Elena Smon Wolay used to be Stockholm’s most booked burlesque dancer and dance for the band KRIGET. Currently she is working as nightclub queen/boss at Marie Leveau together with Kornèl Kovacs, as well as running a few other clubs around town, such as Punk är trevligt (Punk is nice), Jazz är farligt (Jazz is dangerous) and Tantklubben (The old lady club). She is also singing in the band Estroboscorpio and member of the Mums Mums collective.
How did you get the idea for the ”Jazz är farligt” night?
The club name came to be when I found the sleeve of an LP with the name ”Punk är trevligt, Jazz är farligt” one late night at my friend Jonas Jonsson’s place. It was perfect.
Later that week I had a coffee with uncle jazz himself; Conny Lindström. We were both longing for a jazz club and we decided the best spot to have it would be at Bar Brooklyn, Strand, every Wednesday. We were pretty tired of the lame jazz scene and missing the intelligent, spiritual, messy and chaotic that no seems to dare to play – such as Ayler, Ornette, Belgrave or The Pyramids.
Apparently it is something other people have been missing as well, since we have gotten regulars really quickly – old and young.
This is my biggest challenge so far as a Dj, to find rare, weird jazz stuff in the record shops every week to keep it updated. Unfortunately it’s hard to find. I’ve been hunting for hours, every week, all over town but luckily I do have great friends that look and buy stuff for me too and Conny and me visit private collectors as well.
Jazz is really alive, and we are getting so much love from our regulars, it’s wonderful and inspiring for me as a DJ!
How would you describe Stockholm 2012?
Well, it’s only March so far. I think the outdoors parties will dominate this summer after last years’ success and growing interest.
I think that there is a new wave of subculture and the interest for music and politics is increasing amongst the club kids and people are sick of doing as much drugs as they did in 2011. People want quality, they are awake and frustrated and with that comes new interesting bands and DJ’s for us to book and new guests to welcome. that are asking for more from the promoters and DJ’s. The vinyl trend is back and that’s great, but the prices are increasing. I’m looking forward to this year since me and Kornèl have a few aces up our sleeve.
What’s your hopes for this year?
I’m going to get personal now, I’m not going to lie, I’m tierd! This life style is fun but not so romantic sometimes, I have been playing four, five times a week for years now and if I’m not playing I have to be out checking out new bands, clubs or look for records. When I’m not doing that I’m rehearsing with Estroboscorpio. My Finnish taxi driver (yxi,kaxi, taxi) knows more than most about my private life and gives me advice as he would be my uncle, Record shops gives me hugs and coffee in the morning and bands like Voladoras adopted me as I’m seeing them more than my family. Conny is almost the only one calling me to see how things are and Mom thinks I’m doing drugs. I love my job but it’s just hard finding a balance in my surrealistic life. I only meet vampires and dragging vinyl around town five times a week takes energy from doing other stuff. I’m not even sure what normal stuff is anymore and I don’t have any normal people around me to tell me what it is, but hey I really love what I do and I’m not going anywhere!
