The Sahara of Snow

It's now almost two weeks since IB Expo 2005 ended. I have some wonderful memories from that week that I will treasure forever. When Mats and I started talking about who we wanted to invite to the event, Mick Karn and Jerry Marotta were on the top of our lists. We loved their playing and thought they could complement Isildurs Bane and Metamorfosi Trio (who have a standing invitation to whatever we do) really well.

However, we didn't know what Karn and Marotta were like as social creatures. We have had some run-ins in the past with some strange and difficult people to say the least. I started looking at pictures. Jerry is a drummer, and drummers are known to be violent, aren't they? He does look really pissed off in that Gabriel photo. And what about the cover of Mick Karn's Bestial Cluster album? He looks absolutely dangerous!!! Why on earth did we invite him? I am the one picking Karn up at the airport. Good thing Christian and Luca were to be picked up at the same time. Surely they would stick up for me? And I am the one taking Marotta and his collegue Tom Griesgraber - he looks scary too by the way - to a clinic at the College of music in Malmö. Not only that, but since I do some part-time teaching there, I already imagined myself being asked to leave, kindly but firmly by my former friends.

I needn't have worried at all. Mick turned out to be a soft-spoken suntanned gentleman who charmed everyone during the week with his dry, understated sense of humour and his unique and truly extraordinary bass playing. No one plays bass like Mick Karn, period.

Jerry Marotta was an easy-going and lovable man who got everybody's feet tapping as soon as he came close to anything resembling a percussion instrument. His team leading talents were also very helpful during rehearsals.

Stick player Tom Griesgraber was anything but scary. He was ever so nice, laid back and kind. As a player, he was something else, performing funky bass lines, screaming guitar leads and piano-like passages like nobody's business.

Add to this Christian and Luca, two guys I really love. There's no going wrong with a team like that. To cut a long story short, we couldn't have had better guests.

The concert was very successful with everybody involved keeping the time restrictions and playing wonderfully. I had to pinch myself while watching IB onstage together with Christian, Luca, Jerry, Tom and Mick.

Some highlights:
- Mick's inventive contrapuntal bass lines in "Honey Sweating" accompanied by Klas' perfectly groovy drum playing.
- Jerry & Tom's wonderful interplay during their all too short set
- Christian and Luca's incredible improvisation featuring some amazing dialogue between Christian and Tom, and a mindblowing ending featuring Luca on a plastic tube!

* * *

When I look outside, I see snow. Lots of it. My guess is that we now have 35 centimeters, more in some places. Our garden has turned into a Sahara of Snow.

* * *

Bill Bruford composed and recorded The Sahara of Snow (with a little help from Eddie Jobson) on Bruford's one of a kind back in 1979. One of the strongest tracks on one of my favourite fusion albums of all time. This was a fantastic band! Imaging Bill Bruford, Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Berlin and Dave Stewart recording together and playing on the same stage! Too good to be true. Buy this album if you haven't got it already! Do it NOW!

NP: Ashlee Simpson on Jay Leno. Unfortunately.

Twitchy Hand Mover

Everything is going great at IB HQ. At the moment, Jerry Marotta, Tom Griesgraber, Mats Johansson and Mick Karn are working on a new track of Mick's: "Twitchy Hand Mover". Mick's idea was quickly picked up by Tom and turned into a wild groove by Jerry. Mats will add some crazy synths and Klas may be adding some percussion tomorrow. We will see what it ends up sounding like, but judging from what has been going on so far, it will sould amazing!

Mick is a joy to work with, and he just wanted to make sure that we record the concert. What can I say? Your wish is my command.

* * *

So what does it sound like? It starts with the sound of an orchestra tuning up, followed by some haunting bass clarinet and moves into danceable rhythms. Groovy!

All Together Now!

Currently in Halmstad witnessing a historic rehearsal. Jerry Marotta, Kjell Severinsson, Christian Saggese, Mick Karn, Tom Griesgraber, Jonas Christophs and Luca Calabrese playing together.

It sounds GREAT!

Since they are playing one of the Marotta/Griesgraber songs, Jerry is in charge and leads everyone through with the sheer excellence only an experienced musician can.

Yesterday, Mick's songs were rehearsed, and I am pleased top say everybody was well pleased with the results.

This is so exciting! And there's lots more to come.

* * *

All Together Now used to be one of my favourite Beatles songs when I was a child. Now? Well, let's just say that it's not in my top ten.

The Disappearing Afternoon

Does time fly or what?

It was only a short while ago when I was walking around our garden in shorts, wasn't it? Now it's cold - but luckily we've got a new heating system installed - dark and almost Christmas. Fancy that!

I am now officially doing the bookings for Jazz in Malmo. Great work, but the hours run by ever so quickly! I experienced a disappearing afternoon on Thursday while overwhelmed with work. All of a sudden it was time for that evening's concert and I still had lots of work to do.

Today, same thing. The afternoon was spent taking nails out of the floor in our future dinner room. A close friend who's good with figures suggested there were approximately 2100 nails in the floor. Now every single one of them is out of the floor and put neatly into a box. Another disappearing afternoon.

On the IB Expo front, things are going well, even though I haven't heard from Jerry Marotta for a while. I am sure he and Tom Griesgraber will turn up. But when? Where? And how? I will find out eventually.

Mick Karn kindly agreed to my friend Klas Assarsson's suggestions on what to play. Three great tracks originally recorded by Mick on Tooth Mother and Polytown respectively. Mr Karn also said he would bring some bass lines with him to work on. This will be excellent!

* * *

The Disappearing Afternoon is a track on BassDrumBone's (Hence the Reason) album. An amazing trio featuring Mark Helias (bass), Gerry Hemingway (drums) and Ray Anderson (trombone). Get the name? I thought so. The Disappearing Afternoon is a playful piece with a good sense of humour included at no extra cost. Hemmingway plays it loose and partly free, but eventually we get a happy ending when everybody unites in a dancable cheerful tune.