For the 18th annual Nordic Jazz Festival, the Embassies of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden bring stellar Nordic jazz artists to Blues Alley, the oldest continuing jazz supper club in the U.S. During four evenings between June 17-25, Washingtonians have the opportunity to enjoy a breadth of unique jazz sounds, some inspired by modern NYC jazz, others by indie folk music, yet all steeped in Nordic music traditions.
June 17: Performance by Sara Magnusdottir Hammond Organ Trio, who pays tribute to the music of Jimmy Smith and Jack McDuff. In addition to being a pianist and big band composer, Icelandic Sara Magnusdottir is an up-and-coming Hammond organ player. She cultivated a passion for the instrument’s power, versatility, and soulfulness while studying with Hammond organ veteran Mike LeDonne. In her music, Sara pays tribute to the instrument’s legacy rooted in blues and soul while also being inspired by the melodies of her Nordic heritage. Sara is an active performer on the Icelandic jazz music scene and has performed at various musical festivals, including the Reykjavik Jazz Festival. As a big band composer, she has written arrangements for Joe Lovano, William Paterson University Jazz Orchestra, and Reykjavik Big Band and has received several grants for her composition projects. Tickets here
June 18: Performance by Oskar Stenmark Sextet – 45 Riots, a unique and groundbreaking take on Swedish folk melodies mixed with modern NYC jazz. This is an exciting collaboration between some of the best musicians in New York, bringing 250-year-old melodies back to life for the first time. Swedish Oskar Stenmark is a tenth-generation musician and has collaborated with David Byrne, Living Colour and multiple GRAMMY award winner Maria Schneider Orchestra. Leading his trio, quartet, and sextet, Oskar explores and develops the traditional melodies he inherited from his ancestors by fusing them together with the sounds of his new home, NYC. 45 Riots—founded by bass player Adam Mason—is a music collective and record label and serves as a hub for some of the most talented musicians in NYC to perform and record a multitude of styles. Tickets here
June 19: Performance by Jacob Artved and his NYC-based quartet, who will put on a groovy and intimate musical experience with inspiration from jazz greats such as Ahmad Jamal, Wayne Shorter, and Bud Powell. With a touch of Brazil and Denmark, they will perform their favorite music from the jazz songbook, mixed with some of their original tunes. Danish jazz guitarist Jacob Artved—currently based in NYC—is an active composer and arranger and has recorded with internationally acclaimed jazz stars such as Billy Hart, Louis Hayes, David Wong, Victor Lewis, and Billy Drummond. Jacob first performed professionally as a 14-year-old and became one of the youngest people ever to be accepted to the Rhythmic Conservatory in Copenhagen. Tickets here
June 24: Performance by Oddgeir Berg Trio whose jazz is described as electroacoustic. Nordic Oddgeir Berg Trio has toured in Europe, Japan, and the U.S., and consists of Oddgeir Berg, Audun Ramo, and Lars Berntsen. This month, they will release their fifth album, On A Place Called Home, about the magic of nature, the spaces hidden in memory, and the bonds that family provides. The album is inspired by the birthplace of Oddgeir Berg’s father—the sparsely populated Norwegian island of Rolla—and takes listeners on a sonic tour of the island’s wild landscape. The album was written during a time when Oddgeir’s mother was diagnosed with cancer and, as a result, the music feels intimate and introspective, yet uplifting. Tickets here
June 25: Performance by Tuomo & Markus feat. Verneri Pohjola, a cross-cultural blend of Nordic jazz and American indie folk music. Tuomo & Markus was founded by jazz/soul musician Tuomo Prättälä and American singer/songwriter Markus Nordenstreng and released their 2018 debut album in collaboration with Joey Burns and John Convertino from Calexico, John Stirratt from Wilco, and Gary Louris from the Jayhawks. Their upcoming all-instrumental album Music For Roads brought together some of Europe’s top jazz instrumentalists, and is greatly inspired by American landscapes, history, and culture. The addition of Verneri Pohjola—trumpet player and currently one of Europe’s most respected jazz instrumentalists—has resulted in more jazz and psychedelic influences in Tuomo & Markus’s live shows. In addition to Tuomo, Markus, and Verneri, the band also includes Juho Viljanen on drums and trombone, Miikka ‘McGyver’ Paatelainen on steel guitar and guitar, Jeremias Ijäs on bass and vocals, and Jaska Lukkarinen on drums and percussion. Tickets here
For more details and tickets, please visit the Blues Alley Jazz website.
Follow the Nordic Embassies on social media: @DenmarkinUSA – @FinlandinUSA – @IcelandInUS – @NorwayUS – @SwedeninUSA
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