So, as I wrote from my mobile phone I got a last minute gig in Salzburg on Thursday evening. I got the call at five and had to hurry to a train that left Vienna an hour later. I arrived in Salzburg at eight and we were scheduled to start playing half an hour after this. Luckily we didn’t start on time, so I had a chance to eat some Goulash, try the borrowed baritone saxophone and take a quick glance at the notes before we went up on stage.

When I got there I understood that I were playing with a band called SK Invitational, lead by electric bass player Stephan Kondert, in a really nice club named Jazzit. It wasn’t a big band gig as I first thought, it was more or less a hip-hop gig with a compressed big band together with a singer and rappers. Setting was three saxophones, two trumpets, one trombone, violin, two guitars, bass, keys and two drum sets (I probably have missed something!).

The gig went well, there were lot’s of people in the audience and the atmosphere really was on top! I really had to concentrate to get all the syncopated sixteen notes right, but I think I did a fairly good job considering the circumstances. The band really sounded great, really groovy and fun both listening to and play with, and I must say I was very pleasantly surprised, thinking we’re playing a normal big band gig and then end up in something completely different.

After the gig we hanged around and had some beers together, in my case also while waiting for the night train back to Vienna. It left at 02.18 and arrived in Vienna at 6 o’clock in the morning. I got a little sleep on the train, although I was waking up every 5 minutes. Finally home I went to bed and slept until 13.00. There you have it, an Austrian last minute adventure. A good one.

I’m sitting on the train to Salzburg, I got a last minute big band gig. Had to leave one hour after I got the call and we start playing half an hour after I arrive. I’m gonna play on a borrowed baritone sax, so I hope half an hour is enough to make friends with it. I’m planning to take a night train back to Vienna, I just hope there will be some free seats, it wasn’t possible to book one over the internet. Well well, one thing at the time. Let’s focus on getting the notes right first…

I’m back in Austria after my visit to Sweden and the gig at New Sound Made festival. I really enjoyed to be home and see all friends again, and to hear a lot of them at the festival, there were quite a few really nice musical moments during the three days.

Unfortunately the weather wasn’t the best, but although the air was cold, it still was outweighed by the warm atmosphere of the festival, both among the musicians and the audience.

Our gig with Blue Corners was good, unfortunately I myself had a bit of a fever and was pretty dizzy during the gig, and since we were playing outside in the freezing cold combined with a pretty bad stage sound, the conditions could have been better.

Despite this we still had a good time playing and came up with some special moments. Unfortunately we ran out of time and had to shorten out program a bit, we did three tunes that got a bit longer than planned, and had to finish everything off with a very shortened version of one of the bandleader Morgan’s beautiful ballads, and take our planned last number out.

Not a bad decision though, Morgan featured this ballad beautifully and it felt good finishing our set off this way, especially since the rest of the concert became pretty powerful, and as an effect of the bad stage sound also became a bit unvaried dynamically.

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It was fun to see how fast I got into the “normal life” again, except for the fact that I tended to think a bit more in English and German this time, answering with yeah and greeting people with hallo! on first impulse.

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I missed Zlatan’s big show in the Serie A-finals, It started fifteen minutes after I boarded the plane. I’m definitely not missing his show in Euro 2008. Is that gold I smell?

Tomorrow at 11:35 I’m taking off from Vienna International Airport, and 2 hours and 25 minutes later I’m landing in Stockholm. I can’t wait, I’m really looking forward to going home this time, I haven’t been in Sweden since Christmas.

On Wednesday New Sound Made Festival starts and runs until Friday. We’re playing with Blue Corners on the big outside stage at 18.50 on Friday. Don’t miss it!

I’m going high-tech in this post and throw in two pictures from a gig with Blue Corners at Jazzclub Fasching last year. Now I only have to find my passport and I’m ready to go.

A while ago I ordered the above soundcard to use with my computer. To be sure it was gonna be delivered to the right address I chose my girlfriends name on the shipping adress, since her name is written on the postbox.

Last Thursday I received a device of delivery, but since Julia was away from Wednesday to Sunday we couldn’t pick it up until today. I followed her to the post-office and then walked home very happy. Well, until I opened the packade… Instead of my soundcard, the book Rhythmisch-musikalische Erziehung, ordered by my girlfriend, is revealed. Now I’m angry, where’s my package!?!

Sorry, but you can discard everything you just read, someone just was at the door and delivered a package…

Yesterday I played with the Uni Big Band on the Wiener Stadfest (Vienna City Feast). The day didn’t start that good, I woke up and felt I were about to get migraine. Some times I can manage to stop it with some aspirins, and luckily this was one of those days.

The gig it self took place at Judenplatz (Jewish Square), a beautiful and of course historically important square in the middle of Vienna. There were lot’s of people listening while we played, and they seemed to enjoy the concert. I enjoyed playing, the band sounded really great and the inspiration was on top!

This was my first outdoor gig this year and the weather couldn’t have been better. The sun seemed to be aiming straight at the saxophone section, which was perfect! I really don’t like playing outside when it’s cold, holding a piece of metal then really isn’t my cup of tea. I even got a bit sunburned while playing, and since red is a nice color I’m happy!

I have finally redesigned the look of the comments here on jensfilipsson.com, something I’ve been planing to do for a long while now. Here’s the result:

I have implemented Gravatar support which, if you’re registered at www.gravatar.com, adds your sweet face next to your comment. If you’re not registered, a random colorful pattern will show up instead.

Try it out for yourself! Write a comment below and tell me what you think!

Just came home from a big band rehearsal for a gig tomorrow on Wiener Stadtfest at Judenplatz here in Vienna. We rehearsed in a tiny little basement with no airflow whatsoever. It was warm, it was stuffy and it was LOUD! The band was very good though and I’m looking forward to the gig tomorrow. Nice to have the trumpet section behind us then, instead of aimed straight into my right ear!

Last Thursday we played with the band Moontrane at Club Ost here in Vienna. The setting of the band is three saxophones, voice/piano, bass and drums. This was the premiere gig for this band and looking back on it I think it went well. I’m not totally pleased with my own performance, my solo playing felt a bit rushed sometimes this evening, but the overall band performance was sweet!

We played some different jazz standards arranged by the musicians of the band, and some more funkier tunes. I arranged the songs Moontrane by Woody Shaw and In Walked Bud by Thelonius Monk. It was a bit challenging arranging for this particular setting but I think it turned out ok!

I’ve played twice before at Club Ost and it’s a great place. All three times I’ve played there it’s been lots of people in the audience and a really good atmosphere. Unfortunately I had to turn down a gig there next month since I’m in Sweden playing at New Sound Made, so maybe this was my last gig at Ost before I’m moving home again. Time will tell.

I’ve discovered lately that I’m probably lactose intolerant. Over a period I’ve from time to time had really bad stomach pains around solar plexus, and after a while I made the connection to eating milk products. I stopped eating them and the pains went away.

I’ll probably do a proper test at the doctor when I’m back in Sweden, but I’m pretty sure the diagnose is right since yesterday I had some ice cream, and the pains once again came back. A bit boring, I like stuff with lactose in them, but I guess I have to start checking out the lactose free alternatives instead.

Good to know the reason anyway, blowing in a saxophone with pains around solar plexus isn’t the greatest feeling of them all, that I can tell you!