Dexter Gordon Festival: Tivon Pennicott & The Great Danes
Steve Swallow & Bo Stief
A Friday afternoon concert at Jazzhus Montmartre with two renowned bass players...Steve Swallow and Bo Stief. Sweet sounds flowed from both their instruments along with some great anecdotes from the pair of them.
Steve Swallow was an early addition to my album collection many years ago and his name is on the spine of quite a few of them. I had only seen him perform in Denmark together Jonas Johansen and Hans Ulrik several years ago so this afternoon's concert was eagerly awaited. Expectations were exceeded and a good-size crowd in Montmartre showed their appreciation of the old friends whose spirit and integrity shown through the entire performance. Steve Swallow called Bo Stief a national treasure of Denmark. Bo's respect for Steve throughout the concert showed that the feeling was mutual. A few shots from the concert are available here.
NHØP 70 years celebration: Philip Catherine meets Moroni/Lundgaard/Johansen
Was at Jazzhus Montmatre last night for an emotional concert with a fine quartet consisting of Philip Catherine (guitar), Dado Moroni (piano), Jonas Johansen (drums) and Jesper Lundgaard (bass). The concert was part of a series of concerts celebrating NHØP who would have turned 70 this year.
Philip Catherine has always been a hero of mine since the 70s when I first heard him in the dutch rock band Focus and two of my all time favourite albums are his solo albums "Guitars" and "End of August". It was NHØP who gave me my initial connection to Danish jazz also back in the 70s and as among my NHØP collection is "The Viking" - a duet with Philip Catherine - this evening's concert was not to be missed. In addition, Jonas Johansen has also been one of my favourite drummers over the years and I saw him perform with NHØP on a number of occasions in the 90s and early 2000s.
The concert itself was emotional at times and whilst I don't remember the set list, I do remember one number that has been my all time favourite since the 70s - "My Little Anna" (from the album Jaywalkin'). To hear this played again live after so many years was sublime - Jesper Lundgaard filled some big shoes very well and the sweetness of Dado's piano underpinned it all...and NHØP's daughter, Anna was in the audience last night! By coincidence, my second all time favourite NHØP number is "Daughters" (from the album Pictures), but this was not part of their repertoire last night.
Playing over two sets, the performance was brilliant and the banter between the musicians and the audience added to the relaxed atmosphere.
A library of a few shots is here.
Jazz and rock and funk and lots besides - Niclas Knudsen Guitar Inferno
I was in Hillerød last night for Buddha's last concert of the current season and what a night it was. Niclas Knudsen had assembled a quartet including himself, to perform his Guitar Inferno album that he apparently recorded pretty much by himself "with lots of guitars".
Aside from Niclas who performed with a multitude of guitars (acoustic, electric - sometimes with a talk box but mostly without, and an unusual Hawaiian guitar that I can't remember what he called), he was supported by Mikkel Hess (drums), Fredrik Damsgaard (bass) and Jacob Christoffersen (keyboards).
They played two sets and at times I was taken back to the 70s and 80s with some great jazz/rock riffs and even a bit of Stones in one of the numbers (Gimme Shelter/Free Fall, well at least the opening riff) as well as some nice Spanish-like moments that wouldn't be amiss in a spaghetti western. I haven't seen performances using talkbox for many years (perhaps I should get out more?) and it took me back to when I was a thirteen year-old (1976!) hearing Frampton Comes Alive for the first time - great stuff!
The musical journey also took in India and lots around Denmark. All accomplished musicians with a great spirit between them, the packed Buddha's crowd revelled in their performance which neatly rounded off the Spring concerts in Hillerød. I enjoyed the concert so much I bought 3 copies of the Guitar Inferno CD, one each for my brother and sister in England, and one for me :-)
More to look forward to in Hillerød after the summer...and after the Copenhagen Jazz Festival!.
A selection of shots from the concert are archived here.
Niclas KnudsenNiclas Knudsen Guitar Inferno
Fredrik DamsgaardNiclas Knudsen Guitar Inferno
Mikkel HessNiclas Knudsen Guitar Inferno
Jacob ChristoffersenNiclas Knudsen Guitar Inferno
Jacob Christoffersen & Fredrik DamsgaardNiclas Knudsen Guitar Inferno
The Firebirds - a class act
Thursday night at Buddha's and a powerful concert from The Firebirds performing interpretations of Igor Stravinsky's work in the first set and Carl Nielsen's in the second set. Fast moving at times and eloquent throughout, three fine musicians performed with passion and ferocity some familiar pieces but in a way I have never heard before, but want to hear again! The Firebirds are: Stefan Pasborg (drums), Anders Banke (Sax & clarinet), Anders Filipsen (keyboards). A library of images from the concert are here.
Alex Jønsson Trio
I was not so familiar with Alex Jønsson's music before last night's concert at Buddha's so was quite excited on my way to Hillerød how the evening would turn out. With a nomination of "best new Danish name in Jazz" from the 2013 Danish Music Awards behind him and a couple of albums released - and - that Buddha's are very selective in their bookings I knew I would not be disappointed.
Speaking with Alex before the concert about musicians and bands we like, we spoke of Jakob Bro and Søren Dahl Jeppesen and he mentioned that his own sound is also minimalist and of a similar guitar style.
The trio consists of Alex Jønsson (guitar), Jens Mikkel Madsen (bass) and Andreas Skamby (drums). The concert itself was tremendous. A packed Buddha's was treated to a mixture of new material and numbers from their last album "Spy on your friends". Another great jazz evening in Hillerød.
A few photos from the concert have been placed in this library.
Buddha's had booked a local quartet known as "Coolbop Kvartet" to play a half-hour warm up. The four young musicians played jazz standards and thoroughly entertained the Buddh's crowd. The band consists of Christian Holm-Svendsen (sax), Kaper Dam Otto Hansen (piano), Mathias Berner Haugaard (bass) and Philip Mosebo Bentzen (drums). Photos of this up and coming band have been placed in this library.
Rune Funch Picture Music
It's seldom that you hear a unique sound but I think I did last night at Buddhas when Rune Funch and his cut-down band (five instead of seven due to the size of the stage!) gave a powerful performance to a good size crowd of "Picture Music". Some tracks from the album have had lots of air-time on DR P8 Jazz so although I wasn't familiar with Rune Funch I knew some of his music.
The five performing were: Rune Funch (guitar), Adi Zukanovic (keyboards), Anders (AC) Christensen (bass), Mads Hyhne (trombone), Matias Wolf Andreasen (drums).
A selection of photos from the concert are here.
Blicher, Hemmer & Gadd return to Klaverfabrikken
It was back in 2014 when the three guys last played in Hillerød to a sold-out Truckhallen. Last night they were back with a stormin' performance. It's impossible not to feel good when sitting on the sofa in Truckhallen hearing Hemmer's Hammond intertwined with Blicher's sweetness delivered through his horns and all against the eloquence of Gadd's crispness and thump. A selection of photos taken last night are in this library. The library from 2014 is here.
They play again today, to another sold out audience in Hillerød.
