home

Silje's appearances

the year 2007 - November 6.

In September 2007 accidently the Spanish agency that takes care of Silje's concerts in this country published some press information that was meant to get in the open after the official announcement that Silje was awarded with a Dutch Edison Award, the Dutch equivelant of the Grammy Award. On October 4th. the official announcement was made in the Netherlands. Silje recieved this award for her album Darkness Out Of Blue. According to the jury report she is "a female singer who passionately ambraces everybody with her cd Darkness Out Of Blue".

The prize was handed over to Silje at the Edison Music Awards Gala on November 6. 2007 by the Norwegian ambassador for the Netherlands, mrs. Eva Bugge. The Gala was in the Muziekcentrum Frits Philips (Airport Zaal) in Eindhoven in the Netherlands. The Gala was broadcasted by Dutch Radio 6 almost completely, from 20:00-22:30 hour.
Silje was performing with the Metropole Orchestra. She was singing the two songs Vince Mendoza, did the string arrangements for, Paper Boats and Let Me Be Troubled, for the album Darkness Out Of Blue. In between the award was handed over. The ambassador was proud Silje had won this Edison. She told the ambassy bought 150 of Silje's prize winning CD's to give away as a chrismas present.
By the way: Since 2005 Mendoza is chief conductor and artistic leader of the Metropole Orchestra. 

image: www.emarcy.com

The Norwegian ambassador in the Netherlands is handing over the Edison Award to Silje.

In the pause of the Gala Silje did a radio interview, before and after the interview two tracks from her latest album were broadcasted, Aren't You Cured Yet and Before You Called Me Yours. The interview in résumé:
First Silje was asked to explain the album title, but she told it could not be explained, because it was like poetry, like magic, and up to everybody to understand the title for him or herself. It was special for Silje to have this prize and to sing here with the Metropole Orchestra and his chief conductor Vince Mendoza. While skiing Silje was listening to the song Chinese Cafe from Joni Mitchel's album, with an arrangement of Vince Mendoza. It touched her so much she had to cry. Silje looked up to Vince Mendoza and it was actually her producer - Pål Svenre - who suggested her to contact him. She than wrote a letter to him. Vince Mendoza made arrangements for two songs Silje intuitive had choosen. According to Silje Mendoza goes to the hart of the song and by doing that with his arrangement he does not change anything to the song.
For many years Mike McGurk is writing the lyrics of most of Silje's songs. McGurk is picking up the feeling of Silje's music and a personal text appears. Silje sends Mike the music and sometimes she writes a sentence with it. Most of the time they do not deliberate about it. He is able to add his words and sometimes he even can 'hear' the story Silje used for her composing. Silje still is surprised that this 60 year old Mike McGurk can do this so well. For instance when she made the song Judy Falls, she only told Mike "she is falling" and he filled it in.
Joni Mitchel was important for Silje and she still is listening to her. The interviewer states the young Joni is like Silje. The song Before You Called Me Yours is typical with a Jodi start according to him. Silje admits it is sounding like Jodi's work, but it is not meant to be so. While composing Silje works on the piano - and not on guitar like Jodi - and because she is influenced by Joni it can get some of her characteristics. 
Silje is coming back to the Netherlands in April, when she will sing again with the Metropole Orchestra. They will do a recording to.

Silje recieved the Edison Jazz Vocal Award 2007, a new category in the serie of the Edison Awards. The award itself is a bronze sculpture of Thomas Alva Edison made by the sculptor Pieter d’Hont.

The official program for this evening was (source http://www.edisonjazz.nl/html/standaard/nl-NL/pages/default/Programma.html :)

20.15 Start

Opening by the Metropole Orchestre & conductor Jörg Achim Keller

Winner Edison Category JAZZ NATIONAAL
Appearance of Eric Vloeimans trio and presenting the Edison

Winner Edison Category WORLD
Reproduction of Wende Snijders at the Uitmarkt and presenting the Edison

Winner Edison Category JAZZ VOCAAL
Appearance of Silje Nergaard with the Metropole Orchestre and presenting the Edison

Winner Edison Category JAZZ INTERNATIONAAL
Short film about Michael Brecker, the late saxofone player
Appearance of Randy Brecker with the Metropole Orchestre and presenting the Edison

Winner Edison Category DVD
Reproduction of "Live at Montreux 1976" from Weather Report

Appearance of the Metropole Orchestre: Peter & The Wolf, storyteller is Hans Dagelet

Winner Edison Category JAZZISM PUBLIEKSPRIJS
Appearance of Boris with the Metropole Orchestre and presenting the Edison

21.15 h. PAUSE

21.45 h. Begin of the second part

Winners Edison Category LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Appearance of Joe Sample & Randy Crawford and presenting the Edison

23.00 h. END AND START AFTERPARTY