Weavers
Fredrik Lundin (ten/sop sax)
Makiko Hirabayashi (p)
Thommy Andersson (b)
Bjørn Heebøll (d/perc)
Weavers is a quartet with a distinct sound of their own, based in Copenhagen. Their debut album “Weavers” won the prestigious award, Jazz Album Of the Year at Danish Music Awards 2021. Their latest release, “Gifts” is inspired by the music of G.F. Handel, and is also a personal homage to the memories of Makiko’s mother. This group features some of the strongest voices on the Scandinavian music scene – lyrical and explosive saxophonist Fredrik Lundin, bassist Thommy Andersson with his rich, Swedish sound and the innovative drummer, Bjørn Heebøll. Having each made their marks in such diverse areas of music as rock, jazz, world music and avant-garde, Weavers create genre-transcending music with the collective, creative force at its core.
Osmo
Makiko Hirabayashi (p)
Tomoo Nagai (perc)
In the summer of 2024, Osmo began working together as an experimental duo, exploring new sounds on the piano and hand made percussion instruments. Deeply inspired by their surroundings that they find themselves in, their music is as much a listening experience as playing, as if painting a picture with sounds on a silent canvas.
Solo
Makiko Hirabayashi (p)
Makiko’s lyrical touch and raw expression comes to life in her solo concerts, where the listener is invited on a musical journey – dream-like, translucent, powerful and explosive. She challenges and explores the instrument, altering textures by preparing the piano with unusual objects. Her compositions reflect her multicultural background, where elements of jazz, classical music, Far Eastern music and Nordic moods are all molded into an intriguing sound of her own.
Bespeak
Randi Potoppidan (voc impro/electronics)
Anders Børup (voc impro/electronics)
Soma Allpass (cello)
Makiko Hirabayashi (p)
Dalia Faitelson (gtr/perc)
BESPEAK is a collective of 5 musicians on a musical adventure, on both acoustic and electronic instruments. Their music is largely improvised, and has a wide range of perspectives, from looking at the smallest details to reaching out into endless space. Together they create evocative soundscapes and musical stories, often using instruments in unexpected ways and through electronic effects.
PAST PROJECTS
Makiko Hirabayashi Trio
Makiko Hirabayashi (p)
Klavs Hovman (b)
Marilyn Mazur (ds/perc/voc)
Makiko Hirabayashi Trio is known for their vibrant interplay and strong compositions with a great storytelling quality. Since the release of their first album ”Makiko” in 2006, this trio has received wide critical acclaim as a personal voice on the international jazz scene, and has continued to grow audiences around the world. Their latest and fifth album “Meteora” received a 4.5 star review in Downbeat Magazine, and was listed amongst the Best Albums Of 2023. Makiko was nominated for Jazz Composer of The Year at Danish Music Awards 2024, and won Jazz Melody Award for Hide And Seek in 2010.
Makiko Hirabayashi/Bob Rockwell Duo
Bob Rockwell (ten/sop sax)
Makiko Hirabayashi (p)
This duo collaboration started in 2011, at a charity concert for the Fukushima tsunami victims. The music reflects the actual event and the years that followed, and has kept both its fragile and explosive elements. Unbound by stylistic limitations, Bob’s melodic lines and Makiko’s colourful textures interact freely. In March 2016, they released a full album with ten of Makiko’s compositions and one jazz standard.