When people ask me why there is such a disproportionately large amount of musicians coming from my fairly small Danish hometown Aarhus, I have a simple answer: “Leif Falk”. He was the one who revolutionized music teaching in the ‘60s as a young man passionate about New Orleans, Cuba, jazz and all sorts of rhythmic music, he created the institutions, opportunities and frameworks and he installed a feeling of joy, sharing, love of music, interaction, confidence and credibility in several generations of kids from Aarhus, many of whom ended up doing music for a living. Anybody had the right to play music in his world. I didn’t have much direct contact with him, but have felt the ripples of his revolutionary work and Herculean, 50-year long effort in so many ways. He went over to the other side this week along with his loving partner in all of these endeavors, Ivalo. They will be missed! They changed so many lives for the better, including mine!
Leif Falk
This man was one of my first musical mentors, he and his wife Ivalo were very good to me when I was a child, I spent a lot of time at their house with their kids, he and Ed Jones were my music teachers when I was maybe 7 or 8 , he had the hugest collection of musical instruments from all over the world and could play every single one of them, he and Ed taught me what I know about rhythm, about jamming and percussion, and if not for them I wouldn’t be the musician I am today. Leif and his wife who had known each other since high school passed away recently in around their 80s, just two days apart. Him first and then her, I guess she couldn’t stay here without him. They were an amazing and beautiful couple. and my thoughts are with them their children and their grandchildren. I was lucky to have known them. What beautiful people.
I would say rest in peace, but I know they are at peace, with each other, forever.
So many stories like yours, the amount of people who they had a lasting influence is incredible. Beautiful souls. Thanks for sharing!
I translated this extraordinary documentary into English so people beyond the Danish language sphere can get an idea: https://johandalgaard.wordpress.com/2020/01/06/arhus-grooves/