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Pianist & Composer Yelena Eckemoff on 2026’s Rosendals Garden & Jazz Storytelling

Joe Dimino: Hi, Yelena.

Yelena Eckemoff: Oh, hi, Joe.

Joe Dimino: How are you today?

Yelena Eckemoff: I am fine. And you?

Joe Dimino: Everything’s good. It’s wonderful to see you.

Yelena Eckemoff: Yeah, the same here. Now, everybody is doing the background photo.

Joe Dimino: Yeah.

Yelena Eckemoff: I’m having my painting from ‘Rosendals Garden’. [laughs]

Joe Dimino: I love it. Everything is totally thematic here. We got your album cover here. We’re in the garden. So, we have another very interesting year of discussing events happening around us. New music’s coming out, so thank you again for taking a minute out. This is an annual tradition for us. It’s great to catch up.

Yelena Eckemoff: Thank you. I always look forward to our talks.

Yes, me too. Let’s start with ‘Rosendals Garden’. What’s the meaning behind the garden, and how did this album idea develop? How did the process come about?

Yelena Eckemoff: I always liked Svante Henryson. He is an amazing musician, and mainly he is a cellist, and that’s kind of rare in jazz, and he’s very versatile, and he plays cello the way that speaks much to me. I always wanted to work with him. I spoke to him about it many years ago, maybe in 2011. We talked, but it never came about. In the meantime, I visited Sweden a few times. I recorded in Denmark. I recorded in Norway. I recorded in Finland, but I never recorded in Sweden. So, two plus two, Svante and Sweden.

Joe Dimino: Yeah.

I love Sweden. I always have a busy recording schedule since I record every year, sometimes twice. It’s always busy, and I think a few records ahead. So, I talked to Svante and decided that if I’m recording with Swedish musicians in Sweden, the project should be about Sweden. Rosendals Garden is one of Sweden’s landmarks, like Gamla Stan and other famous places. Rosendals Garden belongs to the royal family, and locals and tourists alike love visiting because it’s a huge park with all kinds of interesting features.

Joe Dimino: That’s a beautiful painting. Who did that?

Yelena Eckemoff: I paint my own covers.

Joe Dimino: That’s your painting back there?

Yelena Eckemoff: Yeah. I always paint for my records. I started that tradition with Lions because I couldn’t find a suitable photo for me. I gave up looking for a picture and decided to start painting. I’m not a professional painter. But I think it’s part of me. I’m a better musician than a painter, but it’s convenient and expresses another part of me.

Joe Dimino: I love it. It has such a Van Gogh feel to it.

Yelena Eckemoff: Yeah.

Joe Dimino: Like an impressionistic feel. I love it. I paint too; it just makes it flourish that much more.

Yelena Eckemoff: And is that your painting in the background?

Joe Dimino: Yeah. That’s downtown Kansas City.

Yelena Eckemoff: Well, that’s wonderful.

Joe Dimino: Thank you.

Yelena Eckemoff: Yeah, I love it.

Joe Dimino: Thank you. Thank you so much.

Yelena Eckemoff: Yeah.

Joe Dimino: So, I’m curious, every time you go into a new project, your yearly album, how do you go about picking all of the musicians that are going to be on the album? What goes into that process?

Yelena Eckemoff: It all comes together. I write a story, the tracks, or do painting, compose music, choose musicians, it’s hard to say what comes first. Ideas and the musicians are all interconnected. Svante recommended Morgan Ågren. Morgan is a fantastic drummer. Sometimes the concept comes first. Sometimes I already have the idea, and then I think about who the band members would be. It’s very organic in my mind that when I prepare music, I think about specific musicians; this way, they’ll be comfortable with their parts. There are many talented artists, but only some are the right fit for each project.

Joe Dimino: So, the last time we spoke was about the album ‘Scenes from the Dark Ages’, and I feel like in America, and you, you know, you’re coming from Russia, you understand that political and social strife is a part of the environment. We’re feeling a lot of that in America with immigration, with war, with things that are just very stressful.

Yelena Eckemoff: Yeah.

Joe Dimino: Are you thinking about that now in your creative process—whether you’re making music, painting, or recording albums? In other words, is this an aspect you’re considering as you give people a certain level of comfort, not necessarily escape, during this very trying American time?

Yelena Eckemoff: I try to stay away from all that terrible stuff that happens in the world. My world is very small. My past, the people I love, my family, my container garden, my cat, my chickens. I just don’t have to be in the middle of that, and I choose not to, because it’s overwhelming. When I create my music, it’s peaceful and humane.

Joe Dimino: Yeah

Yelena Eckemoff: I love people. I love nature, and I think it shines through my music. Every artist expresses their soul in art. My soul is peaceful, and I don’t want to hurt anybody. I want everyone to be happy and able to live a good, normal life. I don’t understand how people can hurt each other.

Joe Dimino: Yeah, and that shines from your music. So, ultimately, at the end of the day, what are you hoping people get from this new album?

Yelena Eckemoff: As always, I hope that my music makes people feel good about life, their existence, and the world. The world can be cruel, but it’s also wonderful and beautiful. I’ve received many compliments that people feel good when they listen to my music. It makes their day better.

Joe Dimino: Yeah, I get it. It makes my day go better. So let me ask you this. What are you doing for live shows? We’re hitting the warm months. You got a new album. What’s going on with your itinerary?

Yelena Eckemoff: Nothing is going on with my itinerary. I’m now preparing a new recording in August. At this point, I have a lot of ideas and projects in mind, and a lot of music that I have already created, the tunes that I have already accumulated, and I’m still continuing to compose. So, my goal is to get as many of those tunes recorded with musicians that I love and maybe don’t know about them yet, not all of them. Some may be surprised that I would record with someone I haven’t even connected with. This is my itinerary – to record new projects and to be able to release them. [laughs]

Joe Dimino: Absolutely, it is. So, if anybody wants to listen to your album. I know they can stream the album, but if anyone wants a physical copy or to download it, where do they go?

Yelena Eckemoff: Bandcamp.

Joe Dimino: Okay.

Yelena Eckemoff: Bandcamp is now the biggest source of my records in America. I used to sell on Amazon, but Amazon became so bad that I just quit sending my records there. But in Europe, of course, I have distribution through in-akustik, people can get my physical albums through different stores that in-akustik ships to. I’m still producing physical albums, even though not many people buy physical objects now. But for as long as I can, I will produce physical albums.

Joe Dimino: And I love it. It’s beautiful. It’s a double album. The artwork’s in there. Do you have any art shows? Do you sell your artwork?

Yelena Eckemoff: No. Once in my lifetime, a long time ago, I sold a couple of paintings, and I still regret it. [laughs] [laughs] Because it, it’s– this is, for me. It’s just how I express myself. By the way, my great-grandfather was a very good professional painter.

Joe Dimino: Okay.

Yelena Eckemoff: I have already recorded, but have not yet released the album that is a tribute to his life. It’s coming out in maybe two years. [laughs]

Joe Dimino: And I’m sure we will talk about it down the line. [laughs] Yelena, it’s so good to talk to you. It’s so good to catch up. I will put the links in the show notes. Again, I love your music, your paintings, and everything you’re doing; it’s always an honor to talk to you.

Yelena Eckemoff: Well, thank you so much. I always greatly appreciate your interest in my art.

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Yelena Eckemoff on Scenes from the Dark Ages – Jazz Meets Medieval Mystery

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series.

Yelena dives deep into:

The creative inspiration behind the album
Fusing historical themes with modern jazz
Working with elite musicians
The role of storytelling in her compositions
How music helps navigate the complexities of modern life

Described as “spellbinding” and “immersive,” this album is both ambitious and deeply personal — a must-hear for fans of cinematic, genre-defying jazz.

Joe Dimino: Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series with jazz pianist Yelena Eckemoff on her 2025 album, ‘Scenes from the Dark Ages’. We catch up with an old friend of the show to get into her newest project, described this way: ‘Infusing spellbinding progressive rock with a medieval concept, delivered by a top-tier ensemble. ‘Scenes from the Dark Ages’ immerses the listener in a nearly two-hour, surrealistic and spellbinding experience.’ That’s quite a description. We get into this project, modern living, and so much more. It’s always great to catch up with her.

Yelena Eckemoff: It’s wonderful to catch up with you too.

Joe Dimino: I think this might be our fourth interview, so you’re a regular here on Neon Jazz.

Yelena Eckemoff: Yes. Thank you. I know. [laughs] [laughs] I appreciate it.

Joe Dimino:  Yeah. And I really enjoy the album. I’ve already played it on the show, and it’s interesting because we’re living in such strange times right now, particularly since the beginning of the year. So, ‘Scenes from the Dark Ages’ just seems to fit the times right now. [laughs]

Yelena Eckemoff: Well, it wasn’t really intended like that, but yeah, you’re right. It’s probably just very appropriate for the times.

Joe Dimino:  So, let’s get into the idea for this. I know this was something you really wanted to do for very personal reasons. Talk to me a little bit about ‘Scenes from the Dark Ages’, how the idea came about, and how you developed this album.

Yelena Eckemoff: It took me all my life to process this idea, actually. I have a mental image of the Middle Ages, with its castles and other features, inspired by many of the books I read when I was little, especially fairy tales. When I was growing up, books were the only entertainment available, so I read a lot, especially illustrated children’s books, which basically created that kind of cumulative image in my mind. My project is actually just totally based on the world I created inside myself, first when I was a child, then as I grew up. And it probably has not that much to do with the real history I studied, of course, and I know how the real Middle Ages looked like. But for me, it was fairytale-like. The project, even the paintings I made, looks on the sunny side of the Middle Ages, on the romantic side. More like those images that you have from movies about, like ‘Conan the Barbarian’ or something. [laughs]

Joe Dimino:  Yeah.

Yelena Eckemoff: After immigration, I could do little musically for a number of years while the children were still little. Basically, the only way for me to continue my work was to work in my MIDI studio. And it was a good way for me to have an opportunity not only to compose in the music software, but also to create this project, with a working title of ‘Medieval Symphony’. It was way before I launched my musical career. I really liked that project, but I decided not to release it because I had other CDs I’d released in that era. It was already evident to me that, as a solo player, playing drums, playing all the instruments, I felt like I was short on the real feel of drums, guitars, and everything. So, even though it sounded okay, it didn’t sound good enough for me. And I thought that material deserved better treatment. But then it took me more than 15 years to find great musicians who could bring all those ideas to life. At last, I saw the opportunity to record it and took it. I reworked the project. It wasn’t the same as what I created in my MIDI studio, but it was largely based on it. This is the history of this project. [laughs]

Joe Dimino:  What are you ultimately hoping the listener gets from this album?

Yelena Eckemoff:  I didn’t think about it when I was creating this project. But the medieval era is represented in my melodies. I didn’t use any real medieval melodies; I just created my own. There’s a feeling of this, but it’s also a totally modern sound with rock guitar and world drums. Trilok Gurtu provides those energetic drums as only he can. [laughs] But other instruments that I used, like organs, flute, and violin, hint at the medieval times. So, it’s like an idea: times are distant, but people are the same, and whenever people live, their hearts are filled with their dreams and aspirations, which are basically the same, with just different decorations around [laughs]. So, this project melded distant times with modern times. What do you think?

Joe Dimino:  Yeah, that’s wonderful. And I’m curious, you know, speaking of medieval times, there are a lot of things that have been happening in America, particularly since the beginning of the year, that almost make it feel like we’re going back to dark times, and we’re going back to things that we never thought would happen to human beings. So, I’m curious, with new music out, what does it mean to be an artist, to be able to give your music to the world, to help people feel comfortable, to help them kind of escape some of the ways that we’re living and the things that are going on in this country right now?

Yelena Eckemoff: Well, I don’t want to make an example of myself, but, for me, sometimes it’s hard funding all my music. It is very hard. But if people prioritize what matters to them and work hard, they can do anything. We cannot do too much, but we can do what we can. I can do music, for example, and somebody can do some other thing, you know, and work hard, and make a meaningful contribution to everybody’s lives, right? So, doctors and teachers and radio programmers, [laughs] everybody is involved. We as individuals cannot influence what is happening in the whole world, right? But we can do our part to stay positive and use our talents for the greater good, right?

Joe Dimino:  Absolutely. No, I totally agree.  So, talk to me a little bit about live shows, what’s going on.  If anybody wants to catch this live or get a copy of the album, how can they do that?

Yelena Eckemoff: Yeah, the album is available on Bandcamp in both physical and digital formats, and, of course, is everywhere on streaming services. Bandcamp is probably the best way to get all my albums, including this one. I stopped Amazon completely because it got really bad, and of course, whoever is living in Europe, there is an opportunity to get my physical copies also through in-akustik distribution. It would be really a lot of fun to take it live, maybe even wear costumes, and perform it in a really big venue. But this is just completely impossible, [laughs] because this international team, with Italian musicians, and Trilok Gurtu is based in Germany, and I am here in America, and it’s not possible to arrange it, and unfortunately, it would be too, too expensive and too time-consuming, with everybody being busy. All those musicians are very prominent, and they have a lot of things going on. So, no live shows are planned. But I have videos of live recordings on YouTube. Five tracks were recorded live, and they’re actually the different versions from the album’s one. I have a video EPK, where everybody’s talking about the album, also. So, there are a lot of things out there if you want to dig deeper and learn more about. Also, on my website, I’ve collected all the reviews for my records, and there are already at least 30 for ‘Scenes from the Dark Ages’. So, [chuckles] yes, information is plentiful out there. Whoever wants it, I would be happy to provide even more information and answer questions.

Joe Dimino:  So, you know, the one thing about doing interviews now after the album comes out is that you’ve already kind of moved on to the next thing, and I know you’re really regular about releasing material. Are you already thinking about your next project? How do you approach each of these projects? Do you have a yearly timetable? How does that work for you?

Yelena Eckemoff: Yes. I’ve been recording every year since 2010.  It’s actually this year, the 15th anniversary of the release of my first proper, critically acclaimed album. But, yes, I record; sometimes I record twice a year. I already recorded last year in Sweden, so next year’s release will be a Swedish project, with Swedish musicians about Sweden, actually. [laughs] I worked with a cellist, who also played basses, Svante Henryson. So, it’s going to be a very different project from ‘Scenes from the Dark Ages’. But then I’m recording another project in the fall, which will be kind of a follow-up to ‘Scenes from the Dark Ages’, but without a medieval theme. So, yes, I constantly juggle between current release, next year’s release, and also this year’s recording. Well, for as long as I’m able, I’m really happy to do that.

Joe Dimino:  Excellent. So again, if anybody wants to pick up a copy head to Bandcamp, or you can stream it.  I will have links in the show notes. And Yelena, it’s always wonderful to catch up with you. Thank you so much for taking a minute out, and best of luck with the release.

Yelena Eckemoff: Well, thank you so much, Joe, it’s always my pleasure to talk to you, and I appreciate your interest and your support.

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Neon Jazz Interview with Veteran Jazz Pianist Yelena Eckemoff – 2021 CD Adventures of the Wildflower

Joe Dimino: Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Moscow-born jazz pianist and composer Yelena Eckemoff, discussing her 21st CD, ‘Adventures of the Wildflower,’ out on L&H production label March nineteenth, 2021. The double album tells the story of a columbine flower’s life, birth, death, and rebirth, featuring a Finnish ensemble. She’ll also share thoughts on the pandemic and her hopes for the future. Thank you for joining me. To start, let’s talk about the new double album and the unusual times we’re all experiencing.

Yelena Eckemoff: [laughs] As usual, I am happy to talk to you.

Joe Dimino: I always enjoy your music, and ‘Adventures of the Wildflower’ is another standout. With the pandemic making live events impossible, what led you to release this now?

Yelena Eckemoff: Yes. I have been doing the same thing I always do; except I could not record in Italy. That was a session planned for October, which I could not attend because I could not go. We also could not go to Germany for Jazzahead, which was canceled. I postponed my Italian session. Hopefully, I will record it at some point —I don’t know when. It’s postponed to April, but I doubt April will work. Other than that, I have been composing a lot. I always have more projects than I can handle. Since I do more than composing—painting, writing, running the label, even though it’s just my music—there is always a lot to do. I don’t think I’ve been as affected as many other musicians who lost tours. I haven’t planned any tours, so it’s good for me.

Joe Dimino: How did pandemic restrictions affect your schedule in March? What was your last show before things changed?

Yelena Eckemoff: I’ve been focusing on composing and recording. I never wanted to tour constantly, not because it’s a bad idea, but for me, it was never ideal because I had too much going on with other things. In music, I have to focus and choose between being a touring artist and a composer; I cannot do both. There is too much involved in being a composer. That’s why I’ve always played concerts on my terms—when I wanted to. As a classical pianist, I performed when I chose a program, but after playing it once or twice, I wanted to move on. That’s how it is with my jazz ensembles, too. When I want to perform, maybe once or

twice a year, I can’t really have a booking agent or book many venues for myself. I’ve been lucky to perform at good places, but a few are enough for me. So, I have not been affected by COVID as much as other performing musicians.

Joe Dimino: How do you see all of this kind of coming back to life? You know, we’re at a point now where we have a new administration. There are plans. There are things that are starting to move forward. People are talking about shows that will start this year. How do you see all of this kind of coming back together and unfolding?

Yelena Eckemoff: I don’t really know how it’s going to play out because the world has definitely changed, not because we’ve never had viruses before, but because of how the world has treated this situation. I’m not saying it was the wrong treatment. We’ve never shut down anything before just because something was going around like the flu, and now people are very scared. Many have changed their way of life, and I think some will continue to be afraid to attend public performances. Of course, not all people feel this way—some will be glad to return to normal, and some may never get back to normal. I think it will hurt the performing arts industry and venues badly for a long time, if not forever. I might be wrong, and I hope that I am. Many musicians who wanted to earn big money performing and weren’t truly successful will probably change their occupation. The true, great performers will remain, because live performance will never go out of fashion. There is nothing like the live atmosphere. You can’t have that on a recording—the excitement of seeing things happen in front of your eyes, and how musicians feel when they have an audience. So that

will never go out of fashion and will never disappear. I am sure of it.

Joe Dimino: On ‘Adventures of a Wildflower’, it’s the life, death, and rebirth of the columbine flower, backed by a Finnish ensemble. It sounds like quite an epic journey with material that fits on two discs. Talk to me about how this idea came about, this ensemble, and the general aesthetic of this project now that it’s materialized and people are listening to it.

Yelena Eckemoff: I read about that in a scientific magazine; someone brought it to my attention—an article about how plants communicate with each other. That really sparked my interest because I love nature, and it’s always a source of inspiration. However, I had never considered that plants could be more than they appear; they can almost be considered like animals, with a way to communicate. This idea fascinated me, so I wanted to explore what the little flower might feel and what its life might be like if we assume it can feel and communicate with the world outside. That’s my thing—I like to write music based on something concrete, such as a story, specific images, or concepts. So, I was excited to write a story about the flower and then compose music to express everything about it—like how it germinates and the events that unfold around it. For example, I had a lot of fun with songs like Chickens; since I have my own chicken coop, I have a good sense of how chickens behave. Although my flower only indirectly interacts with chickens, I still included a song called Chickens on the CD. Similarly, there are also butterflies, hummingbirds, rain, drought, and all sorts of things I was excited to write music for.

Joe Dimino: What do you ultimately want the listener who buys this or downloads this to get from this experience?

Yelena Eckemoff: My goal is always to bring something positive to the world and to contribute as an artist. I want everyone to feel positive about life and humankind. I see good things everywhere, in everyone and everything, and want people to live in friendship and mutual respect, and enjoy life because it’s precious. I hope my story brings a sense of childlike wonder, peace, love, friendship, and loyalty. It’s all expressed in the story, and I think the music reflects that. It’s a positive message.

Joe Dimino: When we get back to live music—when you get back on stage, and we return as fans—what do you hope we realize about this time away from music?

Yelena Eckemoff: I was not away [laughs] from music per se because, I mean, for me, everything kind of went the way it was. Of course, I feel for a lot of musicians who, who, who actually had to feel that withdrawal from being on a stage in front of audiences and… But for me, in my audience, it hasn’t changed. It’s– It would be nice, of course, to, from time to time, address the live audience, and it’s nothing like that. But I am appealing to the world’s audience. You know, all the people who are now more than ever, everyone pretty much in the world can hear the music, my music, also because it’s everywhere and on all kinds of platforms. And so, and th-that’s, that’s my audience. But sometimes I get messages from people in countries I didn’t even know existed [laughs], who actually access and listen to the music. So that’s what I think unites people now, you know, from all countries, all cultures. Music unites people, and I’m very excited, very happy to deliver that message. It takes so much work and everything, so much dedication, but, you know, it’s all worth it, I think.

Joe Dimino: I agree. Yelena, thank you for taking some time to talk about your new album. Good luck with it. And it actually comes out on March 9, correct?

Yelena Eckemoff: Yes.

Joe Dimino: Which would be ceremoniously just about six days past when the country shut down last year. So, it’s probably a proof that things are getting back on track and, you know, hopefully we’re on the upswing.

Yelena Eckemoff: Yes, yes, yes. We all hope for the best, and there are definitely things that are already improving. You know, I hope my album will cheer up a lot of people.

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