Well, since I had some serious problems moving my web page to a new host, and since I during this time wasn’t able to blog or update my page in any way, I thought a small summary of what’s happened since then would be appropriate.

Biggest topic of course: I’ve moved back to Sweden again, after a very nice year in Austria. Being home feels very good, I’ve been lucky enough to get things going pretty fast after I came back, musically as well as privately, and I’m very optimistic about the future as well.

The fact that my German has significantly improved is one of the things I’m taking with me from Austria, it feels great to, although far from perfect, be able to communicate in a new language, and I’m taking every chance I get.

A big event for me down there was the Euro 2008, the atmosphere was amazing and I walked on clouds during the weeks of football this summer. Hangin’ around in the Vienna fanzone really was something special. Unfortunately it wasn’t the best year for Sweden, but looking back on the final results of the tournament, our group really wasn’t an easy one. I’m glad the winners were Spain though, something I forecasted before the tournament (Yes I know, hard to prove that now, you just have to take my word for it!), although I didn’t bet any money on it.

Musically there’s lots to remember, all the get-togethers and concerts with Vienna Jazz Composers, our gigs with Beate Wiesinger, all the long rehearsals (!) and concerts with Moontrane and all the other bands I played with once in a while. I also remember the saxophone lessons with my good friend and teacher Klaus Dickbauer and the friday morning sessions with piano player Erwin Smith.

Me & Tony after the show

One gig in particular that I’m gonna remember is the one with Lungau Big Band featuring Incognito lead singer Tony Momrelle on the big stage at fan zone Salzburg, the day before the Euro 2008 final. Playing the lead alto together with this great big band and with this totally amazing singer is something that really meant a lot to me and, together with other experiences, showed that it’s possible to move somewhere else and still get the chance to play some great music, which in the end made me believe more in myself and what I’m doing.

Now back in Sweden I’ve got plans to start a band of my own and have started composing music, which feels both exciting and scary since I haven’t composed music in a pretty long while. I really look forward to this though. This is part of my examination project at the Royal college of music, and will hopefully end up into my examination concert upcoming spring. Stay tuned for updates on this!

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?).

Were down in Porgy & Bess, one of the jazz clubs here in Vienna, and rehearsed with Vienna Jazz Composers today. We’re doing a concert there later this evening. VJC is a fun project, a bit of a bigger band with a different set of musicians every time, and the musicians come from the younger freelancers here in Vienna. I’ve had the pleasure to take part a couple of times, and will do so a couple of times more. Every time there is an artistic director that puts together a band. The musicians get the chance to write music for the band, we rehears it during the concert day, and finish it off with the concert in the evening. The concert also works as a session opener, it initiates the late night jam session, that keeps on long into the night/morning. Fun!

Tomorrow evening or possibly on Sunday morning I’m going to Wels, which is located in Upper Austria, to help a friend of mine recording a demo. She’s applying for some Swedish music universities, and I guess some Swedish saxophone is meant to do the trick!