Low-Fi backstage with Mathias Heise and Pelle von Bülow

Electrified from the start – that’s how you could describe the reaction of the audience gathered at the show of Mathias Heise and Pelle von Bülow. There is more to concerts than music, yet rarely is it more visible than during the duo’s performance at Casa de Kjems. The night was about passion for jazz, music and pure, uninterrupted fun. Mathias and Pelle, being long-time friends, lent their erratic energy to the room. They were cracking jokes and playing off each other. The picture was of two good friends, who love what they do, and want to share that with the world.

Mathias Heise started his music experiment on a quite early stage. He picked up violin at five years old, when he was attending a local music school. Yet this was not for him, as three years later he abandoned violin for something completely else. When watching ‘Hit med Sangen’ little Mathias, saw the host Amin Jensen play a harmonica solo. The rest, as they say, is history. The harmonica became his to-go instrument and the centerpiece of many of his musical projects. Mathias quickly grew to be a protege of Danish jazz music. He won many awards, and established himself as one of the top harmonica players in the world.

The musical journey of Pelle von Bülow is both quite similar and strikingly different. He grew up in a jazz-rich environment as both of his parents are musicians. He picked up electric bass when he was eight years old but after some time switched it for a guitar. In the beginning Pelle was focused on blues and rock n’ roll. He really discovered jazz at the age of fifteen. After joining the pre-conservatory his career picked up. Pelle can also boast multiple awards under his belt. Despite his young age Pelle is quite a mature musician. He worked both as accompanist and a lead, like for instance in his ‘Pelle von Bülow Organ Trio’.

It is quite interesting that the, in the end small, age gap between Mathias and Pelle shows the differences between those two generations. Where one found inspiration on the TV game show the other found it on the internet. Before their paths crossed Pelle knew Mathias by watching his YouTube videos. It is no mystery that talent attracts talent. It was a matter of time before both musicians would end up together in the recording booth. However, the connection came from a different von Bülow. Mathias and Pelle’s father were working on a record together when young Pelle entered the studio to contribute his vocal part. After recording some blues guitar solos the two men got to talking. Then over the course of the year Mathias and Pelle ended up doing jam sessions together. In their own words ‘there was a vibe that we had to address’.

A vibe there definitely is. Time passes best with friends and if you add good music into the mix the result is pure positive energy. The duo could be playing on a gloomiest November rainy day and still electrify the audience with their turbulent energy. It is a similar principle as when you start laughing at someone else’s laughter. By seeing how much fun they guys had at our little low-fi concert, everyone gathered in the room immediately was captivated. Both by their musical passion and the light-heartedness of the whole spectacle.