Münchner Open Air Sommer 2026 - Willy Astor

In the organizer's words:

"The Sound of Islands" - this is what Astor called the first album of his purely musical project in 1994. Since then, six successful albums and two DVDs have been released, on which Willy Astor and his musicians take listeners into the world of the most diverse musical styles, from tango to bossa nova, from African moods to flamenco, from blues to Bavarian folk music to jazz. While the last production"The Sound of Islands - Symphonic" (2015, CD + DVD) with the Munich Radio Orchestra was a fusion of guitar sound, band and symphonic sounds, the new album"Guitar" impresses with its instrumentation and multi-faceted virtuosity in the new small quartet line-up.

The album's opener"Siracusa" leads the listener into the realm of fantasy and captivates with the pure sound of the guitar and the feather-light melodic line. A soulful homage to the largest and most powerful city in Sicily in ancient times. With"Kalipe" (Tibetan for 'always steady foot'), which radiates calm and energy in equal measure, Astor creates an acoustic antithesis to our hyperactive, multi-tasking world. With"Blackbird", one of the most beautiful Beatles classics, he pays tribute to the band with his sensitive interpretation.

The cheerful piece"Ubuntu" is a musical reflection of the African philosophy of life of the same name. One of the most important representatives of this philosophy of humanity was the former South African president Nelson Mandela. Other multi-stringed sound paintings sometimes sound jazzy, sometimes Brazilian or floating with sparse sounds. Not only because of his excellent skills, but also because of the use of his numerous special guitars, which he collects with great passion. These include a fine 1930s Martin model formerly owned by US country star Gillian Welch.

The atmospherically dense album ends with"Nautilus", Astor's most successful track, which was first released on Vol. 1 of the series in 1994 (as well as his "Reim Time" guest appearances).

"The Sound of Islands" - wellness for the senses - not just for guitar fans.

Price information:

Discounts available for pupils, students and severely disabled persons with GdB 100.