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Michael Blicher

About Me

My Jazz Story

Saxophonist Michael Blicher in unique collaboration with legend-ary drummer Steve Gadd. A chance encounter and a shared love of a special kind of music leads Steve Gadd, known for his collaboration with Paul Simon, Steely Dan, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney among others, to join forces with Danish musicians Michael Blicher and Dan Hemmer on a tour of altogether 16 shows throughout Scandinavia. An extraordinary musical experience during a “voyage of inspiration” to Bulgaria some ten years ago sowed the seeds of what has come to be the essential focal point of saxo¬phone player Michael Blicher’s musical pursuits: universal folkloric blues music. A chance meeting with four women singing traditional Bulgarian folksongs acc¬ompanied by an elderly gentleman playing goatskin-bagpipe touched Michael Blicher in his inmost heart and suddenly made him feel a universal relationship between this Bulgarian folkmusic and folkloric music from Mississippi, Mali, New Orleans and Korea which had made a similar impression on him on previous travels and musical experiences. Since then, Michael Blicher has explored and refined his version of this “musical feeling” which to him appears universal, cutting across frontiers and cultures. The result of this search for “the inner core” can be heard on albums released by his bands Astro Buddha Agogo, Radiostar and The KutiMangoes. Among the musicians with whom Michael Blicher has played most frequently during the last ten years is Hammond organ player Dan Hemmer, renowned for his remarkable talent for making both the music and the other band members, whatever the context, come tog¬ether in the best possible way. The Hammond organ has always fascinated Michael Blicher who grew up in a home with gospel and soul music on the record player, so composing music which involves this instrument therefore comes very naturally to him. Through an event organized by the JazzDanmark society, Michael Blicher was offered the opportunity to play with – and present his music to – drummer Steve Gadd. Right away it was clear that Gadd shared Blicher’s passion for the organ trio format. Gadd states: “I grew up listening to organ bands. I love it. I’ve always loved the kind of grooves you get, and the intensity, and the excitement that a live organ band can get.” Shortly thereafter Gadd agreed to go on tour with Blicher and Hemmer – clearly a con-amore-project for this legend, who´s 2014 schedule mainly includes shows with James Taylor, Paul Simon and Eric Clapton. “I’m very much looking forward to collaborating and performing, for almost three weeks, with this man who has had such profound influence on the history of music. What he does is so magical and unique. It´s impossible to describe: it needs to be experienced!” says Michael Blicher.