They didn’t have a long journey, but given the current transport problems in Bonn even a ferry over from Honnef isn’t guranteed these days. Fortunately for us all there was a ferry, and therefore a concert at Unter der Zeder by Friendship21 to enjoy. With a couple of special guests too…
But first, what’s in a name? Friendship21? Saxophonist Ernst Nellessen explains all when the quartet step under the branches of Bad Godesberg’s most famous cedar tree. “We have all been friends for many years and in 2021 had all retired. The band was a good way to give our wives a break from having us under their feet all day!” he smiles. Good for the wives then, but also good for Bonn jazz fans, especially fans of 70’s/80’s Fusion Jazz.
David Sanborn’s ‘More than friends’, Weather Report’s ‘Birdland’, Billy Cobham’s ‘Red Baron’ and particularly Spyro Gyra’s ‘Catching the sun’ perfectly reflected the warm airy feeling of Summer and the light breeze wafting through the Kurpark. Just as importantly you could feel the musicians themselves were enjoying the music too.
Keyboarder Jochen Wagner arranges the music for Friendship21 but it was clear throughout that the other friends – Nellessen, Stephan Schneider on drums and bassist Joachim Kleimann, after playing for so many years together share with him an almost telepathic musical understanding. But they clearly like also still to add extra challenge to appearances so, to spice things up for both band and audience we were treated to guest musicians from outside the Jazz-fusion sphere.
I was particularly interested to hear how Christian Padberg‘s scat musical style would find space in the arrangements but not surprised at all at the ease with which he added an extra orchestral backing armed with only a small whistle pipe and chime bells as physical instruments. The rest, Christian being Christian aka ‘Dad’s Phonkey’, was Just vocal trickery – better described by a musical layman like myself as musical magic. He did even sing a ‘straight vocal’ when the band made a visit to Jazz Funk territory courtesy of George Duke’s ‘Brazilian Love Affair’. It sounded great. Why doesn’t he sing more often? I asked later. “It’s great not having to remember lots of lyrics” was his very logical reply.
Further granuals of musical spice were added to the Jazz fusion mix in part two with the appearance of second special guest Jane Palmer. Very much a ‘special’ guest too. Jane has worked with the likes of Joe Cocker, Jack Bruce, Cher and top German stars like Herbert Grönemeyer and Udo Lindenberg. Palmer’s part of the show started fittingly with Stephen Still’s ‘Love the one you’re with’ – also a favourite choice of Joe Cocker in the ’70’s. Aretha Franklin’s million selling ‘Until you come back to me’ and Al Green’s ‘Let’s stay together’ showed that she and the band had Soul running through their veins too.
Concert’s end saw Ernst Nellessen put down his saxophone to thank KuKuG and Kleines Theater for giving the band a place to play their music across the river from their main location in Honnef. To thank the soundman and lighting and to thank the audience for turning up in such numbers. It was a pleasure Ernst, and once again it was an extra pleasure that is easily taken for granted when it happens time and time again that musicians clearly enjoy being musicians and making music together. That personal atmosphere is something that Unter der Zeder works hard to create. Take a bow all the volunteers (Ehrenamtliche) who work behind the scenes to make the magic happen!
And the magic continues by the Kleines Theater in Bad Godesberg’s Kurpark every Monday in August:
17.08 NoireRouge – Tatjana Schwarz, Ralf Haupts und Mylene Schrijen Knefs recall musical legends like Dietrich and Zarah Leander
24.08 Kathrin Eigendorf introduces a sing-a-long evening. This event proved so popular in 2025 that many voices were raised asking “When can we do that again?”. Now you know. 24 August!
For info and tickets visit the KuKuG website HERE
