ZIPFLO WEINRICH

Violin artist and “Querkopf” (maverick), to be precise. He could almost pass as newcomer – if it were not for the more than three decades as an artist that he has under his belt and that have made him one of the greatest jazz virtuosi in Austria. Born into a Sinti family – his maternal grandmother (née Reinhardt) was a relative of legendary gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt - he took up the violin at the age of eight. The Gipsy Swing also led him to his first public appearances – amongst others - in the legendary Jazzland, a jazz club in Vienna. This performance heralded the beginning of a career lined by numerous performances with the crème de la crème of the international jazz scene. Karl Ratzer, Richard Österreicher, as well as Barney Kessel, Attila Zoller, and the aforementioned Art Farmer instrumentation with Fritz Pauer, Paolo Cardoso, and Mario Gonzi trusted in Zipflo’s genius. On the violin, he shows his full emotional depth. With his ever new and masterly compositions and interpretations he has created his own distinct style. Only a handful of really excellent artists manage to stand out and be truly unique. Zipflo Weinrich achieved this status among other things with his pizzicato, i.e. the plucking of the violin strings, and his audience love him for it. His and his band’s self-imposed mission is to defy categorisation and yet remain a spearhead of contemporary jazz. And one thing’s for sure: the uncompromising individuality and the natural joy of the violin in Zipflo Weinrich’s music will capture anyone listening to him.