International Jazz Day: UNESCO Club Wien pays homage to Austrian living Jazz legend Hans Salomon

Hans Salomon, Austrian jazz musician, band manager and composer is considered a "living legend of the jazz scene in Austria." Salomon was twelve years old, right after the end of World War II, when he first came in contact with jazz. "In 1945 there was an American broadcaster, Blue Danube Network where I first heard jazz, because during the Hitler era jazz was the music of the enemy. I was immediately hit in the heart. "

Solomon began his jazz career in 1945 playing with Fatty George and the Johannes Fehring big band. He also was a part of Jazz history when he joined the Band formed by Austrian jazz musician Vera Auer in 1948. She was one of the first European woman musicians to play modern jazz and open up the jazz avant-garde scene and to lead a Band. In 1954 together with Joe Zawinul, Hans Salomon he founded the Austrian All Stars.

On the international scene he collaborated with Louis Armstrong, Arturo "Chico" O'Farrill and Gerry Mulligan, Sarah Vaughan, and Sidney Bechet. There were further collaboration with Ray Charles, Lou Rawls, Barry Manilow, Ella Fitzgerald, Marlena Shaw, Lionel Hampton, Mel Lewis, Ron Carter, Julian Cannonball Adderley, JJ Johnson, Johnny Griffin, Hans Koller, Slide Hampton, Art Farmer. In 1958 he became a member of the Newport International Band.

From 1965 to 2000 Salomon was a member of the orchestra of the United Stages Vienna. In parallel, he played in the band of Lady "P" and in many performances with alternating groups. For a while he was head of the "Vienna Big Band Machine" and the "Blue Note Big Band" with Frank Main.

Salomon arranged albums for Art Farmer, Stan Getz, "Toots" Thielemans and Toni Stricker.

In 2004 he was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, First Class.

In October 2005, Hans Salomon was mentor and co-designer of the Jazz Festival at the opening of the Jazz Museum in Vienna's Danube city.

Check out his music here.

 (Short bio collated by F. Wright, UNESCO Club Vienna, 25 Jan. 2013)