Kaja Draksler Octet
Laura Polence vocals, Björk Níelsdóttir vocals, Ada Rave reeds, Ab Baars reeds, George Dumitriu violin, Kaja Draksler piano, Lennart Heyndels bass, Onno Govaert drums
Pianist Kaja Draksler leads a colorful group featuring very diverse musicians from different countries, founded in Amsterdam. Her music varies from simple songs to intricate compositions with refined textures inspired by modern classical music. She has used lyrics from various artists and poets, including Robert Frost and Matsuo Basho.
Free improvisation plays an important role in the work of Kaja Draksler, who made name in a relatively short time with an extremely varied oeuvre. The classically trained pianist made her breakthrough with her solo album The Lives of Many Others. She’s part of various bands, such as Punkt.Vrt. Plastik, and of improvisational ensembles, for example with members of The Ex.