1 British visit
If we’re not going to (re)declare Copenhagen as Europe’s jazz capital—which I personally wouldn’t mind, both musically and personally—then London currently holds the title. Or at least it’s the closest competitor.
The youth club Tomorrow’s Warriors has, for the past 30 years, been nurturing young, new talents on the jazz scene from a venue on the south bank of the Thames, and their efforts have certainly paid off. Big stars like Shabaka Hutchings, Soweto Kinch, and Nubya Garcia have emerged from the organization, collectively pushing the boundaries of what British jazz can sound like.
But what does tomorrow hold, if we ask the new generation of future warriors? It might sound like the group Oreglo, who approach the task with clenched fists and tense jaw muscles. Think psychedelic rock with a tuba as the foundation and roots in reggae. Think Miles on ’Bitches Brew’ and electric jazz twisted into unrecognizability. Think wild drums over a screaming organ. In true British English, there’s nothing else to say but: Colour me intrigued.
Oreglo. July 12 at Musikcafeen, Huset. Copenhagen K.
2 Across borders
The last track on the album is titled ’We don’t want your stupid war,’ and hey, it’s music for our times.
Danish saxophonist Amalie Dahl has assembled a bit of a cross-Scandinavian dream team around her with the group Dafnie, and after touring half of Europe over the past year with the very successful album ’Står op med solen’ in their luggage, the Dafnies are now returning to Copenhagen.
We could call it avant-garde, free, or whatever... it’s essentially irrelevant; what’s more important is that the quintet’s music is disarming, open, and invites free interpretation. It’s evocative, for sure.
If you haven’t been back yet, the concert is also a great reason to visit Alice, which after extensive renovations now boasts beautiful interior frames matching the ambition level of Denmark’s most adventurous venue.
Amalie Dahl’s Dafnie. July 8 at Alice, Copenhagen N.
3Creative play at the children’s theater
There’s also room for the Berlin sound, where traditions are broken and functional harmony is set aside. This is filtered through Danish ears via young alto saxophonist Asger Nissen, who may have been born in Helsingør but was trained at the conservatory in the German metropolis. Cultural exchange is still alive!
At the Children’s Theater, he brings along schoolmates Julius Gawlik (tenor saxophone) and Thorbjørn Stefansson (bass), alongside the no longer up-and-coming, now fully established and exceptionally skilled Cornelia Nilsson on drums. It promises to be nothing short of interesting.
Nissen/Gawlik/Stefansson/Nilsson. July 6 at Christiania’s Children’s Theater, Copenhagen K.
4By the water tower
Three of the country’s most exciting musicians – kora player Dawda Jobarteh, bassist Ida Duelund, and resident Norwegian drummer and singer Siv Øyunn – are coming together this summer for a new collaborative project on the outdoor stage in front of the concrete gray water tower that looms above the trees on Brønshøj Hill.
I’m not entirely sure what we should expect... but the concert will likely be based on Jobarteh’s compositions, according to rumors. One thing is certain though: I am excited to see and hear what these three musical talents come up with.
Jobarteh, Øyunn & Duelund. July 5 at Brønshøj Water Tower.
5Head-bobbing music
The garden in front of Pumpehuset is one of the city’s coziest stages, and in recent years it has really impressed with progressive programming that spreads avant-garde and experimental music to a broader audience. Cheers for that.
This summer, I’m looking forward to experiencing the Aarhus-based Clothing Club, which has been stirring in the underground for a few years but is now on the brink of a breakthrough with their mix of lo-fi hip-hop and modern jazz.
Clothing Club. July 4 at Byhaven, Copenhagen V.
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