Two very original modern jazz groups camped at the Glenn Miller Café in central Stockholm this past week. Above is the piano trio and experimental jazz group Lekverk: Adam Forkelid (keyboard), Putte Johander (bass), Jon Fält (drums). Their music ranges from free jazz, to a capella singing (none of them are singers), to blowing air through glass bottles, to melodic jams. It was all wildly entertaining! The encore is huge in Sweden-applause quickly transforms into synchronized, rhythmic clapping. Funny story: Lekverk persuaded the audience to switch roles with them for an encore. Instead of the musicians leaving the stage momentarily, the entire audience exited the jazz club only to reenter while Lekverk clapped for them. They then rocked the house. Dig on the 6/4 jam Lekverk played in the final set:
The drummer in Lekverk also mans the set in yet another experimental group, The Stoner, playing original music by front man Nils Berg, who plays flute, tenor sax and a very tasty bass clarinet. Not as jam oriented, the music is distinct in character, playful, and wacky. The sound clip below sounds more like a sassy show tune than a jazz cut–but hey, it works.
I somehow got the Royal Conservatory and Royal Institute of Technology mixed up. Whoops! The result was sitting in on a “jazz band” rehearsal that made my ears bleed…at least I got some beer out of it. Tonight I’m jamming on standards with young players at a restaurant/bar in town. Look out for Sunday, I’ll post up original jazz I’ll be playing with a trio I organized. Up next: Kulturfestival in Stockholm, Oslo Jazz Festival in a week, then Copenhagen.
A mural in a subway station art exhibition:
