About P8

The band name Paragraph8ight comes from the the P.O.Pedersen Collegium where the band was born in 1982. The P8 person was in charge of keeping the noice and excessive partying to a minimum…. It didn’t work and we had so much fun making music and touring Denmark for gigs playing our own songs. 

Fast forward to 2016 where P8 finally went into the #1 Medley Studios in Copenhagen. The album Dan gone West was released by the help of professionals. 

Fast forward again to 2025. P8 Live at Mojo Copenhagen is released now with the current 9 person setup. Co-founder and best friend Jens Gerlif friend lost the battle to cancer in 2020 - but we keep going with his daughter Maria and all of Ace of Blues from Mojo and Trumpet/ Sax by Mads and Andreas. We hereby put in our bit for the Big Band Swinging Blues Rock scene / see ya 

Video

Rocking & Rol​ling

An early P8 original composition about relationship troubles, as always :) And the desire to leave it all behind. Note the busy lyrics keeping Iens on he's toes (who the hell spells Iens with an “i” anyway)… and the fantastic double piano solo of Marvin, oh how he enjoyed that himself, and rightfully so… Yes P8 does improvised solo´s.. and somtimes unannounced much to the surprise of the soloist... and we enjoy it! 

Down Home Blues

Maria shines as solo vocalist... initially she thought it to slow, you be the judge... seems the tempo is just right, bringing out the lyrics and  sense of serintiy. Apart from Maria's performace, enjoy the horn arrangement by Andreas, keeping in mind that this is the second time in all of time that we play this song... and then of course the always turned on harp of Thomas Melau.

Cant Stay Cool

Another P8 original classic and again about relationship hazards, not ashamed to admit that we in this song use every blues cliche available.. we like the result. Note the rare double trumnpet solo by Mads who clearly had something on his mind that needed out... and the dynamics! 

Chicago Line

A blues classic in P8 interpretation, this time about trains... trivia time, two of the members of P8 works in the train industry when not playing music... which they would rather do though. Think we pulled it off well enough, considering that while having a general  idea of the 2. half its actually totally improvised on the spot. Yeah it gets too boring if we have to play everthing bar to bar the same every time ;)

Wooden Shoe

Yet another P8 original, our preferred kick off song, about Wooden shoes... "træsko" what a weird concept. Anyway great way to kick off and let the audience know we are there to play music with an edge. Still not sure why Iens suddenly left the stage and joined the crowd, was it getting too crowded on stage perhaps??

Don't worry about a thing

Our take on the late Mose Allison’s classic leans into the tune’s dry wit and relaxed swing. With its famously ironic reassurance—“don’t worry 'bout a thing, 'cause nothing’s gonna be alright”—the song walks the line between cool detachment and clever social commentary. We stick close to the original vibe but bring in a warm horn arrangement that adds extra color to the groove, giving this sardonic blues number a fresh but faithful feel

Records

On a dark and stormy night in March of 2025… well actually the weather was really nice for the season but alas… the band formerly known as Paragraph8ight now just P8, mounted the very minuscule stage of the famous “Mojo” blues club in Copenhagen. Not only was it possible to fit all 9 people, a full recording setup was also fitted, though nobody in the band really understood the purpose of it at the time. 
After hearing the result the band thought it worthwhile to share, not that the recording technique was perfect, not because it being the most well rehearsed gig, but because of the shear joy of being good friends, playing and being together that shines through in the recording. 
Anyways this record here is the result of a magic night at Mojo with a full, full house of a very engaged crowd and a band that really wanted to be there… Enjoy!!

Apple music Spotify

This album is dedicated to his family in the memory of Chris. 10 intense days at Medley Studios, Copenhagen turned into a dream coming true. The result is these 10 recordings of songs written years ago while living together at P.O. Pedersen College in Lystrup, Denmark. The band was formed in 1982 with main members Jens Peter “Hugo” Simonsen, Chris Bjurulf, Jesper Slannov and Thomas Mølau. Chris, our friend and bass player, sadly passed away in the summer of 2015. We dedicated this album to his family by finishing the project where we were saved by Henrik West who accepted to play the bass on the album.

Lead vocal: Jens Peter "Hugo" Rocksänger Simonsen
Guitars: Jens Gerlif • Bass: Henrik West
Drums: Lars la Cour • Harmonica: Thomas Mølau
Backing vocals: Marie Dørfler Pilegaard, Hanne Pilegaard,
Anna Mathilde Jessen, Dan Hougesen, HC Røder Jessen, Lars
Rahbek Andresen, Henrik West
Rhodes: HC Røder Jessen
Hammond: Søren Oulie Christensen
Saxophones: Kasper Wagner • Trumpets: Peter W. Kohl
All songs written by: Gerlif & Simonsen
All lyrics written by: Simonsen
Produced by: Dan Hougesen & Henrik West
Mixed by: Henrik West
Assistant: Frederik Cupello
Mastered by: Lars Andresen
Photo & Artwork by: Mads Buldager & Karsten Hede

Apple music Spotify

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Members

Iens Simonsen - Vocal

Lead Singer, cofounder and songwriter of P8 together with deceased best friend and guitarist Jens Gerlif. Also Lead Singer of Buffalo Woman Blues Band in hometown Silkeborg. 




Maria Gerlif Pilegaard - Vocal

Being the daughter of one of the founders of the band, Maria Gerlif Pilegaard has been a steady backing singer in P8 for almost 10 years. Maria is not only the only woman, but also the youngest member of P8. But despite her (relatively) young age, she still knows how to bring the rockin’ to the rollin’!

Thomas Melau - Harp

Over the years, has had the pleasure of playing harmonica with a long list of talented blues musicians from both Denmark and abroad. These include well-known names such as Kent Thomsen, Trouble Cats, Big Creek Slim, and Troels Jensen, as well as Swedish acts like Blues Blocket and the duo Steve Grann & Matias Malm. He has also collaborated with The Real Deal featuring Benny Rehder, and shared the stage with respected artists like Ronni Boysen, Hans Knudsen, Fried Okra, Johny Burgin, and the legendary Jimmy Burns, among many others.
Is currently a member of Paragraph8ight, Ace Of Blues, and Buffalo Woman Blues Band.

Andreas Gad - Saxofone

Saxophone, arranger and composer. I`ve been involved in music the most of my life, playing different types of music. Member of Paragraph8ight since 2017




Simon Nielsen Ørregaard - Drums

Simon Nielsen Ørregaard brings both precision and soul to the drum stool as the heartbeat of Paragraph8ight. With a foundation described as “solid and delightfully swinging,” his grooves form the rhythmic backbone that keeps the band’s blues-rock drive firmly on track. Simon’s energizing interplay with lead vocalist Iens Simonsen elevates the band’s live presence, making every performance feel spontaneous and engaging. Outside Paragraph8ight, he brings classic rock and blues favorites to life with Frelserne at Mojo Blues Bar in Copenhagen—making him a versatile and trusted force in the local music scene. 

Thomas von Magius - Bass

Tall and quietly dependable, he’s been playing bass for 46 years—mostly with friends, always for the love of the groove. He’s never aimed for virtuosity, but his playing is tight, steady, and deeply rooted. Some say he’s a bit too detail-oriented at times, maybe even a touch particular, but that’s part of his charm. Currently plays bass in P8, Ace of blues and various apperances in ad hoc party bands. 

Mads Brusgaard - Trumpet

Mads Brusgaard is an experienced trumpet player with over 30 years of experience across various genres such as jazz, classical, Latin, salsa, and funk. He plays with the band Cubop, which blends Cuban salsa with jazz and funk. Mads has also performed with other bands such as HAVANA-4 and P8. As a trumpet player, Mads Brusgaard has performed at numerous venues and festivals, including the Copenhagen Jazz Festival. He has played with artists such as Al Agami, Lis Sørensen, Bobo Moreno, and others.

Marvin Radford - Keyboard

Keyboardist Marvin Radford (USA) grew up sitting between the twin Leslie speakers of the Hammond organ at the Faith Tabernacle Church in Chandler, Texas. This sparked his love for music and inspired the sound that would later win him the Berea College Red Foley Music Award. He started playing blues with Ron Harris (former ‘Gatemouth’ Brown guitarist) at dingy dives in Richmond, Kentucky and resides now in Denmark and is a member of the Jake Green Band and Ace of Blues and is a regular host at the legendary Mojo Blues Jam.

Thomas Lago - Guitar

From a young age, Thomas developed a deep passion for music, which naturally led him to the guitar, an instrument that has stayed by his side for many years. Over the years, he has drawn much inspiration from the raw emotion of blues and classic rock. 
Besides P8, Thomas plays in Ace of Blues, which is a regular host band in the legendary Mojo Blues Jam.