BET Jazz Presents The Reykjavik Iceland Jazz Festival 2003

[Lois Gilbert]

BET Jazz Presents The Reykjavik Iceland Jazz Festival 2003
Truly an International Jazz Feast


More than 80 international jazz artists are set to appear at the 13th annual Reykjavik-Iceland Jazz Festival set for November 4th through November 9th. Whether you like soulful grooves, mainstream, Latin tinged or the avant-garde‹this year¹s program produced by the Jazz Division of Iceland¹s Musicians Union is both ambitious and exciting. For a complete list of performers visit the festival¹s website, at www.reykjavikjazz.com.

The official opening of the Reykjavik-Iceland Jazz Festival 2003 will be at the Reykjavik Town Hall on Wednesday November 5th at 5 pm with two concert performances, followed by two additional concerts on Thursday and Friday evenings, and then four concerts, including the very popular Jazz Brunch and a special festival dance on Saturday. The festival concludes with a church performance, the traditional "Pancake Afternoon Jazz" performance, four different concerts and the Grand Finale that evening in a large theater venue.

The highlight of this year is a concert performance by the popular and highly-acclaimed NEW YORK VOICES who will be sharing the stage with the Reykjavik Big Band under the direction of Darmon Meader at the festival finale concert. "New York Voices lives up to its reputation as the most exciting vocal ensemble in current jazz," notes the Boston Herald, making this appearance at the festival one of the season¹s most anticipated events.

Among the well-known Canadian jazz artists scheduled are vocalist Martha Brooks, who will be featured with pianist David Restivo, bassist Mike Downes and drummer Ted Warren. Brooks¹s album Change of Heart garnered several awards last year, and commenting on her singing, a Canadian newspaper recently likened her to Diana Krall, Sheila Jordan and Shirley Horn. Additionally, Canadian jazz trumpet player and Justin Time recording artist Ingrid Jensen, will be matched with an organ trio featuring guitarist Asgeir J. Asgeirsson, Hammond B-3 specialist Agnar Mar Magnusson and Swedish drummer Eric Qvick.

Since the festival¹s inception, many Scandinavian jazz players have enjoyed a high level prominence and acceptance by critics and fans. In keeping with this tradition, Danish jazz piano virtuoso Thomas Clausen will lead a group that includes bassist (and compatriot) Jesper Lundgaard and Swedish drummer Peter Danemo.

A "special jump-start" concert takes place on Tuesday November 4th featuring tenor saxophonists Joel Palsson and Fredrik Nordström, with Swedish "wunderkind" Matthias Staal on vibes, Torbjörn Zetterberg on bass and drummer Eric Qvick.

The wealth of Icelandic, Nordic and Scandinavian talent at the Reykjavik-Iceland Jazz Festival 2003 is what truly sets this pristinely located event apart from other regional and international jazz festivals. Among the regional artists performing at the festival are: bassist Edvard Nyholm Debess with Sigurdur Flosason on saxes and Kjartan Valdemarsson on piano; Iceland¹s leading jazz diva, Kristjana Stefansdottir; young upstart Ragnheidur Grondal singing in a group with her brother Haukur Grondal on alto sax and veteran Jon Pall Bjarnason on guitar; Danish vocalist Birgitte Lyregaard; guitarist (and local favorite) Andres Thor Gunnlaugsson with his organ trio; brothers Omar and Oskar Gudjonsson; reedman Sigurdur Flosason and percussionist Petur Gretarsson with their acclaimed "Voices of Nations" program.

Making his Icelandic debut at the festival in a concert sponsored by the British Embassy is piano extraordinaire Alex Wilson, whose two solo albums and side work have raised many eyebrows in the UK and across Europe.

Guitarist Björn Thoroddsen will front two different groups‹one with vocalist/guitarist Leni Stern, bassist Paul Socolow on bass and drummer Keith Carlock (presently on tour with Steely Dan), the other featuring saxman Stefan Stefansson. Interestingly, the latter ensemble will explore some of Martin Luther¹s hymns in a special performance at the Breidholts Church that will be followed by a short lecture from Dr. Sigurjon A. Eyjolfsson.

Hilmar Jensson, a guitar experimentalist will introduce music from his new album, Ditty Blei, with superb backing from drummer Jim Black, trumpeter Herb Robertson, versatile reedman Andrew D'Angelo and bassist Trevor Dunn.

The main venues for this year's festival will be the newly renovated NASA Club in the heart of Reykjavik, and the stylishly renovated Austurbaer, which can accommodate an audience of nearly 700 people.

The number of foreign visitors to our festival has been increasing every year and as we are expecting a sizable increase in attendance this year due to new collaborative relationships with BET Jazz, The Jazz Channel, Icelandair and the Icelandic Tourist Bureau. States BET Jazz Executive VP and GM Paxton Baker, "We look forward to working with our new strategic festival partner in developing and expanding the potential audience via the Jazz Channel¹s affiliate carriers throughout the world."

Available photos in printable resolution, have been set up on the festival's website at www.reykjavikjazz.com/press/

The main event of the fall tourist season in Iceland, the Reykjavik-Iceland Jazz Festival 2003 is once again sponsored by the City of Reykjavik and also by BET Jazz The Jazz Channel which, as a presenting sponsor, will promote and publicize the festival on its TV programs in the months leading up to the festival.

[Chris A]

I realize that black Icelanders are scarcer than hens' teeth, but I do think my people could have made this a slightly less white affair.

I have but one thing to say: "mjög einkennilegt."

[Pete C]

Originally posted by Lois Gilbert
Among the well-known Canadian jazz artists scheduled are vocalist Martha Brooks. . .a Canadian newspaper recently likened her to Diana Krall, Sheila Jordan and Shirley Horn.

She has multiple personalities?

[Chris A]

Perhaps the reference was to a physical attribute rather than to her vocal talent. For starters, all three singers named are of the female variety, then there is...

[graypencil]

Odd ..but the version of this fest that BETJazz
aired on the West coast featured Trumpeter
Greg Hopkins (?) with the Icelandic Big Band playing
stuff out of the old Buddy Rich book ..

so far, none of the talent that's been
described earlir has aired out here ..

[Tom Storer]

Originally posted by Chris A
"mjög einkennilegt."

That's easy for you to say.

[mke]

The concept of BET in Iceland is very funny.

[Pete C]

Originally posted by mke
The concept of BET in Iceland is very funny.

Maybe they can hire Leonard Jeffries to do commentary.

[Chris A]

Originally posted by mke
The concept of BET in Iceland is very funny.

Especially when one considers the fact that Iceland's original agreement with the U.S. was that no black people were to be stationed in the country!