What a beautiful evening! When Kristin started to sing in Jazzclub Unterfahrt/Munich, there was immediately such a wonderful atmosphere. Here voice is so intense that it duplicates the emotionality of the already soulful songs she is singing. The powerful radiation of deep feelings hit me so hard, it gave me goosebumps and almost made me cry! It seemed like the audience had a similar feeling because nobody started to clap after the first song – it felt like nobody wanted to disturb this intense atmosphere.
Kristin and her band of three mostly played songs from her new album “I’ll meet you in the morning”, including the title track, which she dedicated to today’s refugees and anyone else who had to part with loved ones and hopes to reunite with them some day. She also explained why she is doing Afro-American spirituals: Many years ago she inherited a songbook full of spirituals from singer Ruth Reese, and so she took it on herself to find her own way into them. It’s incredible how she brings them to life in her very own style. And her bandmates (drums, guitar, bass) were incredible instrumentalists – and singers, too, as they had to substitute for a choir and give her full back-up harmonies on several pieces.
I was also happy that she slipped in some of my favorite songs from her past albums, like “Trying to get home” or “Ride up in the chariot“.
When I looked around, I’m sure I was one of the youngest in the crowd. I’m always a bit sad when I see this. Don’t younger people listen to music like this? Don’t they know about it? Or is it “out of their reach” as their musical socialization went completely differently? Or is it “uncool” to listen to anything but mainstream? Oh, I’m not one of those people who demonize mainstream, not at all, I love a lot of mainstream artists and I don’t believe in any theory saying only non-mainstream music can be any good. I always look on both sides and try to find what’s speaking to my heart, no matter how big or small the artist may be. But I have to admit I enjoy quite many of these Scandinavian jazzers like Silje Nergaard, Solveig Slettahjell, Nils Landgren (check out his “Funky Abba“-CD!), Rigmor Gustafsson …
Anyway, I’m getting off-topic….
I waited for Kristin after the show to get my CD signed and, even more importantly, to thank her for the wonderful evening. I always feel the need to thank those artists I listen to for their music and to encourage them to continue. For me it’s important to tell them personally that their work is appreciated. You know, we spend so many hours listening to the music of certain artists we love, their songs bring so much joy, emotions and thoughts, they kind of accompany us through life – what more of a gift can you make someone without knowing him/her? It IS a true gift, and for gifts you usually say thank you, don’t you?! I don’t think I ever really was able to express all of this and more to any artist I ever thanked anything for, I never seem to find the right words, but I hope they still somehow understand because I guess they themselves feel like this for other artists.
Please, people, always appreciate your artists, don’t take anything for granted!
music, the world & me 