Excuse me?! Who said Scandinavia is a chilly region?Definitely somebody, who missed the concert of the queen of Danish vocal jazz (and occasionally pop) Caecilie Norby at Sofia Live Club several nights ago. A cool timbre and hot repertoire- this was the combination, which astonished the audience. In two parts.Alongside Norby’s voice we heard Lars Danielsson (bass), Hubert Nuss (piano) and Anders Kjellberg, who present her album- Arabesque. Heated jazz and pop, distant rock and blues, ballads…With her appearance on stage and her performance of Both Sides Now by the legendary Joni Mitchell, Caecilie captured our senses with her charisma and voice.Then, with the wave of her hand, she drowned us in a boundless dimension. The memorable Big Time from the album Slow Fruit was followed by the tender The Dead Princess and Wholly Earth, and an interpretation of a piece by Debussy, The Tears of Billy Blue. After the intoxicating series of songs and the weightlessness in which we all found ourselves, the first half was brought to a conclusion with the fresh Bei Mir Bist du Schön, again from the current album Arabesque. After an intermission, the story continued with Scheherezade and a dumbfounding improvisation from Lars and Caecilie. They left us breathless when they presented us with the delicate composition No Air. This was how the puzzle of happiness was completed.The Dutch artiste and the rest of the incredible musicians offered Cuban Cigars for the final. They left us with sparkling gazes, looking back at our own selves. The encore was the legendary melody Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, the last move in the dance of the wind.The wind, which disappeared with a possessing tenderness and style.Yet it left the muted lustre of aged gold around us.
