TKDE

The Netherlands (2000 – present)

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble (TKDE) formed in 2000 as a project to compose new music for existing silent movies. Jason Köhnen (aka Bong-Ra) and Gideon Kiers (Telcosystems), both graduates of the Utrecht School of Arts, combined their audio and visual skills to reinterpret classic movies by F.W. Murnau (Nosferatu) and F. Lang (Metropolis). 

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.

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Sharbat Gula

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Seneca

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Patra

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Shadows

The Kilimanjaro Dark Jazz Ensemble - Cotard Delusion

The Kilimanjaro Dark Jazz Ensemble - All Is One

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Here Be Dragons

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble
Mutations EP - 2006

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Symmetry of 6's

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Parallel Corners

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Pearls For Swine

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Lobby

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Celladoor

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Sirocco

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Caravan!

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Giallo (Kovaakh Bootleg)

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Nothing Changes/Senki Dala/Embers

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Bird's Lament

Fanu remix of The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble's "XTabay".
A part of a 5-track EP that was released on Oct 10 to celebrate TKDE's new tour.
Grab the whole EP at http://shop.tkde.net/album/xtabay

BUY! It's cheapo!

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble: "XTabay" (Fanu remix)

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Embers

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Dark Night Of The Soul