Genevieve Artadi and Norrbotten Big Band Another Leaf

Genevieve Artadi shares new collaborative album ‘Another Leaf’ with acclaimed Swedish ensemble Norrbotten Big Band, out now via Brainfeeder.

Approached to be Composer-in-Residence for the Norrbotten Big Band in 2019 by their Creative Director Joakim Milder (saxophonist, composer, and professor of improvisation at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm), Genevieve felt intimidated to the point of almost turning it down. However, the opportunity to work with one of Europe’s most prominent, and adventurous ensembles known for pushing genres and creating unique musical encounters, proved too big to miss. “It ended up being one of the most rewarding things I've ever done,” she says. The fruits of their labors are recorded on ‘Another Leaf’ which comprises live performances with Norrbotten Big Band in Sweden from the premiere in 2019, and later in 2022 with Louis Cole on drums.

“With this project I tried to expand my sound into big orchestration in a way that would be hopefully interesting for the Norrbotten Big Band,” she explains. “To express personal feelings through and alongside seventeen musicians required me to think deeper about melodies, voicings, instrument colors, and how they can make coherent pictures while interweaving.”

The title – ‘Another Leaf’ – reflects Genevieve’s feelings about the whole experience: “It shows a different side of me from what people usually get, or maybe perceive,” she says. “I came out of the experience feeling new, which compliments the theme of the song where it gets its name.”