Prelude - Tuesday August 11Th 2015 18:00 Bíó Paradís the Latin Viking - Premier
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Prelude - Tuesday August 11th 2015 18:00 Bíó Paradís The Latin Viking - Premier A documentary film about Tomas R. Einarsson Award-winning Icelandic bass player and songwriter Tomas R. Einarsson is already well-known in his home country, mostly for his Latin music. In “The Latin Viking” we get to know the man behind the double bass and the music, and how it came about that this country boy from the west of Iceland embarked on a musical journey that took him all the way to Havana, Cuba, to finally return home to the sub-arctic valley of his childhood, bringing back a hot and colourful Latin feast. Director: Jón Karl Helgason, Producer: Sigurður G. Valgeirsson Day 1 – Wednesday August 12th 2015 17:00 Lucky Records Jazz parade to Harpa concert hall (from Hlemmur down Laugavegur) 17:45 Budvar stage Opening ceremony for Reykjavik Jazz festival 19:00 Silfurberg The House sleeps - New release Leifur Gunarsson belongs to the upcoming generation of Icelandic jazz musicians. He is releasing his first album as a leader on this occasion, called Húsið sefur (“The House Sleeps”). The music for the album is all written to and inspired by Icelandic poetry and is based on his Copenhagen years. The music is best described as lyric and melancholic jazz with folk influences. Leifur Gunnarsson (double bass) Agnar Már Magnússon (piano) Matthías Hemstock (drums) Ingrid Örk Kjartansdóttir (voice) Haukur Gröndal (saxophone, clarinet) Snorri Sigurðsson (trumpet) 20:00 Norðurljós Monica Zetterlund – A tribute concert The jazz group called “23/8” consists of singer Stina Agustsdottir, pianist Anna Greta Sigurdardottir and Leo Lindberg on bass. Their earlier performance honouring Monica Zetterlund, at the Nordic House this January, was a hit and completely sold out! Here's the chance for those who missed out. Monica Zetterlund was a jazz singer who became popular during the late 1950’s in Sweden. She performed with the likes of Thad jones, Bill Evans and Louis Armstrong, but also made a name for herself as an actress in her home country Sweden. The group will perform songs made popular by Monica Zetterlund during her career, songs that were written for her as well as other known jazz standards performed in English, Swedish and Icelandic. Stína Ágústsdóttir (voice) Anna Gréta Sigurðardóttir (piano) Leo Lindberg (double bass) Erik Qvick (drums) 20:00 Silfurberg Nordic Dialogues Nordic Dialogues is a Pan-Scandinavian collaboration between Finnish saxophonist Joakim Berghäll and pianists Árni Karlsson and Joona Toivanen, based on Berghäll's widely praised debut album "Dialogues I" (2013). Joakim Berghäll, one of Finland’s most talented and internationally recognised improvisers, is a Helsinki-based saxophone player and composer born in 1980. "He is a master of all the reeds." (Jazz Weekly). As a composer he creates music that is strongly influenced by Finnish folk tradition and at the same time harmonically rich, melodically diverse and emotionally compelling. Árni Karlsson has been an active member of the Icelandic jazz scene for two decades as a pianist and composer in various musical styles, from jazz and classical to pop, rock and house. His last album, Hold, was selected Album of the Year 2014 by New York jazzsite The Jazz Wrap. “Beautiful music, full of emotion, expressive depth, colourful harmonies and beautiful Nordic melodies." SKJazz Joona Toivanen is a talented Finnish pianist based in Gothenburg, Sweden. His current musical projects include solo work, and the Nordic quartet Jazz & Fly Fishing. Joakim Berghall (Saxophones) Árni Heiðar Karlsson (piano) Joona Toivanen (piano) 21:00 Norðurljós Kekko Fornarelli Trio A true Italian masterpiece! Kekko Fornarelli leads his trio trough his original music and follows up on the release of his latest album “Outrush” (2014). The music of Outrush has been described as an escape inside his own world. A complexity able to hit the audience straight in the heart and the stomach, before touching the mind. An alchemy between the musicians that carries jazz out of its borders. Kekko has in the last years earned reputation on the international stage, and is referred to as the rising star of Italian jazz. He tours extensively and is a frequent guest at Europe’s leading jazz festivals. This concert is made possible by generous support from Puglia Sounds Kekko Fornarelli (piano and keyboard) Vendola (double bass) Dario Congedo (drums and percussion) http://www.kekkofornarelli.com/ 22:00 Silfurberg Mógil Mógil is an Iceland-based band whose music blends folk, classical, minimal and post-rock into a universe that is completely their own. The lyrics are inspired by Icelandic folklore and current events and tell the emotional stories of humans and mermen alike. The world of Mógil is atmospheric, intimate and mysterious. It is always warm, be it from the midnight sun in summertime or the blaze of a fireplace in wintertime. The tension between the crystal-clear soprano and the very contemporary accompaniment together make for a timeless sound that knows no borders. Mógil has performed at Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavík Jazz Festival and WOMEX World Festival and done several tours of Northern Europe. They released the album “Ró” in 2008, followed by “Í stillunni hljómar” in 2011, with a new album upcoming in 2016. Their music has been called “exquisite from beginning to end” (Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery, NYC) and proclaimed as “music that touches the soul” (The Silent Ballet, NYC). http://www.mogil.org Heiða Árnadóttir (voice) Joachim Badenhorst (clarinet) Hilmar Jensson (guitar) Kristín Þóra Haraldsdóttir (viola) Eiríkur Orri Ólafsson (trumpet) 23:00 Budvar stage Jazz jam session Day 2 – Thursday August 13th 2015 17:00 Budvar stage Happy hour Samples of the day’s concerts as well as happy hour at the bar 19:00 Norðurljós Jónsson & More Jónsson & More is a trio formed in 2008. The trio plays original music that can be described as a combination of free improvisation and lyrical contemporary jazz. This concert will mark the release of their first album. The trio’s last performance at the Reykjavik Jazzfestival in 2010 was met with rave reviews, so it will be interesting to see how they have progressed since then. Ólafur Jónsson (tenor saxophone) Þorgrímur Jónsson (double bass) Scott McLemore (drums) 20:00 Silfurberg Ásgeir Ásgeirsson Trio with guests Ásgeir has been one of the most prominent and versatile guitarist in Iceland for many years, performing all kinds of music, from pop, rock, jazz and world music. Asgeir will celebrate the release of his second solo album, Trio. On this record Asgeir has written music especially for the many jazz trios he has been a part of during the recent years and on the record he has four different trios performing his music. The music can best be described as a traditional jazz music and covers many different styles within jazz, spanning from bossa nova to funk to old jazz. At this release concert Asgeir will perform with a jazz trio and guest artists. Ásgeir Ásgeirsson (guitar) Þórður Högnason og Gunnar Hrafnsson(double bass) Erik Qvick (drums) Guests: Stefanía Svavarsdóttir og Kristbjörn Helgason (voice) Haukur Gröndal (saxophone) Snorri Sigurðarsson (flugelhorn) Karl Olgeirsson (piano and organ) 21:00 Norðurljós Brotherhood – Tómas R. and Ómar Guðjónsson Guitarist Ómar Guðjónsson and bassist Tómas R. Einarsson have been playing together for a decade. They have performed together, as a duo and in numerous other settings, in ten countries. Now, an old dream has become a reality: a record where they compose for each other. The musical conversation is the most important goal, whatever the groove - swing, latin or ballads. Tómas R. Einarsson (double bass) Ómar Guðjónsson (guitar) 22:00 Silfurberg Niescier/Jensson/McLemore Award winning German alto saxophonist Angelika Niescier is well known in Europe for her bands Sublim and Trio NOW. This is her second appearance in Iceland as part of this collective trio with drummer Scott McLemore and guitarist Hilmar Jensson. All three musicians contribute compositionally and subtly pull the trio in different directions with their interpretations of each other’s pieces. The music, which balances angular melodies, floating ballads and free improvisation, will be released on a CD at this concert. Angelika Niescier (saxophone) Scott McLemore (drums) Hilmar Jensson (guitar) 23:00 Budvar stage Jazz jam session Day 3 – Friday August 14th 2015 17:00 Budvar stage Happy hour Samples of the day’s concerts as well as happy hour at the bar 19:00 Norðurljós Sunnu Gunnlaugs Trio Sunna Gunnlaugs Trio is among the most prominent Icelandic jazz groups on the international scene. In recent years they have toured extensively in Europe, the US and Canada. The trio draws on their collective experiences having lived abroad (whether in NYC or Holland) and returning to Iceland to develop a musical approach which draws listeners in with beautiful melodies and challenges them with intricate forms and free improvisation. Sunna Gunnlaugs (piano) Scott McLemore (drums) Þorgrímur Jónsson (double bass) 20:00 Silfurberg Projeto Brazil! – Sigurður Flosason and Hans Olding Projeto Brazil is a collaboration of Icelandic saxophonist Sigurður Flosason and Swedish guitarist Hans Olding. They have arranged Brazilian music for an interestingly assembled international quintet. The music is by some of the best known Brazilian composers, classic Brazilian music such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Viniciius de Moraes and Nascimento. This concert is made possible by support from the Swedish-Icelandic cooperation fund and the Swedish embassy in Iceland Sigurður Flosason (saxophones and flutes) Hans Olding (guitar) Þorgrímur Jónsson (double bass) Þórdís Gerður Jónsdóttir (cello) Ola Bothzén (drums) 21:00 Norðurljós Boom Tic Boom – Allison Miller NYC-based drummer Allison Miller gathers inspiration from a wide array of genres. Coming from the Jazz tradition, she engages her deep roots in improvisation as a vehicle to explore all music.