Back in November 2018, KEXP took our annual trip to Reykjavik for the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival. Over the span of four days, we broadcasted live from the renowned KEX Hostel, streaming live video of performances from Icelandic artists and other acts from the festival lineup. We’ll be rolling out these videos over the weeks to follow. One of the days was a series of tribute performances to the late Icelandic composer and songwriter Jóhann Jóhannsson at arts venue Mengi with Apparat Organ Quartet, Skúli Sverrisson and Ólöf Arnalds, and Kira Kira (watch those performances here), joined by Jóhann Jóhannsson's father Jóhann Gunnarsson. Writer Dusty Henry reports:
The elder Jóhann paid homage to his son with a stirring performance of Jóhannsson’s theme for the Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything, performing on a modified street organ that played MIDI music files created by his son and accompanied by a string quartet. As expected, Gunnarsson’s performance was one of the most beautiful and emotional wrenching moments of the day. Graciously, Gunnarson was still open to discussing his son’s work and legacy.
Read the full report and an interview DJ Kevin Cole did with Gunnarson here.
Recorded November 11, 2018.
Interviewer: Kevin Cole
Audio Engineers: Matt Ogaz & Kevin Suggs
Audio Mixer: Matt Ogaz
Additional Audio: Justin Wilmore
Cameras: Jim Beckmann, Alaia D'Alessandro, Scott Holpainen & Justin Wilmore
Editor: Justin Wilmore
