Last summer I was contacted by the JVLMA (Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music), that organizes the Decibels festival in Riga. They had recently acquired a Hammond organ to the academy and they where looking for someone to play it with a big band at this year’s festival. This would be the first time this organ would be used in a concert. It sounded like a really fun project so I immediately felt it was right up my alley.

The band consisted of students from music collages and universities around the world. Some of the from neighboring baltic states, Swedish, Finnish, Italian and other. Even a guy from the US. The leader was the renowned Latvian saxophone player Davis Jurka, who also works with the Latvian Radio Big Band. Me and Davis worked out a repertoire spanning from classical big band pieces by Duke Ellington and Count Basie, to funk tunes like The Chicken and Some Skunk Funk. And I brought a few tunes of my own as well. The aim was to find tunes that would bring out a variety of sounds and aspects from the Hammond organ.

We had a few days of rehearsal, and then the concert took place in the mighty Riga Cirks (an old circus, just around the corner from the academy). I have to say, it was so much fun! Everyone did their best for the concert, which turned out great. In the evenings there were jam sessions. I also did a Hammond clinic. Love doing that, sharing my knowledge and love for this instrument.

I also did a solo concert at the academy the day after the big band concert. A really nice way to finish my stay in Riga. It’s always exciting to see how a program is received in a new country and luckily they really seemed to enjoy it. The applause almost moved me to tears. One of the strongest moments, I have to say, was when I presented Hymn to Freedom. I usually talk about freedom, how it can mean different things to different people, but reagardless, always something that is important, Something to be cherished and not taken for granted. And as I was saying these words I realized how the Latvian people know this better than most other.