Three double basses in one car! Is it possible?
I’ll give you the answer to that question in a moment. But first, let me tell you about everything I’m currently preparing for.
Scandinavian Art Ensemble
First and foremost, the tour with the new band Scandinavian Art Ensemble is coming up. If you’re not familiar with the project, it’s a group of musicians who came together at the Summer Session workshop in Denmark 10 years ago. Our teacher was the late trumpet player Tomasz Stanko. For me, it was an unforgettable week of playing with such a legend!
The following year, in 2016, we did a short tour that ended in Copenhagen, where we invited an audience to join us for a recording session at the fantastic studio The V Recording. The first part of that recording has now been released — you can listen to it or buy it on Bandcamp.
We’ll be playing a private concert at the National Museum in Copenhagen for invited guests only, but also open concerts in Poland, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Copenhagen Jazz Festival
I’m also really looking forward to this year’s Copenhagen Jazz Festival, where I’ll be playing a wide range of concerts around the city.
A couple of highlights:
Simon Linnert Trio featuring Jorge Rossy
Simon and I are releasing our debut album (with New York drummer Allan Mednard) on June 13. For the live shows, however, we’ll be joined by the legendary Jorge Rossy, with whom I’ve been fortunate to play and record over the past four years.
Find our two concerts here.
Omrum
My new band Omrum features Erik Kimestad (trumpet), Mads Hyhne (trombone), and Jakob Høyer (drums). We’ll be playing four concerts during the festival, and we’ve got new music coming out this fall — stay tuned!
Find our shows here.
Now, back to the question:
Can you fit three double basses in one car?
Yes — it is possible! I had to figure that out for the recent tour with my wife’s band Anne Efternøler & Lige Børn, featuring Thomas Morgan, Anders AC Christensen, and myself on double bass, along with Anne Efternøler on trumpet.
We drove 1,500 kilometers around Denmark, and in case you're wondering:
What kind of car fits three double basses, four musicians, and one driver?
Answer: VW Caravelle — with the last row of seats removed.
It is a dream-come-true project for me as a bassist, and I really hope we’ll do it again next year. If you know of the perfect place for us to play, please get in touch!