Hvide Lam Jazz in Copenhagen

I got the change to sit in with "Happy Hansen," a traditional jazz group at Hvide Lam, a small jazz club in the center of Copenhagen. My friend Jan Tapdrup and another Dane suggested we drop by after dinner.

When the "Happy Hansen" took a break I got into a conversation with the bass player, Paul. Originally from Australia, he'd been in Copenhagen for thirteen years or so, playing three or four nights a week. He played a solid double bass, and his slap style (on some tunes) reminded me a lot of Paul Matulich, with whom I played for some 15 years from the late-70s to the early-90s.


After I mentioned I played piano, Paul invited me to sit in, which took a bit of doing since we had to uncover the piano hidden up against the wall. It was a great set, and they had me singing Bill Bailey and Honeysuckle Rose before the night was over. It's really a thrill to play with other groups like this!