Kammgarn French Touch 25th Anniversary
- The 25th-anniversary concert of Kaiserslautern's own French Touch was the perfect birthday festivity, held saturday in the sold-out Kasino of the Kammgarn.
- The heart of any celebration lies with those being celebrated.
- Attendees learned how the band members initially met—Harald Pfeil was a patron at the "Benderhof" restaurant, then owned by alexandra Maas.
French Touch Celebrates 25 Years with Jubiläumskonzert at Kammgarn
Table of Contents
- French Touch Celebrates 25 Years with Jubiläumskonzert at Kammgarn
- French Touch: Celebrating 25 Years of Music at Kammgarn
- What was the French Touch 25th-anniversary concert like?
- Who are the members of French Touch?
- How did French Touch get started?
- What kind of music does French Touch play?
- Where did the 25th-anniversary concert take place?
- Who were the special guests at the 25th-anniversary concert?
- What were some of the highlights of the evening?
- French Touch Concert Details: A Summary
The heart of any celebration lies with those being celebrated. In this instance, there were four: Alexandra Maas, the accordionist and moderator fronting the quartet, alongside guitarist Harald Pfeil, contrabassist Wolfgang Janischowski, and percussionist/vibraphonist Michael Lakatos. They proved to be imaginative hosts, providing a top-tier entertainment program for their guests. This wasn’t limited to music alone; Maas delighted the audience by interspersing the performance with charming anecdotes from the band’s history.
Attendees learned how the band members initially met—Harald Pfeil was a patron at the “Benderhof” restaurant, then owned by alexandra Maas. Stories were shared about band activities and video shoots from the past two and a half decades, including a memorable, circuitous journey from the Humbergturm to downtown Kaiserslautern.
A Versatile Musical Journey
Music is essential at any birthday party, and it held particular importance at this event. While french Touch initially focused on the accordion-driven styles of musette and tango, their sound has evolved over time and two studio albums. They’ve incorporated funky attitudes, as heard in Janischowski’s composition “Bubble Blue,” and jazzy influences, exemplified by “Swing Vagabond” from Quadro Nuevo. These two titles, among many others, demonstrated the breadth of accordion music and the versatility of a band like French Touch.
The three-hour concert-celebration created the Wirkung eines konzentrierten Kurzurlaubs
(effect of a concentrated short vacation) for the enthusiastic audience. This quote comes from a press article read aloud by Madeleine Giese, author and reciter, who was the first special guest of the evening.
special Guests Abound
Speaking of special guests, there were more to come. Pianist Martin Preiser, a former band member, contributed his talents to the performance at the Kammgarn.Sadly, not all musical companions could attend, including Wolfgang “Gandhi” Dobner, the pianist from French Touch’s early days, who was mentioned several times.
In true birthday fashion, the band fulfilled some special wishes with additional guests. Clarinetist Nina Postweiler added new and surprisingly positive overtones to the pieces “Le chat noir” and the aforementioned jazz title. Furthermore, the dancing duo Camilla Marcati and Teade Abma transformed the group’s repertoire title “Last Tango in Paris” into a captivating and professional dance performance.
The evening was filled with countless gifts,both given and received. Smaller surprises included a projection of the professionally produced band video for the composition “Myth” (with live music accompaniment) and an exhibition of articles, flyers, and photos documenting the band’s history in the foyer.
Man habe sich lange auf diesen Abend vorbereitet
(We prepared for this evening for a long time), Alexandra Maas stated at the beginning of the performance. And it paid off. Weary but visibly relieved, the band played their final piece, “Montgolfiere” (with vocal support), and gratefully accepted the long, standing ovation from the audience, followed by an energetic encore. This birthday celebration offered something for everyone.
French Touch: Celebrating 25 Years of Music at Kammgarn
French Touch, Kaiserslautern’s beloved musical group, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with a special “Jubiläumskonzert” at Kulturzentrum Kammgarn.This Q&A explores the highlights of the event and the band’s journey.
What was the French Touch 25th-anniversary concert like?
The 25th-anniversary concert was a vibrant and engaging party held at the sold-out Kasino of the Kammgarn in Kaiserslautern. The event featured:
A captivating performance by the core quartet: Alexandra Maas (accordion/moderator), Harald Pfeil (guitar), Wolfgang Janischowski (contrabass), and Michael Lakatos (percussion/vibraphone).
Charming anecdotes from the band’s history, shared by Alexandra Maas.
A diverse musical journey showcasing the evolution of French Touch’s sound.
Special guest appearances by former band members and other talented artists.
A retrospective exhibition of the band’s history, featuring articles, flyers, and photos.
Who are the members of French Touch?
The core members of French Touch are:
Alexandra Maas: Accordionist and moderator, also the former owner of the “Benderhof” restaurant where the band members initially connected.
Harald Pfeil: Guitarist and a patron of Alexandra Maas’s restaurant.
Wolfgang Janischowski: Contrabassist, known for his composition “Bubble blue.”
Michael Lakatos: Percussionist and vibraphonist.
How did French Touch get started?
The band members initially met at the “Benderhof” restaurant, owned by Alexandra Maas. Harald Pfeil was a regular patron, leading to the formation of the musical group.
What kind of music does French Touch play?
French Touch initially focused on accordion-driven styles such as:
Musette
Tango
Over the years, their sound has evolved to incorporate:
Funky attitudes
Jazzy influences
Examples of their diverse musical range include Janischowski’s “Bubble blue” and ”Swing Vagabond,” reminiscent of Quadro Nuevo.
Where did the 25th-anniversary concert take place?
The concert was held at sold-out Kasino of the Kammgarn, in Kaiserslautern, Germany.
Who were the special guests at the 25th-anniversary concert?
The concert featured several special guests, including:
Martin Preiser: A former band member who played the piano.
Madeleine Giese: Author and reciter, who read a press article about the band.
Nina Postweiler: Clarinetist, who added a new dimension to “Le chat noir” and “Swing Vagabond.”
Camilla Marcati and Teade Abma: A dancing duo who performed a captivating rendition of “Last Tango in Paris.”
Wolfgang “Gandhi” Dobner: Pianist from French Touch’s early days.
What were some of the highlights of the evening?
Anecdotes and stories from the band’s 25-year history, sharing a journey from the “Humbergturm” to downtown Kaiserslautern.
The projection of a professionally produced band video for “Myth,” accompanied by live music.
* The standing ovation and energetic encore that capped off the three-hour celebration.
French Touch Concert Details: A Summary
| Feature | Details |
| ——————- | —————————————————————————————————– |
| Event | 25th-Anniversary “Jubiläumskonzert” |
| Location | Kasino of the Kammgarn, Kaiserslautern |
| Core Members | Alexandra Maas, Harald Pfeil, Wolfgang Janischowski, michael Lakatos |
| Musical Style | Musette, Tango, Funk, Jazz |
| Special Guests | Martin Preiser, Madeleine Giese, Nina Postweiler, camilla Marcati, Teade Abma, Wolfgang “Gandhi” Dobner |
| Notable Moments | Band history stories, “Myth” video projection, standing ovation |