Jaga Jazzist closes Ultima
Make sure to reserve your tickets for the final Ultima concert of 2012! Jaga Jazzist is a phenomenon both on the Norwegian music scene and internationally. Their 2001 album A Livingroom Hush was their definite breakthrough. “The men from The Mars Volta rate Jaga their favourite new band, you just might too,” music magazine Mojo wrote when the record What We Must was released in 2005. Not only the records gain praise: “Their live show is like a hurricane making James Last and Max Greger look pale,” is the opinion of German music magazine Intro.
Despite its jazzy name, Jaga spans widely in genres and touches drum ‘n’ bass, elektronica, post rock og what ever the ten piece band feels like playing and experimenting with.
– The Jaga music is quite orchestral and filmatic in itself. These elements will be strengthened by the Britten Sinfonia, says Lars Horntveth, one of the leaders of the band. He plays wind instruments and guitar in addition to being a songwriter. He is also working on arranging Jaga music from their 2010 release One Armed Bandit for this concert.
Chamber orchestra Britten Sinfonia plays regularly at the BBC Proms. This ensemble also shows an eager playfulness with genres, performing everything from Bach and Mozart to rock and electronica. Among their musical partnerships are the Norwegian violinist Henning Kraggerud and Danish post rock band Efterklang.
“... there are few more thrilling and many-coloured things in British music than the Britten Sinfonia on top form,” states The Daily Telegraph in one of the ensemble’s many positive reviews.
So far Jaga Jazzist has filled every house in the UK. 16 June, the Britten Sinfonia concert will be performed for the first time at the Barbican Centre in London. 15 September will be the first opportunity to catch this show in Norway, at the Rockefeller.
The concert is a part of the Conexion series, a collaboration between MIC Music Information Centre Norway, the Norwegian Embassy in London, the British Embassy in Oslo, Nasjonal Jazzscene in Oslo and the BBC journalist Fiona Talkington.
Photo Jaga Jazzist: Steven Haberland