Vossajazz

Voss International Jazz Festival
Vossajazz
Opening ceremony at Vossajazz 2014.
StatusActive
GenreJazz Festival
Date(s)March – April
Begins12 April 2019 (2019-04-12)
Ends14 April 2019 (2019-04-14)
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Voss
CountryNorway
Years active1974 – present
InauguratedFounded 1973
FounderLars Mossefinn
Websitevossajazz.no

Vossajazz or Vossa Jazz (established 19 December 1973) is an international jazz festival in Voss, Norway, which takes place annually during the week before Easter, and which also includes concerts throughout the year.[1] The festival has been led by Trude Storheim since August 2007.[2]

History

Medeski, Martin and Wood + Nels Cline at Vossajazz 2014.
Sigbjørn Apeland and the Real Ones at Vossajazz 2015.
Kevin Eubanks and Obed Calvaire with Dave Holland Trio at Vossajazz 2016.

The first festival in 1974 was held the same weekend as the World Cup in Alpine skiing at Voss. The idea was that ski and jazz fit together. Since 1986 the festival has always taken place during the palm weekend. From 2007, the festival director has been Trude Storheim.[3]

In 1980 Vossajazz brought Rune Gustafsson and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen together for a power session in the old Voss cinema. This cooperation led to the album Just The Way You Are (1980). Vossajazz includes jazz, folk and ethnic music. There is also Badnajazz for the children, Ekstremjazz (not part of Ekstremsportveko, the extreme sports week also held in Voss), Eldrejazz and UNGjaJAZZja!. In addition, the festival annually commissions a piece of music from Norwegian composers.

The 2016 edition of Vossajazz was a musical event with a blend of different impressions. The Down Beat report gives the festival splendid reviews and opens with stating: "A warm bath of synchronicity hit the lakeside town of Voss, Norway, in the heart of the 43rd annual Vossa Jazz Festival. The blissful sense of convergence of elements came courtesy of respected and increasingly international Hardanger fiddle master Nils Okland, during his contribution to the long history of the festival’s keynote commissioned work (or “Tingingsverket”)."[4]

Commissioned works

Vossajazzprisen

Since 1988 the festival has honoured prominent freelance jazz musicians from Hordaland with an award,[10] including:

Tord Gustavsen, Simin Tander and
Jarle Vespestad at Vossajazz 2016.
Bushman's Revenge at Vossajazz 2017.

Vossajazz Records

Several recordings made at the festival have been issued on Vossajazz's own label, Vossa Jazz Records.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Vossa Jazz". Europe Jazz Network. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  2. ^ Johansen, Carl Kristian (2007-06-11). "Vossa Jazz: Trude Storheim ny daglig leder". JazzINorge.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  3. ^ Woodard, Josef (2012-05-06). "Bold Risk-Taking Elevates Vossa Jazz". Down Beat. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  4. ^ Woodard, Josef (2016-03-25). "Nordic Sounds Abound at Vossa Jazz Festival". Down Beat. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  5. ^ Wicklund, Erling (2013-03-24). "Stian Carstensens FLIPP" (in Norwegian). NRK Jazz. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  6. ^ "Mats Eilertsen: Rubicon. Tingingsverket 2014". Vossajazz. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
  7. ^ "Live Maria Roggen: Apokaluptein – The Uncovering". Vossajazz. Retrieved 2015-03-28.
  8. ^ "Program 2016". Vossajazz. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  9. ^ "Tingingsverket 2018: Eirik Hegdal – Musical Balloon". JazzINorge.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  10. ^ Vossajazz-Prisen, Vossajazz (in Norwegian)
  11. ^ Vossa Jazz records, Vossajazz (in Norwegian)
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