Jazzkaar 2027 Opening Concert: Maria Faust Sacrum Facere “Marches Rewound & Rewritten” Estonia–Denmark–Sweden–Italy

The 2027 edition of Jazzkaar opens with Marches Rewound & Rewritten, a powerful work by Maria Faust, the 2026 Estonian Jazz Musician of the Year. Together with her ensemble Sacrum Facere, this outstanding and distinctive Estonian artist turns her attention to march music and, through it, to recurring patterns in society: hierarchy, dictatorships, and elements of propaganda in music and lyrics. Marches Rewound & Rewritten is Faust’s most acclaimed work, earning her the German Record Critics’ Award.

Faust is difficult to place within the canon of contemporary jazz and composition. Her music transcends stylistic boundaries, constantly explores new playing techniques and unusual instrumental combinations, and ultimately reaches deeply personal forms of expression. Courage is a defining feature of her work. “An artist has a duty to ask questions that matter to society,” she says.

Composer and alto saxophonist Maria Faust, currently based in Copenhagen, is one of Estonia’s most successful jazz musicians of all time. She has received numerous prestigious awards and accolades, including several Danish and Estonian music awards. In 2026, Faust was awarded the Order of the White Star, Fourth Class, and the Knight’s Cross, First Class, of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog. She has released more than ten albums and composed the music for the popular production Rahamaa at the Estonian Drama Theatre. In 2022, filmmaker Kaupo Kruusiauk released the documentary Machina Faust, exploring Faust’s life and work.