Kira Martini, Hvid, Holkenov & Ærø

Several weeks ago, on a cold, wet Monday in September, with the nostalgia for the warm days of the bygone summer ringing in my ears.... 

Shots from a jam session with songbird Kira Martini,  the accomplished pianist Steen "Stoney" Holkenov and bassist Ida Hvid. 

Watch our for the trio in any of Copenhagen's jazz venues and other intimate locations and indeed for Kira, who is currently working on quite a few solo projects, including the completion of an album that'll definitely warm quite a few hearts. 

Check out Kira's Soundcloud (Click here) 

Across the expanse

Ad perpetuam memoriam

Across this expanse out of my window I stare

To the fleeting clouds who will my message bear

Over the sea and Sahara sands, to the fields of Eden

Past snow-topped mountains and misty seasons

Across this expanse out of my window I glare

To the vivid blues and greens that remind me of home 

I arch my head towards the wind to listen to its whisper

And into it send my own message of happiness wrapped in silver


Merry Christmas mum 

Interview with Yann Tiersen

It's not everyday that one gets to sit side by side one's musical idols and chat lightheartedly away as the evening prances by.  My dear mate Edoardo and I quite literally stumbled on the opportunity to interview the French composer and multi-instrumentalist Yann Tiersen back in May after his concert at Rust, Copenhagen.  The interview was shot immediately after an epic, sweaty and packed-to-capacity performance that showcased snippets off his forthcoming album "Skyline." The interview was published in the last issue of Roskilde University's "Papaya magazine," which you're more than welcome to check out at www.thepapayamag.com 

Yann Tiersen, as some may know is the composer behind film scores such as "Le Fabuleux Destin D'Amelie Poulin" and "Goodbye Lenin,"   films that have garnered their fare share of critical acclaim in their time.

Here's what he had to say when we caught up with him right after his show.

Paula Tebbens & EBDK at Blågårds Cafe 19th September 2011

Pianist Edoardo Bottalico and singer / songwriter Paula Tebbens were at their unparalleled best last week at Nørrebro's lively Blågårds Apotek. I've never seen the place as packed as it was, tell-tale signs of a convincing if not entertaining performance. 

Check out Paula's music on her myspace page: 

http://www.myspace.com/paulema

Paula will be playing at the cosy "Løve's cafe" in Tove's gallery, Vesterborgade on Saturday in case you missed out on this show. 

Save our street: Swopbox

I've been out and about of late, roaming the grey streets in connection with work and other pursuits.  Public space is always an interesting place to let one's thoughts wander as the peculiarity and genius of humanity manifests itself at its sharpest, most refined state. The street is where all of society comes together;  the sick, the sickeningly rich, the decadent, the materialistic, the assured, the insecure...all prance and dance on together on the canvas of public space, a heartening cocktail of colour under the dull skies and fretful winds.

I stumbled upon an intriguing site last Thursday on my way home from work; a man riding a bike with a transparent plastic box filled with used syringes. I was instantly taken aback by the blood-stained contents and proceeded to inquire where they were from and what they were doing in a box attached to the front of a bike. The man on the bike, one Allan Hylbech promptly informed me that they were but a fraction of the 12'000 syringes gathered on the streets of Vesterbro every week.

Swopbox is an initiative that aims to help drug addicts safely dispose of their used syringes by offering 2 DKK per every syringe deposited in plastic containers like the one I saw attached to the bike.  Ridding the streets of used syringes and their hazardous needles is the key philosophy behind the initiative run by Allan Hylbech, Michael Schmidt and Tania Henneberg. The dispensation of clean syringe kits via a 24 hour machine is another dimension to the project, which offers anonymous access 24 hours a day to drug  users.

Clean syringe kits reduce the risks of HIV and other diseases spreading as a result of shared needles as does the collection of used syringes. Cleaner streets and therein more content residents as well as lower healthcare expenses related to the treatment of HIV patients are also goals of the Swopbox initiative.

Check out Swopbox's Facebook page for more details:


http://www.facebook.com/pages/SWOPBOX/131702130258856