The official opening day of Jazzkaar 2026 began with many wonderful concerts and artists. One of them, Erki Pärnoja, celebrated the 10th anniversary of his debut EP “Himmelbjerget” at Von Krahl. It’s an EP that started his solo career and made him known not just across the country, but across Europe as well. Erki also won the “Best Film Composer” award at the Estonian Film and Television Awards 2026 gala, so it has been a very celebratory week for him.
Erki shared the stage with his longtime friends and colleagues from Estonia and Sweden, and the chemistry between them was incredible to see. I usually prefer music with vocals, but somehow Erki and his band managed to bring out so many emotions without any words.
What I liked most about this concert was that you could really dive deep into your own mind, which begins to play like a movie, merging with the music. That’s what happened to me, at least. I believe this is also one of the reasons why so many people come to see Erki perform live: the opportunity to connect with themselves through his music.
Once they “made it to the ‘Himmelbjerget’ territory,” as Erki said, the band played the whole EP from beginning to end. You can really tell when musicians are enjoying themselves on stage – it flows into the audience and creates a beautiful atmosphere. As the show went on, it became more and more immersive.
When the last song from “Himmelbjerget” finished, Erki said that “this EP is actually pretty short,” which is true. But it’s also true that it is full of emotion. Listening to it feels like watching a movie unfold, it’s a cinematic experience.
While enjoying the show, I also had the thought that it would be interesting to experience a meditative concert featuring Erki’s music played live, with the audience sitting quietly with their eyes closed to fully immerse themselves.
During the very last song, there were some brief technical difficulties, which made me wonder whether not only the audience didn’t want the band to finish, but the stage itself as well. In that moment, it almost seemed possible.
Erki Pärnoja “Himmelbjerget 10” (Estonia-Sweden)
Saturday, 25th April, Von Krahl
The band:
Erki Pärnoja – Guitar
Jonas Kaarnamets – Guitar
Patrik Grundström – Bass guitar
Ulrik Ording – Drums
Photo: Sven Tupits