Imagine lying in the forest clearing on a warm summer’s day, birds chirping and the forest teeming with life and sound. Not far away is the king’s castle, where the knights are merrily singing as they practice their skills with sword and bow. Suddenly, a jolly fellow comes dancing by wearing a Robin Hood costume complete with an eagle feather in his hat. He certainly looks like Richie Blackmore as he cheerfully plucks away on his quality lute, while his gooseberry legs skip merrily across the forest floor. But if you romanticize the good old knight days, you should try listening to Yelena Eckemoff, because that’s exactly the mood of the pianist’s 19 albums since 2010. It can’t be characterized as rock, despite the presence of both bass and drums, as well as a rare electric guitar. But a jazzy romantic summer night dream of knights, fortresses, tournaments, monks, castles and cathedrals. The good old days, interpreted by Yelena like a true poet.

Original Danish:

Forestil dig at du ligger i skovlysningen på en varm sommerdag, fuglene kvidrer og skoven myldrer af liv og lyd. Ikke så langt derfra ligger kongens slot, hvor ridderne lystigt sjunger mens de øver deres kompetancer med sværd og bue. Pludselig kommer en lystig svend dansende forbi iført Robin Hood kostume komplet med en ørnefjer i hatten. Han ligner godt nok Richie Blackmore, som han muntert plinger løs på sin kvalitets lut, alt imens hans stikkelsbær ben spjætter frejdigt over skovbunden. Men hvis du romantiserer de gode gamle ridderdage, skulle du prøve at lytte til Yelena Eckemoff, for det er netop stemningen på pianistens 19 album siden 2010. Det kan ikke karakteriseres som rock, trods tilstedeværelsen af både bas og trommer, samt en sjælden elektrisk guitar. Men en jazzet romantisk sommernatsdrøm om riddere, borge, turneringer, munke, slotte og katedraler. De gode gamle dage, fortolket af Yelena som en ægte poet.