Poetry and artwork - Henry Denander

I found a new favorite jazz saxophone player: Nat Birchall.
He just released “Cosmic Language” an album that All Music Guide says “deserves to figure near the top of 2018’s best albums...” Highly recommended. Trust me this time.
 

Twenty-five years ago today a fighter plane from the Swedish Airforce crashed in the center of Stockholm. 

No one was killed but 15 people were hurt. I was standing on our balcony and I saw when the engine stopped on the huge fighter plane.

Later I wrote this poem:

The salmon in the sky and how everything just stopped
 

 

 

 

 

A new water color portrait of Roscoe Mitchell, one of the founders of Art Ensemble Of Chicago. A key figure in avantgarde jazz and still very active.

 

I've been a fan of Randy Brecker's music for a long time, still remember the fantastic Brecker Brothers' gig in Stockholm at Göta Lejon in 1980.

So when Randy said he likes my art and asked me to do a painting for the cover of his forthcoming DVD, I was honored!

Here it is, Live 1988 at Sweet Basil - Randy Brecker Quintet. 

Here some recent music studies, hope you dig!

Mr. Blue passes Mrs. Kalovradi's gallery on his way home and is surprised when he sees some familiar paintings...

A scene from my short story "The Poetry of Mr. Blue", published by Bottle of Smoke Press in 2007.

I'm making some new portraits of musicians, for a mailart stampsheet. Here are two of the watercolors: Willie Nelson and Jeff Tweedy. 

 

Chet Baker - using my watercolors like they are acrylic paint, laying layer on layer, trying to find Chet Baker's face. I'm not sure Chet would have approved this but I hope you like it :-).
 

Another take on this trumpet and tenor scene. Jazz is life! In any color, right?.