With ecstatic live energy, unyielding musical curiosity, and uncompromising experiments, Selvhenter has been a leading force in Danish experimental music for over 10 years. They have already played several great concerts at ALICE, and their album “Mesmerizer” won the award for Jazz Album of the Year at the DMA Jazz 2023. We are excited to invite Selvhenter back in September. Felisha Ledesma will open the night.

The beloved Copenhagen-based instrumental group Selvhenter was formed in 2010 by trombonist Maria Bertel, saxophonist Sonja LaBianca, and drummers Jaleh Negari and Anja Jacobsen. Since then, the group has been at the forefront of Danish experimental music and has also gained international recognition. Selvhenter is the focal point of the artistic collective Eget Værelse, which houses the group members’ solo projects, as well as remarkable collaborations such as Valby Vokalgruppe, SOLW, and GEK.

Selvhenter’s expression is characterized by a direct and physical experience of music, composed of polyrhythms, acoustic and electronic melodies, and improvised beauty. The quartet’s sound is made up of strong rhythmic patterns woven together by two drum sets, a trombone that resonates through a bass amplifier, and a saxophone that alternates between revealing the instrument’s true nature and being processed into unrecognizable. Selvhenter plays with extreme control, while their immediate interplay gives the impression that they are discovering the music for the first time together. The result is a feeling of pure joy, both for the musicians and the listeners. Through many years of playing together, Selvhenter’s sound has become instantly recognizable, while the music has continued to evolve over the years through the group’s endless curiosity. Selvhenter’s album “Mesmerizer” won the award for Jazz Album of the Year at the DMA Jazz 2023. They demand to be experienced live, so we are excited to present them again at ALICE in September.

Felisha Ledesma
Felisha Ledesma is a sound artist and musician based in Malmö, Sweden. A distinctly warm and organic palette permeates Ledesma’s work, each moment slowly unfolding into an intimate aural experience. Inspirations from the every day are distilled into sonic memories that invite a meditative and deep listening. Felisha Ledesma is actual with “Fading farther from me” (Ecstatic Recordings, 2023) and will be warming up the evening for Selvhenter.