DESCRIPTION:
[jump to 9:40 for the start of the show]
[jump to 13:13 for the first set]
[jump to 1:25:33 for the second set]

Juli Wood, tenor sax & vocal
Lee Rothenberg, guitar
Joel Kelsey, bass
Mike Schlick, drums

This week at the Whiskey Lounge we feature jazz versions of Finnish folk songs. I know what you're thinking: "Really? THAT again??" Quite honestly, I'm so happy that musicians approach me with unique concepts and unusual ensembles that they'd like to try out at the Whiskey Lounge. I love the incubator atmosphere that bubbles to the surface every so often. This week is a perfect example. I actually don't know Juli at all well, and haven't met her sidemen. But she has recently released a very interesting recording in which she explores the folk music of her own Finnish heritage and reimagines it through the lens of her background as a jazz musician. Fascinating, yes? The famous trumpet player, Art Farmer, released a recording in 1964 called, "To Sweden With Love", which I understand served as an inspiration for Juli's release. I can't wait to hear Juli's music live, and to learn more about its origin. BTW, some of you know that my wife is Hungarian. Hungarian is an absolutely impossible language. One odd fact is that the only other languages to which Hungarian seems at all related are Korean and Finnish. Go figure. So on Thursday we'll have my wife speak Hungarian to Juli as she speaks Finnish ... and we'll see if it all sounds like Korean as we eat Greek food and listen to American jazz. –SR