In 2004 UK trombonist Hilary Jeffery and Swiss cellist Nina Hitz joined TKDE to record the self-titled debut album which was released on Planet Mu Records in May 2006. The ensuing tour saw Eelco Bosman and Paris based vocalist Charlotte Cegarra join, forming the Ensemble into a sextet. London based violinist Sadie Anderson joined in 2008 to supply the group with extra power on stage.
The Netherlands has been TKDE’s homebase since 2007, while members have moved closer to each other to make composing and producing easier.
Apart from the mothership which is TKDE, there is another entity; The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation is a live improv jazz / drone / doom side project consisting of TKDE members and a host of interchanging guest musicians.
Due to the vast possibilities within the band, the sound spectrum of TKDE is hard to capture within one specific composition. Moreover, the project will lean towards various styles depending on the respective members working together at a given time. A good mix between atmosphere and technique is always the strong basis for a TKDE composition.
Live TKDE fuse analog and digital as much as possible. Combining traditional instrumentations (comprising cello, trombone, violin, beats, guitar, bass and vocals) with existing and/or self-developed software, continuously blending and mutating, creating an organic and electronic performance, supported by visuals which add to and interact with the frequencies of said instruments.
Gideon Kiers : Beats / FX: Known for his abstract audiovisual work with Telcosystems . Worked with Jochem Paap (Speedy J), on the development of the 5.1 surround sound 'Umfeld' project. Runs the bi-annual Sonic Acts Festival in Paradiso Amsterdam.
Jason Köhnen : Double Bass / Fretless : Better known as hardcore electronics artist Bong-Ra. Recorded a session for John Peel in 2001. Released on labels such as Planet Mu, Cock Rock Disco and Sublight, remixed Venetian Snares ‘Rossz’ album and has played on nearly all the bigger festivals including Glastonbury 2007.
Hilary Jeffery : Trombone / Oscillator : Popular free-jazz / improv trombonist , performs regulary with Jimi Tenor, Patrick Pulsinger and Nick Bullen’s Black Galaxy. Released various albums with the post punk band Sand and solo.
Charlotte Cegarra : Vocal FX / Various instruments : French vocalist from a very musical background. Multi-instrumentalist, playing xylophone, flute, piano and rhodes. Graduated from the Paris College of Music, specializes in electronics.
Eelco Bosman : Guitar : Graduate of the Utrecht School of Arts, majoring in Sound Technology. Dutch guitarist, part of the Utrecht guitar-drone music scene in Utrecht. Currently working on 78 RPM, a heavy droning project.
Sadie Anderson : Violin : Violinist and multi-instrumentalist for Chrome Hoof, Kobayashi Ensemble, Blue Roses and many other projects.
Nina Hitz : Cello : Conservatory of Zurich cello graduate specialized in Barok music. Performs with various theater groups : Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, The Barton Workshop. Specializing in improv, film music and theater.
http://www.tkde.net
http://www.myspace.com/tkde
Embers
The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Embers
Shawored in loneliness
Nearer your shadow
My sorrow is mercyless
Glowing small hours
Fade into black with you
In echoing chambers
Falleing is the promise
Of ever embracing you
Oh oh
Now I'm lost endlessly
And in a void I'm searching you
Dying embers
Dying embers
The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble's song Embers is a hauntingly beautiful song that explores themes of loneliness, grief, and loss. The opening lines of the song, "Dying embers showered in loneliness, nearer your shadow, my sorrow is merciless," paint a vivid picture of someone who is grieving deeply and feels utterly alone in their pain. The next lines, "glowing small hours, fade into black with you, in echoing chambers where silence has taken," further emphasize this sense of isolation and hopelessness, as the singer watches their world slowly fade away into darkness.
The chorus of the song, "falling is the promise of ever embracing you, now I'm lost endlessly, and in a void I'm searching you, dying embers, dying embers," captures the frustration and despair of the singer as they struggle to come to terms with their loss. They feel as though they are falling and unable to find any hope or comfort in the world around them. The repeated use of the phrase "dying embers" throughout the song serves as a symbol of the singer's own fading emotions and sense of self.
In conclusion, The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble's song Embers is a truly affecting piece of music that delves deep into themes of grief, loss, and despair. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of someone who feels utterly alone in their sorrow and is struggling to find any hope or comfort in the world around them. The haunting melody and beautiful instrumentation only serve to enhance the emotional impact of the words, making this a truly powerful song to listen to.
Line by Line Meaning
Dying
Fading away into nothingness
Embers
The remains of a once bright fire
Showered in loneliness
Completely surrounded by a feeling of solitude
Nearer your shadow
Drawing closer to the memory of someone who is no longer there
My sorrow is mercyless
The pain I feel is unrelenting and unmerciful
Glowing small hours
The brief moments of hope and joy that come at night
Fade into black with you
These moments end abruptly and without warning, leaving me in darkness
In echoing chambers
My thoughts reverberate in a vast, empty space
Where silence has taken
A place where there is no sound, only an absence of noise
Falling is the promise
The hope of being reunited is slipping away
Of ever embracing you
The chance of holding you again is dwindling
Oh oh
An interjection expressing deep emotion
Now I'm lost endlessly
I am without direction, wandering aimlessly
And in a void I'm searching you
I am desperately seeking your presence in an empty space
Dying embers
The last remnants of a love that has faded away
Dying embers
The final flickers of a fire that has gone out
Writer(s): Gideon Kiers, Jason Koehnen, Charlotte Justine Cegarra
Contributed by Brody O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.