Portrait of the Week: Branko Arnsek

Music Addict
Marisa Sass-Baitis, November 2, 2016, Stuttgart Weekly

He is a musician, composer, and producer all in one, addresses many of the music world's greats by their first names, and enjoys success on both national and international stages. But when asked about his favorite project, the usually talkative Arnsek falls silent. Not because he has nothing to say, but rather because he can't decide, because he pours his heart and soul into each of his projects.

"Salsa, jazz, Cuban music—that's where I feel at home. This music is honest and powerful; it touches people, awakens emotions, captivates them. That's how it should be." He pauses, considers briefly, then continues with a smile: "Although it's an incredibly diverse genre, jazz receives little public attention. I want to capture the many unknown and neglected styles to present them to a wider audience, and to that end, I've founded a fantastic quartet. Half of our pieces are already written; 2017 will be the year. That's my favorite project at the moment."

The roots of the Slovenian-born musician's passion for music reach far back into his childhood, to his accordion-playing father, his singing mother, to making music at home, and his first piano lessons. Nevertheless, he opted for a solid apprenticeship as a glass painter, later worked at Daimler, played in various bands, and traveled extensively. It was only fatherhood that prompted him to "do something serious" to secure his son's future. "Back then, there was no jazz program here, so I went to Bern to the Swiss Jazz School and studied double bass and electric bass." Alongside his beloved jazz, he discovered Latin American rhythms, was equally captivated by Gamelan music and Gypsy music, and toured throughout Europe with various bands in different lineups. “It was a fantastic time with many highlights. Our appearance on Russian television, for example, remains one of my greatest achievements. I only regret one thing: that I turned down an offer from jazz legend Archie Shepp back then, out of sheer fear of embarrassing myself.”

Today, the 57-year-old is firmly established in the music scene, but sometimes, when he's relaxing with a cigar on his balcony in the evening, he wishes that musicians and their art would receive a little more appreciation. “It's neither easy nor easy in this business. On the contrary, you have to be well-connected, constantly maintain a presence, and offer new, fresh projects.” The latter shouldn't be a problem, at least, because when it comes to interesting ideas, the music-obsessed Arnsek is far from running out of steam: “Maybe I'll do a live project with very young people sometime. I think that would be exciting.”


``` On November 9th, Arnsek celebrates his 40th stage anniversary with the Guttenberger Brothers at the Theaterhaus. Further tour dates: November 14th, 2016, Kiste Stuttgart; November 17th, 2016, Jazzhaus Heidelberg; November 24th, 2016, Gärtnerei Elsäßer Stuttgart-Vaihingen; November 28th, 2016, Kiste Stuttgart; December 8th, 2016, Eumel Stuttgart; December 11th, 2016, Bar Stuttgart; December 15th, 2016, Cave 61 Heilbronn