The first day of Jazzkaar finished with a lovely night concert that lasted far past midnight, complemented by Lenna’s sparkly dress and a very bright full moon up in the sky by the end of the concert. The show was a great success as the Vaba Lava black box was sold out with only a few seats left, and the night was not without great applause from the audience.
Night concert is the perfect way to describe the whole vibe of the event. Not a busy night in a crowded city, but a night far away from people, where one has the chance to really dive deep into oneself. I really loved the soundscape that the band created, led by Mick Pedaja who seems to really have found his own sound that represents his inner world very well. When Mick was left on stage alone, he did an amazing job filling the whole concert hall with no one but himself. The emotion was very soulful, breathtaking and deep.
A special touch was added by Pedaja’s wife Angeelia who read a couple of poems between the songs, and also by the drummer who produced some very unexpected smooth trumpet sounds. To add Lenna Kuurmaa and Mick Pedaja’s collaboration, Lenna sang in a way I had never heard before. She also performed a couple of songs of her own with prominent jazz pianist Joel-Rasmus Remmel, who had just finished a concert in Punane Maja and seems to be having a crazy number of performances at Jazzkaar this year.
As Pedaja had said in an interview, a blanket and a pillow would not be a bad touch at the concert. In fact, the music was so mild and soft that it could have been a concert with people lying on the ground, a concept that is gaining popularity in Estonia. However, the darkness of the black walls, floor and the ceiling did create an interesting space-like atmosphere.
The concert was an introspective journey into one’s body and mind, a musical meditation in a way, that guaranteed the audience a good night’s sleep full of unusual thoughts.
Night Concert: Lenna Kuurmaa & Mick Pedaja
Friday, 20th April 23:00 at Vaba Lava
Lenna Kuurmaa: vocal
Mick Pedaja: vocal, guitar
Angeelia Pedaja: vocal, poetry
Lauri Kadalipp: saxophone
Aivar Surva: trumpet, drums, percussion
Joel Remmel: keyboards
Indrek Mällo: double bass
Check out photos of the concert here