Oslo Jazzfestival’s Nordic Showcase

Written by | Festivals, News

This weekend is the kick off for the 2018 Oslo Jazz Festival. The Oslo Jazz Festival has evolved into a modern festival that takes both the music and the pulse of the city, delighting all that attend. Now recognised outside of Norway, throughout Europe and Internationally, Norwegian and International artists alike can be heard performing at both free concerts and club night events.

The event is especially known for showcasing new Nordic talent to a larger audience. The festival includes a program known as The Nordic Showcase. Each year, the program provides showcasing artists an opportunity to perform to a larger audience and gain international press exposure. In addition the artists can attend masterclasses from industry professionals. The initiative is supported by Talent Norway and Bergesen Foundation. The selected bands play two showcase concerts at Herr Nilsen and Sentralen during the festival.

“Nordisk Showcase is one of the few arenas in the Nordic region, where new talent in jazz can both showcase and further develop their talent with master classes led by established jazz musicians,” says Edvard Askeland, the festival chief.

The bands performing in the program at this years festival are listed here on the Festival’s website. 

Last year the Showcase performances at Herr Nilsen were recorded and the Festival will be releasing a digital compilation featuring tracks from the bands the performed. One such band JUNO showcased in 2017 and is already stretching its wings further afield and the track presented below will not only appear on the compilation album but will also perform at the 2018 Festival.

This year, Fiona Ross one of our senior writers will be attend the festival for JazzInEurope so stay tuned for her festival round-up.

For more program information/TIX: Oslo Jazz festival 

JUNO has its origins in the well-renowned jazz academy at NTNU in Trondheim, and plays original compositions that explore the boundaries between free and arranged music. The unusual line up gives the music a distinctive touch, providing a landscape where rhythmic motives, organic interplay, complexity and captivating playfulness combine.

In the autumn of 2017 JUNO was selected to perform at the Oslo Jazzfestival’s «Nordic Showcase», and since then they have also played at festivals including the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, Kongsberg Jazzfestival, Vinterjazz in Aarhus, Arctic Arts Festival in Harstad and Jazzfest in Trondheim.

Thea Ellingsen Grant, vocals
Malin Dahl Ødegård, vocals
Mona Krogstad, tenor saxophone
Georgia Wartel Collins, upright bass
Ingvald Vassbø, drums

JUNO Music Band: Facebook  and Soundcloud

Last modified: August 11, 2018