En sang i en drøm – A Tribute to Monica Zetterlund

Here is a unique opportunity to hear the jazz singer, Cathrine Legardh, in an evocative tribute to the Swedish jazz icon Monica Zetterlund. It happens alongside two outstanding musicians; Jacob Christoffersen (piano) and Jesper Thorn (bass). The trio has just recorded the album '’En sång i en dröm’ (A song in a dream'), which will be released on July 10, 2020.

 

On the album, Cathrine Legardh says: “It is a great pleasure and honor for me to breathe life into these well-written, humorous and hair-raising songs. There is basically nothing new under the sun – I have performed and interpreted Monica Zetterlund for more than a decade – both in Sweden with local musicians and here in Denmark. I have also released a small handful of songs before in another context and with another band. This particular orchestra first took shape in 2011, when the two giants, pianist Jacob Christoffersen and bassist Hugo Rasmussen, were brought to the competition. A sure shot on swinging ground. Hugo left us unfortunately in 2015. Jesper Thorn was an obvious choice for me instead – he jumped aboard while I was married to the pianist (and I haven't regretted any of the parts). I love my trio. ”

 

The recording is warm and heartfelt – and in sounding Swedish. The repertoire is a selection of Monica's many and versatile music gems – some more well-known than others. The album thus contains both folk and revisionists as well as jazz standards translated into Swedish by Beppe Wolgers and Hasse and Tage, Povel Ramel and Olle Adolphson – besides songs from the collaboration with Bill Evans.

“I love Sweden – and everything that smells of cardamom… Including my desert farm in Småland, chanterelles, the Swedish language as well as the chanson tradition – and of course; Monica Zetterlund. She was the first singer I heard when my interest in jazz was aroused, when I was still studying and thought I should be a school teacher. I have always felt a certain naturalness and a deep need to perform these Nordic songs. Maybe it's because of my Scandinavian family roots – especially my Norwegian-Swedish mother and my Swedish grandmother. The two are always with me in spirit when I go on stage – all while taking pictures from my childhood vacations in respectively Oslofjord and Grue Finnskog play on my inner show reel. "

 

Cathrine Legardh was born in 1973 in Denmark. She was trained to be a music teacher, but left her day job in 2006 to focus on a professional singing career. She studied independently in England (Fionna Duncan) and New York (Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton). Legardh frequently performs both in Denmark and abroad – Scandinavia, England, USA, Iceland, Thailand and China, where she has previously represented Denmark at the World Exhibition in Shanghai.