As I wrote in my last post, it’s lovely when something you’ve recorded has been released. This one is a little bit old but it deserves a feature. Nicoletta has recorded a beautiful album called “Altre Me” and I play on a fair bit of it. There’s also a lot of fantastic performances of other Brighton musicians on it as well as an incredible track with the Kocani Orkestar. Here I play barytone sax and clarinet. I just wished I had been flown to New York to record the music video 🙂

I have some very sad news. Brighton’s premiere songbird Rene Ansell has passed away silently in her sleep. It was a true honour to play with such a great musician. I have many beautiful memories of making music with her, perhaps the best one was at her 90th birthday last spring where an abundance of musicians came and paid tribute. We managed to get a final recording in before Christmas and she was a true professional. For each song we did 3-4 takes and she sang faultlessly and beautifully each time, not complaining, just doing what she was put here on earth to do over and over again. The 5-song EP is being mastered at the moment but I have a little taster for you. I arranged “It’s a sin to tell a lie” and here is an unmastered version. Keep on swinging Rene, I know you are somewhere looking down at us and saying “Great solos, everyone!”

I just had to share this!

The very reason I wanted to be a jazz musician was that my parents had a single of Take Five and Paul Desmond’s alto sound just blew me away. He said about himself: “I have won several prizes as the world’s slowest alto player, as well as a special award in 1961 for quietness.” One of the few jazz alto saxophonists who didn’t base his playing on Charlie Parker but rather Lester Young. Well, all of that has recently come into my mind as I have portrayed Lester in “My Friend Lester”.

While looking around the internet this morning I found this incredible gem. A recording of Paul Desmond together with the Modern Jazz Quartet. Listen and enjoy!

And on a side note, I have also started a Facebook fan page. If you want music and videos of me in your facebook feed just go there and click the like button. It would make me very happy 🙂

To be Benny again with ABBA the Show. I know this confuses the people who knows me as a jazz saxophonist and folk clarinetist but I am a musician who wears many hats 🙂 Except Benny doesn’t wear a hat. And I’m not even wearing a wig since my hair is cut just the right length… Tour schedule on the right and a promo video for he show below.

Here’s a fantastic review of My Friend Lester by Hope Wisechild for Brighton & Hove Free Press.

I just added a new item at the top menu – Music Trancription Service. If you need sheet music of any kind, of any song, transposed into any key feel free to contact me. I’ve written hundreds of arrangements from lead sheets to big band and everything in between.

I’ve started a new project with Paul Richards (who leads the Brunswick Jazz Jam). It’s a duo with nylon string guitar and clarinet or bass clarinet and we play Brazilian choros, sambas and some straight-up jazz. Very sophisticated with a gentle sound. We’ve done a few gigs at the Gallery in Hove so far. Be sure to check back here to see when the gigs come in.

You might notice a new item in the top called Brighton Beam radio show. I’ve been doing this music discovery show together with Maria McAteer for a while now: It all takes place at www.bhcr.org every Wednesday between 3-4pm. I’ve put all the shows we’ve done so far there and I’ll keep adding them as we go along. You can listen on the archive pages on bhcr but it’s a bit complicated finding this show there. Here’s this week’s show: [wpaudio url=”http://archive.bhcr.org.uk/2011/march/week5/Maria%20McAteer%20and%20Bjorn%20Dahlberg%20-%20Brighton%20Beam%20Wednesday%2030%20March%202011.mp3″ text=”Brighton Beam Show 7 Mar 30 2011″ dl=”1″]

If you are in Brighton this Sunday, do come and see me at the Mesmerist 3:30-6:30 as I’m playing my clarinet with the Magic Number. It’ll be a nice old swing set. Here’s a pic from last week:

I’ve been waiting over a year but finally it’s there. There were some technical issues behind the delay but now you can enjoy the debut album of Lele Lele in it’s full glory if you have Spotify. If you don’t you just have to get it from CD Baby or iTunes. The band is touring Finland and Sweden this summer but since I’m not in the country I won’t be joining. I wish them the best of luck and please try to see them if you’re anywhere near. It’s a unique experience! Check tour dates and info at lele-lele.se

The tour of Brazil is over and it was amazing. Thank you so much to everyone for all of their hard work and to all the fans who came and saw us. When we played at Virada Cultural in São Paulo they say 75 000 people listened! That’s so far the biggest gig of my life. Now it’s back to a smaller scale but with music that lies very near to my heart, namely “Her Father’s Daughter”. I hope to see you at Bradshaw’s basement in Brighton 11 June.