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35 years of pub culture with jazz, blues and literature

After more than 30 years of jazz pub, the bass violin is one of the oldest jazz venues in Germany. The direction has never changed in these 35 years, and still Norbert Bolz, whom all affectionately call “Bolle”, is the gastronomic tenant and organizer of the concerts. Even the legendary Frankfurt Jazzclub in the Bockenheimer

In the 55 years of its existence, Road has changed tenants and promoters at least five times.

Everything started on November 23, 1977. From the Wittinger Pilsstube at the historical place Bäckerklint and Eulenspiegelbrunnen, which at that time was more a Eckkneipe embossed by craftsmen, became the Musikkneipe Baßgeige. The location was unique. For pigeon-technically, it fit well into the scene concept of the former Breiten Straße, where there was the famous “Pata Pata Hof” with the legendary “Knuff” and many other pubs. In addition, the disco “Darkness Club” and the “Balkan cellar” were located on Breite Straße and the “Bistro Unal” and the still existing “Strohpinte” by Helmut Pichler. A bit off in the Scharrnstraße there was the famous pupil and student pint “Dreampipe” later called “whistle”, Uwe Brückner farmed. From 1972 worked there in the “whistle” Bolle and Lucius (Wolfgang Goedecke) together as a counter team.

In 1977 Bolle took over a nearby shop on Bäckerklint. Lucius moved in, and after a short reconstruction phase, the bass violin was born. From the beginning it was clear that live music should be played at this new pub location. Brunswick’s “Red Onions” also kicked off the first jazz concert. Over the next few years followed a series of blues concerts with legendary originals from the American blues scene. Among others, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Robert Lockwood Jr., Sunnyland Slim, Louisiana Red, Margie Evans, Willi Mabon, Jack Dupree and many others had come to Germany for the first time through Lippmann & Rau’s American Folk Blues Festival book.

At the same time, Bolle and Lucius have long had a weakness for modern jazz. This style became the musical center of the bass violin. The first Modern Jazz concerts were then performed with the support of Charles Benecke, who staged the famous “Jazz im Lindenhof” concerts in the 1970s. With him, Otto Wolters (piano), Udo Dammann (guitar), Thomas Geese, Lucius and Bolle, the Braunschweig Music Initiative was founded in 1978.

In the bass violin then regularly, mostly twice a month, not only regional but also international jazz concerts were played. The European Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of bassist Ali Haurand, played again and again to the present day. Well-known soloists like Gerd Dudek, Tony