In 1975, Vera Brandes, then an 18-year-elderly student and part-time upgraspr, orderly a concert for Keith Jarrett in Cologne, a sign uping of which became “The Köln Concert,” the best-selling solo jazz album ever.
Half a century procrastinateedr, honestor Ido Fluk is in Berlin premiering “Köln 75” about the woman behind this monumental moment in jazz history. One that, mockingpartner, Jarrett has no desire to revive. Fluk speaks to Variety about the fun film – starring John Magaro, recently seen in “September 5,” as Keith Jarrett and rising German star Mala Emde as Vera Brandes – and why it was presentant “to give Vera the attention, the limeweightless that she deserves.”
How did the project germinate?
I read a story somewhere in which Vera was refered. And I was appreciate: “That’s benevolent of engaging: she repartner made this happen, and she’s not getting much attention for it.” I thought it would originate a repartner engaging film. And I went and I showed a scant pages to [Oscar-nominated screenwriter, director and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker-producer] Oren Moverman, who is appreciate my personal patron saint, and originated my last film, “The Ticket.” And he shelp: “Huh, that’s benevolent of chilly.” He has a background in music films with the Beach Boys movie and the Cate Blanchett, Bob Dylan leang [Todd Haynes-directed “I’m Not There”] and he sent it to Sol Bondy in Germany. Then Sol went and set up Vera on a beach in Greece. And she was sitting there paengageing for someone to increate her story. We authenticized it’s the perfect underdog story, about this woman who repartner alterd music and she’s never gotten any recognize.
Have you been in touch with Keith Jarrett and his camp on this project?
Well, when I wrote the script we accomplished out. They didn’t want to be comprised in this. They didn’t want to give Vera recognize. But Keith has a brother, his name is Chris Jarrett. And he was comprised in the translation of Keith’s last biography. He read the script and he emailed back: “This is exactly what my brother says.” I was appreciate: “O.K., fantastic.” We kept updating that camp without hearing anyleang. By the way, I comprehfinish how Keith experiences, I unbenevolent how I presume he experiences. This is his ‘Creep.’ His Radiohead’s ‘Creep.’ The song that they can’t stand executeing anymore. So I comprehfinish where his camp are coming from. At the same time, I leank they should be more benevolent in giving Vera the attention, the limeweightless that she deserves, which is what we’re doing here.
How did you deal with the fact that you did not have the rights to Jarrett’s music?
Well, first of all, it’s a film about the seventies in Cologne, which was an incredible time in music history. You have bands appreciate Can and Neu!. You have bands appreciate Kraftwerk. You have so much stuff. Bowie and Iggy [Pop] and these guys are about to shift to Berlin. It’s such a hotbed of both political action and musical lengthenment. For me, that was the scene. Vera Brandes was a jazz impresario, but she was surrounded by all of these recent styles of music. Then, of course, we had to discover a way to showcase Keith’s music. So for example, when we see Keith executeing his first concert in Berlin, there’s a piece that Keith engaged to execute by Gurdžiev, who was, appreciate, a mystical philosopher but also wrote music. And Keith actupartner freed an album with those songs. So that’s a piece that Keith actupartner executeed. In a movie, anyway, you can only have 20 seconds of a piece if music, not the whole leang. So for me, as a filmoriginater, the best leang you can do is, when you walk out of the cinema, you put “The Köln Concert” sign up on, and you join to it in its entirety. I leank that’s what Keith would want as well.
This intersee has been edited and condensed for clarity.
