of the shrines of improvisation in Vienna is the Celeste in Hamburger Strasse and one of the Vienna-based exponents of this style is the American saxophonist Marco Eneidi.

Fewer opportunities for young musicians in New York than in Vienna

Eneidi moved from the USA to Vienna in 2004 following an appearance in Austria. He says that there are fewer opportunities for young musicians in New York than in Vienna as it is very difficult to get to play with established musicians. In 2005 he founded the Neu New York/Vienna Institute of Improvised Music. It features monthly jam sessions in the Celeste jazz cellar, where musicians who are interested can meet and jam together for an evening under the direction of master of ceremonies Eneidi.




The way it usually works is that one musician will start playing and then the others will gradually join in and interact with him or her. The players obviously need to play or sing well enough and they also have to have the right feeling for improvisation.

Artists on tour join in

The style tends towards free jazz, although the distinction between modern and serious music is somewhat blurred as the musicians come from diverse backgrounds. A pool of regulars has formed for the Monday sessions with backgrounds in jazz, noise rock, punk and electronic music. Newcomers are always welcome and touring musicians with an evening off frequently guest there as well.

All of the musicians share an openness to new experiences and a willingness to widen their musical spectrum. Every gig is different and thus provides a platform for practising and experimentation. The sessions also offer a good opportunity to meet new people and the encounters sometimes result in new formations or gig opportunities.

Jazz stars at first hand

The evenings also offer the audience an opportunity to meet and talk with the musicians. In contrast to concerts where the performers disappear backstage after the show, the layout of the Celeste means that musicians and audience inevitably mingle. And if they are lucky, the guests might even find a veritable star of the scene amongst the players. For those looking for new acoustic experiences, the Celeste is the place to be. One thing is certain: the music that is played there is not the kind you will here in a department store elevator!