> INSIDE: CYCLING IN BASEL • EASTER IN COLMAR • BLICKFANG • LEAVING BASEL • FRESH EGGS Volume 3 Issue 7 CHF 5/€5 A Monthly Guide to Living in Basel April 2015 ESTIVALS f BASEL 2015 Internationally reknowned artists bring their best of jazz and blues to Basel this month LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Basel Life Readers: Music is in the air this month with an impressive variety of concerts in a wide range of musical styles including classical, opera, a nostalgic Beatles show, April 2015 Volume 3 Issue 7 a traditional Proms concert, not to mention a fantastic line-up of internation- al acts playing at the Blues Festival Basel and the Jazzfestival Basel. If spring TABLE OF CONTENTS puts a spring in your step, you are in luck as April is also filled with dance parties, workshops, and shows devoted to a variety of dance styles, including Feature Event: Jazz & Blues Festivals 4-5 tango, Caribbean, Latin, ballet, and modern dance. Spring also brings with it the beginning of bicycle season. If you would like to cycle in Basel, be sure to check out this month’s bicycle special bursting with Events in Basel: April 2015 6-9 information on everything you need to know from buying a bicycle and getting it ready for the road, to important regulations for cycling in Basel, riding with Fun Outings: Beyond Basel 10-11 children, bicycle classes, taking your bike on public transportation, and much more. But if running is more your thing, there is also an event for you—the annual relay race, Quer Durch Basel. Special Report: Cycling Season in Basel 12-15 For those times when April showers force Baslers inside, the diverse vari- ety of museum exhibits offers something to satisfy everyone’s interests. For instance, even though the Kunstmuseum is now closed for renovations and Calendar: April 2015 16-17 expansion, you can still view some of its masterpieces at the Museum für Gegenwartskunst and the Museum der Kulturen. Or let yourself be intrigued Markets and Fairs 18 by how the fanaticism of football has taken on almost-religious quality, ap- preciate contemporary design in Africa, view and play a variety of guitars at the Guitorama exhibit, witness the Rhein’s history in paintings, or be amazed Swissness in a Nutshell: Swiss Army Knives 19 and disgusted by the world of parasites before this wonderful exhibit closes later this month. On the following pages you can also learn all about the egg industry in Basel Sports and Recreation 20-21 and how to get delicious farm-fresh eggs, as well as about the odd Swiss post-Easter egg competition, the Eierleset. Be sure to stock-up at the second Workshops, Tours, and Education 22-24 hand English book sale, enjoy a wine tasting on a ship on the Rhein, experi- ence Easter time in Alsace, or come to your senses at Sensorium. Finally, if you should have to move away from Basel or even just plan to change houses Did You Know? 25 in the area, check out our Information Desk to get all sorts of practical infor- mation and tips to ensure a successful move. Information Desk: Leaving Basel 26-27 Wishing you a happy start to a new season, Entertainment: Night on the Town 28-31 Christine Christine Pesold Editor-in-Chief [email protected] Ticket Office: Get Your Tickets Now! back page Mark Your Calendar: May 2015 back page Basel Life Magazine Staff: COVER: In April, Basel is alive with the sound of Editor-in-Chief: music! First, the Blues Festival Basel brings their Christine Pesold musical highlights into town for the 15th year. They will be presenting both international stars and local talent from April 14-19. Advertising & Subscription Manager / Editor: Susanne Hiller And if that is not enough, the Jazzfestival Basel will celebrate 25 years of Off- beat! Concerts between April 16 and May 10. Their more than 25 concerts at vari- Art Director: ous venues in Basel and Riehen include artists from all around the world, repre- Jon Hoefer senting a broad variety of musical styles—from tango, Scandinavian, African, and Senior Graphic Designer: oriental music to piano trios, drummers night, and jazz in the church. Add to that Juan Ruiz the regular musical events you can find each month in Basel, such as jazz music For more information about subscribing or advertising – please contact us: at the bird’s eye jazz club, symphony concerts at the Stadt-Casino, the “Lion King” [email protected] at Musical Theater, and a variety of other concerts and there can be no doubt— www.facebook.com/basellifemagazine April is Musical Madness Month in Basel! www.basellife.com BASEL LIFE MAGAZINE / BASEL FAMILY GmbH © Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. It is our goal to provide valuable, timely information to our readers. The opinions expressed in the articles in this magazine are those of the contributing authors and do not reflect those of other members of the editorial staff and of any organizations or agencies distributing this magazine. Though we make every attempt to provide accurate information, we cannot be held respon- sible if any event is cancelled, postponed, or modified. We encourage readers to contact the event organizers or their websites to obtain the most current event information. Please note: No part of this periodical may be duplicated in any fashion, or redistributed in any written language, without permission from the executive staff at Basel Family GmbH. If you have any questions, contact Basel Family GmbH staff at: [email protected]. 2 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com photo credits: © xxxx April 2015 3 Information Desk Jazzfestival Basel. DATE BAND FESTIVAL SERIES/THEME LOCATION TIME PRICE April 26 Thierry Lang-Trio The Young Offbeat Stage Jazzcampus Basel 13:30 Free with any other April 16 – May 10 Offbeat ticket on the same day, otherwise This year, Basel plays host to the 25th edition of CHF 10 the Offbeat Jazz Festival Basel, which will bring us April 26 Daniel Humair & Pete York The Drummers Night Volkshaus Basel 19:15 CHF 36-73 another fabulous line-up of dozens of jazz bands April 27 Bigband der Hochschule The Young Offbeat Stage Jazzcampus Basel 18:30 & Free with any other of international reputation playing at various lo- für Musik 22:30 Offbeat ticket on the Jazz cations around Basel. Tickets can be purchased same day, otherwise CHF 10 online or in person at the BaslerZeitung (BaZ) April 27 Jane Monheit Quartet Vocal Night Volkshaus Basel 20:15 CHF 36-70 in Aeschenplatz, Bider & Tanner, Stadt-Casino April 29 Hildegard lernt fliegen New & Hip (BMW Jazzpreisträger Gare du Nord 20:00 CHF 36 Blues Basel, Manor, Migros, post offices, and the SBB 2014) ticket counters. Visit their website to learn more April 30 Rita Marcotulli & Luciano Strada Invisibile Gare du Nord 19:00 CHF 38; Kombiticket about the artists at www.offbeat-concert.ch, or go Biondini CHF 66 FESTIVAL April 30 Ambrose Akinmusire News From Blue Note Gare du Nord 20:45 CHF 38; Kombiticket to www.starticket.ch to buy your tickets. BASEL-2015 Group CHF 66 & May 1 Bassekou Kouyaté & African Night Kaserne Basel 20:00 CHF 45-68 Ngoni Ba May 2 Carmen Cortés / Gerardo Noche Iberica y Flamenca Kaserne Basel 20:00 CHF 31-75 Núñez 5tet, Las Migas May 3 Taksim-Trio East Meets West I Kaserne Basel 18:30 CHF 25-55; Kombiticket CHF 35-80 DATE BAND FESTIVAL SERIES/THEME LOCATION TIME PRICE May 3 Rabih Abou-Khalil New East Meets West II Kaserne Basel 20:30 CHF 25-55; April 16 E.S.T. (Esbjörn Svensson Festival-Eröffnung Stadt-Casino Basel, 20:00 CHF 38-110 Group Kombiticket CHF 35-80 Trio) Symphony (with Musiksaal May 4 Joe Lovano & The Village Cross-Culture Stadt-Casino 20:15 CHF 37-75 Sinfonieorchester Basel) Rhythm Band Basel, Festsaal April 17 Yaron Herman Duo / Paolo The Art of Duo Stadt-Casino 20:00 CHF 35-69 May 6 Tuck & Patti Jazz in Church Dorfkirche Riehen 20:00 CHF 29-69 Fresu Duo Basel, Festsaal May 7 Tigran Hamasyan & The Jazz in Church Dorfkirche Riehen 20:00 CHF 29-59 April 19 Dino Saluzzi Group “El Tango Argentino Stadt-Casino 20:15 CHF 33-80 Yerevan State Chamber Valle De La Infancia” Basel, Musiksaal Choir April 20 Stanley Clarke Band “UP” The Bass-Giant Stadt-Casino 20:15 CHF 34-88 May 8 Jacky Terrasson & Vino e Jazz Delinat Weindepot 20:15 CHF 53 Basel, Musiksaal Stephane Belmondo Basel April 21 Till Brönner Quintet An Evening with Till Brönner Stadt-Casino 20:15 CHF 34-88 May 9 Viktoria Tolstoy & Jacob Vino e Jazz Delinat Weindepot 20:15 CHF 53 Basel, Musiksaal Karlzon Basel April 22 Anouar Brahem New Oriental Night tadt-Casino Basel, 20:15 CHF 33-80 May 10 Dianne Reeves & Band The First Lady of Jazz Stadt-Casino 20:15 CHF 33-90 Group Musiksaal Basel, Musiksaal April 23 Marc Perrenoud Trio Best Piano Trios in Jazz Volkshaus Basel, 20:00 CHF 32-68 / Joachim Kuehn Trio Grosser Saal “Chalaba” Blues Festival Basel. April 23 “Four Square” The Young Offbeat Stage Jazzcampus Basel, 18:30 & Free with any other DATE TIME CONCERT 22:30 Offbeat ticket on the April 14-19 April 14 20:00-23:30 Promo Blues Night: I-Van & The Car- same day, otherwise go Handlers—Bluestonique—Pascal CHF 10 This 6-day popular event features international Geiser—51 Blues Band—Manu Hartmann & April 24 Niko Seibold Quartet The Young Offbeat Stage Jazzcampus Basel, 18:30 & Free with any other stars from the world of Blues, as well as talent The City Blues Band 22:30 Offbeat ticket on the from the local music scene.