Karmen Rõivassepp and Abekejser at PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho) as part of Sounds of Denmark
Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Doors open 6:30pm
Show time 8pm
Band Line Up
Karmen Rõivassepp (vocals)
Jeppe Lavsen (guitar)
Frederik Emil Bülow (drums)
Adrian Christensen (bass)
Jon Døssing Bendixen (keys)
Plus UK horns section: Emma Rawicz (tenor saxophone/flute)/Damon Oliver (tenor saxophone/flute)/Freddie Gavita (trumpet/flugelhorn)
In 2015 in the Danish city of Aarhus – the current hotbed of the Scandinavian music scene – four young musicians with a background in jazz and world-music formed Abekejser, combining their individual ideas to create an uplifting cross-genre urban universe between jazz, beats and electronica. Their danceable catchy melodies and snappy hooks share some musical ground with band such as Snarky Puppy, Jaga Jazzist or piano-visionary Robert Glasper, but in their own unique ‘here and now’ way.
Estonian jazz singer, composer and arranger Karmen Rõivassepp has, during her six years in Denmark, distinguished herself as a significant talent within the Danish jazz scene. Her virtuoso vocal technique, captivating charisma and outstanding musicality have attracted critical acclaim and won her the 2023 Danish Jazz Award for Jazz Composer of the Year.
This special musical collaboration began in 2020, when singer and composer Karmen Rõivassepp took up the challenge of composing and arranging music for the jazztronica band Abekejser, where she herself also stepped in as a featured vocalist. From the outset, the project gained a great deal of attention, leading to an extensive tour and the recording of a live album during the Danish festival Vinterjazz in 2022 (due for release in early 2024).
The group play a mix of tracks from this original collaborative project, joined by three horn players from the London scene, alongside new music and tracks from Abekejser’s two highly acclaimed albums ‘Floating through the Universe’ and ‘Blueprint’.
Sounds of Denmark is a cooperation between JazzDanmark, PizzaExpress Jazz Club and Sue Edwards Management with support from the Danish Embassy in London and the Danish Arts Foundation.