Emeli Ek

Emeli Ek is a drummer, percussionist and composer. Currently based in Malmö in the south of Sweden. She plays and composes music mainly in free jazz or country/americana. Her main bands now is the freeform-inmotion-jazz duo Medi, her free jazz quintet Ormbunken, Throwback Tribute - a project that pays tribute to music from the past, and the country/americana band The Bandettes. She is also playing her solo project on drums and percussion, which is a mix of free improvisation and movement. 

Emeli was born and raised in a small village outside Helsingborg, been playing music since she was 8 years old. Piano, electric bass, dancing, playing soccer... In her early teens she picked up the acoustic guitar and the drums. Studying music during high school and later on at the folk high school's Fridhem and Skurup,  then getting a Master in Music Education in 2014 at the Academy of Music in Malmö.  

It's behind the drums Emeli feels most comfortable, seeing herself more as a musician than a instrumentalist. Focusing more on sound and expression on stage, exploring and combining sounds that can interact with the traditional drum kit. Being openminded and thinking outside the box is two of her strenghts, as she lets creativity and playfulness be her guiding lights. This is a part of any music Emeli plays. What happens with the music when she stands up behind the drumset? Or putting a plastic bag, a wooden toy or a metal lid on the drums? 

The newest ingredient in her music is to sometimes take the role as the lead singer, mainly in The Bandettes, but occasionally also in Ormbunken. 

During 2023 Emeli created a new show for children with Medi, writes new music for a project with Ormbunken, celebrates Tom Waits record "Closing Time" and plays free form in different constellations.

In 26th of January 2024 Medi will release their fourth record at Havtorn Records!

Discography:
As the universe is expanding... - The Bandettes, Take me Home Productions 2023
Cold War - Lakely, 2021
Oval Tid - Medi, Havtorn Records 2020
Ormbunken har funnits sen dinosauriernas tid - Ormbunken, Abrovinsch Records 2020
Pockets full of sand - Lakely 2017
Medi Möter Fredrik Ljungkvist/Mattias Hjorth och Oskar Schönning - Medi, Havtorn Records 2016
En kärlekssång till alla bortgömda trosor - Sofia Thelin, Karamell Records 2016
The Joker - The Bandettes, Take Me Home Productions 2015
Take Me Home - The Bandettes, Take Me Home Productions 2013
V.17 - Medi, Myomusica 2012
 

Grants in selection:
Utvecklingsstöd, Region Skåne 2022
Samarbetsprojekt, Kulturrådet 2022
Verksamhetsstöd Kulturrådet, Medi 2015-2022
Musikverket samarbetsprojekt, Medi 2022
Projektbidrag Malmö Stad, Ormbunken 2021
Konstnärsnämndens arbetsstipendium 2018, 2021
Stimstipendium 2018

Photo at the top: Lars H Knudsen 
Photo below: from Ormbunken video by Mikel Morueta Holme