50 years of change: Willisau Jazz Festival
In 1975, Niklaus Troxler founded the Willisau Jazz Festival, which soon became one of the most important events on the contemporary scene's agenda. In August, the series, which is now directed by Arno Troxler, celebrated its anniversary.
The Willisau Jazz Festival was born in 1975, but that is only half the story: Niklaus "Knox" Troxler, founder and long-time director of the event, has been organizing concerts in Willisau, his place of birth and residence, since 1966. "I started with older jazz because I first had to awaken an interest in new things in this area," explains the graphic designer and poster designer in an interview with the magazine Jazz.
Under the sign of free jazz
Little by little, Troxler (born in 1947) is confronting his audience with experimental jazz, which sometimes disturbs older music fans, but encourages him as an organizer. For the first edition of his new festival, he hopes for an open-minded audience. A wish that is also reflected in the very first poster. Like all the others up to and including 2009, it was designed by Niklaus Troxler himself and shows the pop art-inspired silhouette of a head with a huge red quiff forming an oversized ear. The effect is modern, fresh and rebellious and captures the spirit of the free jazz of the time, which characterized the first festival edition with artists such as Archie Shepp and Cecil Taylor.
Six years later, on the occasion of the 7th edition, Troxler makes it clear that the event has not only established itself, but is now in its prime. The program continues to focus on free jazz and improvisation, but now increasingly seeks its fortune with US stars, such as the Pharoah Sanders Quartet or guitarist Pat Metheny. The festival poster presents itself accordingly self-confidently, with an abstract, neon-colored trumpet player as its motif - which has a strong rhythmic, moving and energetic effect.
The essence of jazz
16 years later, Troxler's poster for the 23rd festival edition is radically reduced. It shows a group of figures dancing and playing instruments - almost as if they had been scribbled on with ink. A minimalist setting without any gimmickry - reminiscent of the essence of jazz between sound, body and moment. The line-up, which is themed "Jazz Around the World" and features acts such as the French-Vietnamese guitarist Nguyên Lê and the Egberto Gismonti Group from Brazil, is also fitting. And emphatically demonstrates that Willisau hardly knows any stylistic boundaries any more.
In 2009, the festival faces an unclear future. The only certainty is that the 35th edition will be founder Niklaus Troxler's last. In June of the same year, however, it becomes clear that it will continue - within the family. From 2010, nephew Arno (born 1979), a trained drummer, will take over the sceptre. For his very last festival poster, Niklaus Troxler opts for a calmer, more organic design, a deliberate retreat from the dynamic motifs of the past. The music program also follows his preferences once again - from Africa to blues to avant-garde.
A visual departure too
In 2010, the anxious question is: What will the "new guy" do with this traditional event? The answer: Arno Troxler keeps his promise and brings continuity to the Willisau Jazz Festival, but also knows how to set new accents. He does this by bringing genres such as electronic music and rock to the stages of the small Lucerne town for the first time, bringing artists such as electric bassist Meshell Ndegeocello and Norwegian singer Sidsel Endresen. The new momentum is also noticeable in the poster design for the festival: The poster created by Annik and Paula Troxler, the founder's daughters, combines clear typography with color dynamics, structure and graphic elegance - and marks the departure to new creative shores.
To mark the 50th anniversary, Paula Troxler and Kleon Medugorac designed 50 different posters. Each one features a face made up of elements from previous posters, without appearing nostalgic. The four festival days prove to be no less playful with artists such as the Kali Trio, which presents post-genre sounds, or the Savannah Harris Trio, which explores the boundaries between improvisation and songwriting. Festival director Arno Troxler is happy to sum up: "2025 was characterized by fantastic concerts, audience growth and a peaceful, happy atmosphere." He is correspondingly optimistic about the future.
