Daniel Erdmann’s Velvet Revolution & Jelena Kuljić

Since Velvet Revolution was formed in 2016 alongside Théo Ceccaldi (violin) and Jim Hart (vibraphone), Daniel Erdmann (tenor saxophone) has often heard tongues wagging. The confusion sown by the trio’s homonymy with the legendary New York group eventually led him to dig out of his vinyl collection this legendary first album, with its cover signed by Andy Warhol. It was a re-discovery of Lou Reed’s raw, realistic lyrics, ballads with simple, haunting melodies and Nico’s voice and the infinite sweetness of her bewitching melodies. In the end, the slip of the tongue also revealed a closeness of intent, a quest for a velvety sound with a firm texture, heady melodies, a combination of ardour and delicacy. This listening experience was the starting point and inspiration for this new project combining music, text and song.

For this new creation 2025, by inviting Serbian singer and actress Jelena Kuljić, Daniel Erdmann wanted to recreate this intimate, sensitive and powerful atmosphere. Jelena’s captivating voice, halfway between singing and spoken word, adds an extra expressive dimension to the group’s compositions. With her theatrical, almost punk approach, Jelena Kuljic pushes the band out of their comfort zone!