MEMO

As Season 40 approaches its end, a quick résumé follows – that no news is good news. Updates will follow.

To those of you prefer further subtitles, here we go:

"In the attempt to uncover clues and traces you go backwards. You begin with the misunderstandings. The nodes. You let your thoughts run along a constantly moving boundary of interacting fields, in an attempt to correct what you still have access to. It's a matter of tidiness – of plain vanity."

 

by M H

SPOKEN WORD IN ST. LUKAS CHURCH

On May 31 (9.00 CET) Hall will perform a spoken word performance in the St. Lukas Church at Frederiksberg, Copenhagen.

Collaborating with multi-instrumentalist Johnny Stage the evening will be a one-off session featuring new material as well as excerpts from Hall’s latest book, the autobiographical 1971-1985.

 

Location: Sankt Lukas Kirke, Christian Richardts Vej 1, 1951 Frederiksberg.

 

by M H

HALL FEATURE ON P8 JAZZ

Hall was the Sunday guest in DR’s P8 Jazz radio show Korfix & Coffee on April 7, 2019. The interview features names such as Elisabeth Welch, Sun Ra and Chet Baker (i.e. Derek Jarman, speedballs and teleportation).

You can hear the programme here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elisabeth Welch performing “Stormy Weather” in Derek Jarman’s "The Tempest" (1979).

by M H

ORDKLANG 2019

On March 2 Hall will be performing with the internationally recognized accordionist Bjarke Mogensen at Ordklang 2019 at Gammelgaard, Herlev. Other names appearing at the festival will be Ghita Nørby and Søren Ulrik Thomsen.

As far as Hall/Mogensen are concerned, they will invite the audience on an evocative journey through a traditionally oriented, yet experimental night linked together by Hall's recitals. The repertoire will also offer interpretations of the Russian composer Vladislav Zolotariev's works for accordion (1942-1975) as well as another relatively unknown Russian composer’s, Anatoly Cushakov (1946-2008).

For more information about the event, please visit the festival’s official site.

Bjarke Mogensen has received The European Broadcast Union's "New Talent" award as well as The Royal Couple’s Stardust Award.

by M H

NOMINATED FOR THE GAFFA AWARDS 2019

Martin Hall’s recent concerts and performances have earned him a pre-nomination for The GAFFA Awards 2019 (Denmark’s biggest music magazine) in the category "Best Live Act of The Year". The shows were his first live concerts as a singer with full band for more than five years.

The musicians accompanying Hall at all events were Christine Raft (piano, violin), Johnny Stage (guitar, sitar), Una Skott (guitar, keyboards), Andreas Bennetzen (bass) and Sisse Selina Larsen (drums). Furthermore Inge Shannon, the singer from the post-punk/coldwave bands SS-Say and Pesteg Dred, joined the team to perform the internationally acclaimed single “Care” at all shows.

Although most of the material played at the concerts was gathered from recent years – such as several songs taken from Hall’s collaboration album with Andrea Pellegrini and Tanja Zapolski If Power Asks Why – a fair selection of older were songs also played.

Apart from "Care" featuring Shannon, Martin also played his 1984 club hit "Free-Force Structure" at the end of most of the concerts. It was the first time for more than 33 years that he performed the song. You can see an audience recording of it here:

https://youtu.be/bSooUFHsBz8

In October GAFFA awarded the Copenhagen concert at Bremen Teater with a staggering 6 out of 6 stars rating. You can read the full review here.

by M H

CURRENT RADIO FEATURES

In relation to Martin Hall’s recent concerts and record releases a line of fairly compressive radio features have been made with the singer. The programmes cover everything from the early 70’s tacky pop music, the radical experiments of the post-punk scene at the end of the same decade and Hall’s relation to the metal scene in the 80’s (such as his studio experience with King Diamond). Last but not least, there’s also a documentary made by Hall about 1968.

If you have any understanding of the Danish language whatsoever, the list goes like this:

by M H

IRMA VICTORIA MEMORIAL DAY

Irma Victoria was born September 2, 1923, and died November 10, 2000. She recorded and released a series of songs and records with Martin Hall, the career highlight being an official Grammy nomination in the category “female singer of the year” in 1991 – a decision that is rumoured to have forced the branch organisation IFPI to subsequently change the rules for the special juries’ influence on the prestigious nominations. The other two nominees that year were multi-platinum act Hanne Boel and legendary The Savage Rose singer Annisette.

To commemorate Irma Victoria we bring you one of her lighter songs, “September Song”, taken from the 1994 album Phantasmagoria. The track also appears on the compilation record Memorial – Finest Moments and Famous Last Words released posthumously in 2001 and on the Spotify album September Songs.

 
https://vimeo.com/299883241
 

by M H

HVALSØ KIRKE NOV. 24 (SOLD OUT)

After a series of October dates Hall will be playing his last concert this year on November 24 at Hvalsø Kirke, a church on Zealand. The night will feature full band, but due to the size of the church the event will be downscaled a bit as far as the light and sound equipment is concerned.

It is no longer possible to buy tickets – the concert is sold out.

The musicians accompanying Hall at the concert are Christine Raft (piano, violin), Johnny Stage (guitar, sitar), Una Skott (guitar, keyboards), Andreas Bennetzen (bass) and Sisse Selina Larsen (drums).

The Danish music magazine GAFFA awarded Hall’s Copenhagen concert at Bremen Teater 6 out of 6 stars. You can find the review here.

Live photos from the recent Klub Golem concert in Odense is taken by David Faurskov Jensen.

 
https://youtu.be/hzLLc1101F4
 

by M H

6 OUT OF 6 STARS LIVE REVIEW

GAFFA – Denmark’s biggest music magazine – has just brought a review of Martin Hall's concert at Bremen Teater, the singer's first Copenhagen concert for more than five years, awarding the event a staggering 6 out of 6 stars rating.

In Simon Heggum’s feature The over-medicated son returned home the journalist opens with the words: ”Talking about the fact that a country may be too small for an artist may sound like a bit of an exaggeration. But in the case of Martin Hall, it's true as can be.”

Summoning up the concert he concludes: ”A breathtaking concert experience – one of the strongest Danish concerts I've been to in recent years.”

You can read the full review here: Hall – live at Bremen 20.10.2018.

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by M H

LIVE AT BREMEN TEATER OCT. 20

After a fantastic opening of his 2018 tour at Fuglsø, Hall will be performing his first Copenhagen concert for more than five years on October 20 at Bremen Teater.

There’ll be several big surprises on the set list of the night, so in short, ”chop-chop” – if you're considering buying a ticket, then the sales are on ... consider yourself invited.
 

Later this month another live performance will take place in Odense (at special Klub Golem arrangement) and finally at a church concert in the beautiful Hvalsø Kirke (Zealand).
 

 

 
The musicians accompanying Hall at the concerts are Christine Raft (piano, violin), Johnny Stage (guitar, sitar), Una Skott (guitar, keyboards), Andreas Bennetzen (bass), Sisse Selina Larsen (drums) as well as a special guest.

The live photo from the Fuglsø concert is taken by Bjarne Christensen.

by M H