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!

I’ve been having angst. Have been skipping blog-writing for a while, and the more time that have passed by without writing, the harder it have been to pick it up again. Now I decided just to write something, so that I get the flow up again.

As you know I’m living in Vienna now. That’s a good subject to write about, isn’t it? I think I will keep it to a short summary. Everything has started to roll, school is running and I feel that I have started to settle. Julia and I get more and more used to living together, it was a bit strange for both of us in the beginning, but now it’s great!

The school is honestly enough not the best, but I wasn’t expecting that either. It has become pretty clear to me that the classical music have a much bigger priority than the jazz here. I have heard/met/played with quite a lot of good players outside school, so I think it will be nice. The first week I was here I went to a jam session, which have resulted in my first gig, the 30th of October, when I’m guesting with a band called Bluesky. I’m looking forward to that! I also have some other things coming up, and it feels good that things have started to roll a little here as well.

One annoying thing is how hard it is to practice here. In Stockholm there are pretty much complains about to less rooms… That’s nothing compared to this place I tell you! In my institution there are one rehearsal room for around 200 students, and three practice rooms. That’s it! With other words, most students here practice at home. I’m trying to be out in good time and book a room so that I can practice a little in school, but I also play pretty much in the apartment. In the evenings I haven’t dared to, but in the days it haven’t been a problem, no complains from the neighbours.

Another annoying detail with Vienna is the dog shit laying around everywhere. By some reason most dog owners skip the pick up the dog’s leavings-part, which results in that everyone in this city walks around with bent heads to avoid lowering the mood in the tramp/subway/at work. Apparently there’s a lot of arguing between dog owners and people without dogs in media over this.

They also smoke a lot here, which can be a bit tiring. I’m actually fascinated by the total ignorance of no smoking-signs, for example at my school. In the corridors there are big signs with this particular message, and still both teachers and students stand smoking right next to them. A bit like Sweden in the 70’s I’m imagining.

Beside these things it is a lovely town with a rich cultural life and lots of music. I haven’t been at the opera or any classical concert yet, but I’m gonna deal with this soon.

I heard it got cold at home, it’s starting to get cold here now as well, even if it still was t-shirt warm in the beginning of October when school started.
My summer shoes aren’t really keeping the cold out anymore, so to keep mum calm I’m ending this report with a pic of my brand new Spanish shoes. Well… Also because I’m really satisfied with them…