VOSSA JAZZ 2008: 14 MARCH – 16 MARCH 2008
TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FROM Billettservice
Vossa Jazz are pleased to be able to invite you to this year's jazz palm weekend, which contitutes the 35th consecutive Vossa Jazz Festival. As always, the Vossa Jazz programme rests firmly upon the two musical pillars of jazz and traditional ethnic music - while allowing for unpredictable improvisations in all directions and genres.
Thursday 13th March
At midnight we jump start Vossa Jazz 2008 with an extraordinary Extreme Jazz event: Terje Isungset, acclaimed percussionist, composer and "iceman" will perform one of his Ice Music concerts at the edge of Hangur mountain together with singer Lena Nymark. Terje makes his instruments from ice by hand - and to keep them cool the concert is set to start at midnight. The time and place should make for an even more special experience. Access to the venue is by cable car!
Friday 14th March
2008's Vossa Jazz will be officially opened by our specially invited private eye Varg Veum and his creator Gunnar Staalesen, who will set the scene for a compelling weekend of musical investigation and exploration. This year's first venture should focus on composer and trumpeteer Nils-Petter Molvær, who is bringing Eivind Aarseth (guitars) and Audun Kleive (drums & percussion) to Vossasalen, where genres and conventions will be thoroughly cross examined.
After the fact, Nymark Collective with Kristin Asbjørnsen will revisit Bessie Smith, delving into the New Orleans musical melting pot of the 1920's. Soon thereafter, Haddy N'jie and A Few Good Men present their view on the case, Nina Simone style.
As Farmers Market take the stage, their uninhibited and energetic Speed Balkan Boogie Experience will give you a heavily spiced non-stop ride through jazz, folk, Balkan and rock.
Valkyrien Allstars' style is rooted in the tradition of Norwegian folk music - although it seems an undiluted Hardanger Fiddle is too straight a jacket for Tuva and her four fellow rockers; armed with folk-strung fiddles and bows, arrows tipped with rock.
Evidence leads us to believe there is more to a Swedish forest than just trees, as Räfven appear on the scene; the free-minded Gothenburgers have been hoarding impulses from a large variety of folk music (kletzmer, eastern Europe and Sweden), and are serving it all up as an interactive Easter feast which you won't soon forget.
The Fraktgodsen venue comes with an "all jazz guarantee". First, settle in for a spurring piano jazz experience with the Maria Kannegaard Quartet. Then, an intriguing double-duo bound to blow your fuses: Paal Nilssen-Love/Ken Vandermark meet Dutch The Ex guitarists Terrie Ex and Andy Moor.
At Fleischers, our private eye Varg Veum sits down to review his case so far, woolfing down a glass of aquavit and his favourite jazz standards; it is Vargtime, as performed by the Jan Kåre Hystad Quartet.
And then the plot thickens...
Saturday 15th March
The man behind this year's Commissioned Work needs no alibi; Tord Gustavsen has invited a very special selection of musical friends with whom he has collaborated on numerous earlier projects: Tore Brunborg (saxophones), Kristin Asbjørnsen (vocals), Mads Eilertsen (double bass), Jarle Vespestad (drums) and Cecilie Jørstad (recitation). Gustavsen will present his "musical elaborations on miniatures" in this commissioned project entitled "Restar av Lukke, Bitar av Tru" (On the concepts of happiness and belief).
However, before the unique Gustavsen experience at 6p.m. in Vossasalen, you may want to pick up more clues to what Vossa Jazz is really about, covering the free marketplace "shake-up call" concert at noon with Räfven; BadnaJazz (see Children´s Jazz below), the Senior Jazz event (below), UngJazz (see Youth Initiative below) and two brilliant acoustic events in Osasalen.
The acoustic venue Osasalen leaves the music largely unfiddled with. First off are Eplemøya Songlag (freely translated to "the applenymph a capella group") who will explore and fuse traditional folk song and jazz. Pianist Christian Wallumrød is well known for his cross-genre work. Along with jazz and folk traditions, he introduces an element new to the Vossa Jazz ´08 setting, namely his influences from classical/baroque music. Wallumrød and his Ensemble blend together, contrast and juxtapose these in an inspiring, partly improvised performance.
Your post-Gustavsen experience on Saturday night may take many turns, from bona fide Psychobilly Kjetil Grande and his band, to the genre-busting and unhampered Manx power trio Safetyword, to the warm grooving pulses of Mozambican Deodato Siquir, through the New York based Brooklyn Funk Essentials and their foundation-shaking, sovereign jazz/dub/hip-hop frenzy.
"By Any Means", Fraktgodsen is set for another all-jazz night: Rashied Ali, Charles Gayle and William Parker present a liberating, avantgarde, cult-jazz, multidirectional rhythm treasure. Any true bounty hunters will surely stay on for more, as Roy Nathanson's Sotto Voce throw poetry, humour and maybe even a portion of doo-wop into your musical treasure chest.
If not already in situ in the early evening, might we perhaps observe our private eye Varg skunking away to a concert with his fellow Bergensian Jan Eggum at Fleischers - one as sadly humourous as the other. The singer-songwriter Eggum has a huge and enthusiastic following in Norway, and his ballads have long ago made their way into everyones hearts and all the song books. After this, all private eyes are free to roam the abovementioned venues until 3 am.
Sunday 16th March
After an unusually long Sunday breakfast, the Jazz Detective takes off on a tangent with the Estonian duo Kann/Sooäär at OBA: Innovative, original folk-jazz from two of the most creative artists on the Eastern-European scene, their music having been described as "a beautiful, mellow and wide, poetic landscape".
And if you thought one quintessential duo a day would keep the doctor away - think again: Marty Erlich and Myra Melford meet at OBA too - solidly rooted, yet playful and open-minded. Their combined experience with a vast number and variety of genres, artists and projects set the stage for a truly brilliant gem of a concert.
At 5 p.m. in Voss Church, Berit Opheim (who you will remember from last year's Commissioned Work) presents a somewhat special concert, in memory of the late composer Per Indrehus and the poet Olav H. Hauge. Opheim brings pianist Dag Arnesen, bass-player Bjørn Kjellemyr and drummer Kåre Opheim to perform Indrehus' music and Hauge's poetry. Their heartfelt, intimate and lyrical approach bridge the folk and jazz traditions. They will also be releasing an album with the abovementioned music at the festival. A concert experience in the 11th Century Voss Church is something very special indeed, which should not be missed if you can help it.
At Park, Kari Bremnes invites us into her musical universe in the first evening concert in Vossasalen this Sunday. Kari's music has a wide span; from the sensual, melancholy and atmospheric landscape to the musical eqivalent of a throbbing steam engine. Bremnes' performances are hugely successful abroad, and we are sure her concert at VossaJazz will be no exception.
And there are more musical gems from Norway: "Edvards Lykkelige Dag", meaning "Edwards Happy Day" (Edvard being Edvard Grieg, the Norwegian classical composer) is a concert to be performed at Vossasalen by Gabriel Fliflet & Ole Hamre and three other charismatic and inventive band members. The performance consists of Grieg's themes as well as their own variations and compositions.
At Fraktgodsen it's jazz non-stop till you drop. As part of the JazzIntro project, two innovative young bands come to play VossaJazz 08: Albatrosh and Legopulver - fresh minds presenting their own, fresh takes on the jazz discipline.
From two promising up-and comings, Sunday night at Fraktgodsen starts with a de facto success trio: "I want to find music that transcends boundaries on a heart level" - highly acclaimed piano player and composer Lynne Arriale (with Steve Davis and Martin Gjakonovski) enter the spotlight for an intimate, real and intense experience.
Last - but by no means least - on the Fraktgodsen stage we meet Tore Brunborg. The native Vossing and esteemed composer and sax player, brings together bass player Ole Morten Vågan and drummer Erik Nylander to form a trio. - Ante up for a lyrical and challenging jazz event, also at Fraktgodsen.
Now that you have an overview of what's going on at VossaJazz '08 (and hopefully you've already cleared your schedule to take off on a jazz tangent with us this Palm Weekend), we leave the rest of the injazztigation to you.
Childrens Jazz / Kids Jazz:
What then is on offer for all the smaller private eyes? Where are the treats, treasures and mysteries for the up-and-coming generation?
Eplemøya Songlag, in addition to their "grown-up" concert, present this year's Commissioned Work for Children. A highly interactive, including, playful and enchanting event, where the adult performers meet children on children's terms. All children (ages 1-100) are invited to this extraordinary event in Vossasalen, Sunday at 1 p.m.
Isglem is the duo Terje Isungset (goats horns and self-made instruments) and Karl Seglem (saxophant and goats horns). The duo are well known for their innovative and playful approaches. The secretive Isungset and Seglem leave the details yet to be revealed, but what we do know is that the children will be invited to parttake in an informal and including performance. This outdoor event will take place at Mølstertunet (traditional hertitage site) and is best suited for children between ages 4 and 94. Make sure you bring appropriate clothing - the weather can be just as unpredictable as Isglem!
The Youth Initiative:
Recruitment is a key to any healthy and living culture, and the jazz tradition is no exception. The youth initiative constitutes VossaJazz' effort to help build a strong and living music culture among our younger generation. Ambitious and adventurous bands and performers are invited to play for a public audience each year as part of the VossaJazz festival. This year, VossaJazz has also launched an all-winter pioneering tuition and workshop programme for young aspiring musicians, where professional performers teach and inspire through one-on-one sessions and collaborative workshops. On Saturday afternoon in Fraktgodsen, we shall all be able to enjoy the musical skills they have acquired this past winter.
Senior Jazz:
The title may give the impression thatthis is old jazz standards played in half-time, but rest assured that it's nothing of the sort. Senior Jazz comprises concerts specifically aimed at an older audience - the "grown-up and then some's". It is a musical energy injection of sorts, and is much appreciated by our senior citizens.
