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 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?

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!

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’m flying home to Sweden to play with Blue Corners at the New Sound Made Festival, which takes place in Stockholm the 14th to 16th of May.

I’m really looking forward to it, the band is really fun to play with and the festival is great!

3 days, 3 stages, 45 really cool bands, and everything totally free of charge! 2008 is the third year of the festival and since it started in 2006 it’s been a total success every time.

This is the perfect opportunity to hear the latest from the Swedish Jazz, Pop and Impro scene, and there’s really something for everyone, the mixture of different music is bigger than I’ve ever experienced on another festival. This really is an event you shouldn’t miss!

Check it out at myspace.com/newsoundmade and kmh.se/nsm

For some more information about the festival, here’s a summary I wrote over My New Sound Made 2007.

I were playing in Wels yesterday, was a lot of fun! I don’t have time to write about it right now, but hopefully I’ll tell you about it in a week or so, since I’m leaving for the alps and Maria Alm tomorrow morning. Don’t think I’ll have access to a computer (which feels kind of nice), but will probably send some posts from my mobile phone. See you!

Halfway into tonights session I left and took a late train home to Vienna. You always sleep better in your own bed. Our concert before the session went well, even though the acoustics weren’t optimal; a cellar completely in stone. Our band sound this evening can be sum up in one word: Strong.

A noteworthy detail was the 8 women with pens and papers in the front row. Either the whole jazz police force where there taking notes, or it was an art class. Please only choose one of the availible options.

A big trial for me, as the football freak I am, was that during soundcheck Cameroon vs. Sudan from the African Cup of Nations were shown on a big TV-screen on the wall in front of me. A bit distracting! Luckily enough, during the concert a tall guy placed himself right in the firing line so to speak. Maybe it was just as well, considering the form Samuel Eto’o is showing right now.

Now: Good night!

Don’t know if you can tell by the pictures, but we’re playing tonight at the VERY slick jazzclub Count Davis i Linz.

Tonight I’m playing a session opener at Count Davis Jazz Club in Linz, a concert that initiate tonights jam session there. We’re playing in quartet, and the concert also functions as dressed rehearsal for the gig in Wels the 14th of February.

Last Monday I went listening to an Organ Quartet, lead by guitarist Christian Havel, after being invited by a teacher of mine that plays in the band. It was a very nice concert, I sat in on a couple of tunes but was a bit too tired this evening, my playing have been better. Was fun though!

I just discovered that singer Cecilia Ferrer, with whom I have played some in Sweden, uploaded a song that I’m participating on on her myspace. I’m contributing with a short solo at the end of the song Angel Eyes, and her myspace is located here: www.myspace.com/ceciliaferrer

Today I have rehearsed with Vienna Jazz Composers down at Porgy & Bess, one of the jazz clubs here in Vienna. We’re playing a session opener there later this evening, a concert between the main concert and the late night jam session.

As I previously have told you, this is a band with young freelancing jazz musicians, and every time there’s a new set of musicians.
The compositions today, which is written by musicians of the band, was really good, and I think the set will be varied and fun to hear.
I will among other things play solo over a gospel-like tune written by a American trombone player, Phil. I really look forward to that, those grooves just make you fly!

These gigs begin pretty late, earliest at 11 pm, but usually much later, and the following session goes on until the late hours of the night. I will take it a bit easier with the beer than I did the last time, when I met this Swedish guy with company that really wanted to buy me some beer and tequilas. My way home was pretty unsteady that night. Well, thinking about it I went home by taxi, guess it was pretty stable.

Everything else goes on as usual, have been working some with the site and there are some new stuff in progress. He who lives will see (that’s a direct translation from Swedish, does this saying exist in English?).