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Guitarist Gudmundur Petursson plays a solo recital at Reykjavík Jazz 2021. It features work from his albums along with a new set of pieces based on Reykjavík and it’s neighbourhoods. The music can be defined is a jazz oriented post-genre, where elements of kraut, prog, alt-rock, modern classical and ethno-blues might occur. Gudmundur has shared the stage with diverse artists such as Pinetop Perkins, Erlend Oye and Pattie Smith, as well as working on hundreds of albums. He has released the albums Ologies, Elabórat, Sensus (2008-2015) and Concerto for Electric Guitar and Orchestra (2019). Gudmundur has also written compositions for SinfoNord, Reykjavík Chamber Orchestra and Reykjavík Big Band. Gudmundur has received the Icelandic Music Awards several times as a guitarist and composer.

The guitarist Hróðmar Sigurðsson (IS) graduated from the FÍH Music School in 2017. Since then he has worked as a musician and played music with various musicians in all genres e.g. Ife Tolentino, Elísabet Ormslev, Teitur Magnússon, Elísabet Eyþórsdóttir, Ingibjörg Turchi and others. He has also played in bands in shows in theaters. Since the year 2020, Hróðmar has operated his band which consists of active musicians in the Icelandic music scene and has performed in Mengi and Bryggjujazz. Songs and arrangements are in Hróðmar’s hands, but with the band a world of sound has developed that revolves around the electric guitar and neatly intertwined brass arrangements and you can hear inspiration from various musical genres. The concert at Jazzhátíð Reykjavíkur is the release concert of Hróðmar’s first album and it is released by Reykjavik Record Shop. The album was recorded in Sundlaugin studio in spring and autumn of 2020, Birgir Jón Birgisson was in charge of recording, Kjartan Kjartansson mixed and mastered and the album cover was designed by Þórdís Erla Zoega. Hróðmar Sigurðsson : electric guitar Ingibjörg Elsa Turchi : electric bass Magnús Jóhann Ragnarsson : hammond organ / keyboard Magnús Trygvason Eliassen : drums Kristofer Rodriguez Svönuson […]

Ludvig Kári Quartet returns to Reykjavík Jazz Festival 2021 with Rákir (Contrails), a new cd packed with original jazz fusion compositions inspired by jet contrails in the northern toposphere. The quartet comprises some of Iceland´s finest jazz musicians together and will perform material from the new CD as well as even newer compositions at the festival. The quartet performed previously at the Reykjavík Jazz Festival in 2019 to a great reception. Ludvig Kári Forberg (IS) : vibraphone Phil Doyle (US) : saxophones Stefán Ingólfsson (IS) : bass Einar Scheving (IS) : drums

Edda started performing professionally in 1980 as a singer and piano player in various projects. Twice in the Eurovision finals, in a very popular group Model in the 80´s and had her own Jazz ensemble during those early years and on. Edda founded her own music school Tónskóli Eddu Borg in 1989 and runs it to this day. Edda takes the stage now on the Reykjavik Jazz Festival and performs her own composition derived from her training as a classical pianist and inspired by her love for Smooth Jazz. For this concert Edda has put together a tight band of excellent musicians including Agnar Már Magnússon on keyboards, Benedikt Brynleifsson on drums, Bjarni Sveinbjornsson on bass and Friðrik Karlsson on guitars. Together they will play material from Edda’s previous albums New Suit (2019) and No Words Needed (2015) and don’t be surprised if they pull a new tune or two out of the hat. Edda Borg : piano Bjarni Sveinbjörnsson : bass Friðrik Karlsson : guitar Agnar Már Magnússon : keyboards Benedikt Brynleifsson : drums

“Hagi” – Release concert at Reykjavík Jazz 2021 Bassist Þorgrímur Toggi Jónsson presents a new album, Hagi, recorded with his newly formed quartet. Thoghtful and melodic compositions are at the forefront showcasing the strenght of the band. Toggi has received numerous awards and nominations for his music and performances in recent years. His first solo record, Constant Movement, received the Icelandic Music Awards as the jazz album of the year. The quartet has some of the best musicians of today‘s Icelandic music scene and includes Rögnvaldur Borgþórsson on guitar, Magnús Trygvason Elíassen on drums and Tómas Jónsson on piano. Þorgrímur Jónsson : double bass / electric bass Rögnvaldur Borgþórsson : guitar Magnús Trygvason Eliassen : drums Tómas Jónsson : piano / keyboards

Rósa Guðrún Sveinsdóttir, saxophonist and singer/songwriter, released her debut album in 2014 called Strengur Stranda. The album is a collaboration with her father, Sveinn Kristinsson, who wrote the lyrics. The music and lyrics are influenced by nature and the peaceful ambiance in the remote West fjords Iceland where her family has a second home. Rósa wrote many of the songs with the arrangements for string quartett in mind and has now composed a new series of songs. Rósa has joined forces with Siggi String Quartet, comprised of violinists Una Sveinbjarnardóttir and Helga Þóra Björgvinsdóttir, viola player Þórunn Ósk Marinósdóttir and cellist Sigurður Bjarki Gunnarsson. They are all instrumentalists in the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and have worked together as a quartet since 2012. They won the Icelandic Music Award 2018 and were nominated as the performer of the year at the Icelandic Music Awards 2019. Along side Rósa and the string quartet will be guitarist Daníel Helgason, Matthías M.D. Hemstock percussionist, and Birgir Steinn Theodórsson bassist. Rósa Guðrún Sveinsdóttir : voice / saxophone Daníel Helgason : guitar Birgir Steinn Theodórsson : bass Matthías M.D. Hemstock : drums / percussion Una Sveinbjarnardóttir : violin Helga Þóra Björgvinsdóttir : violin Þórunn Ósk Marinósdóttir […]

Karaoke is every Tuesday! Are you a Whitney or a Celine? Pop songs or power ballads? Tuesdays are Karaoke nights. Warm up and get ready to sing your heart out!

DJÄSS was formed in 2010 by Karl Olgeirsson (piano), Kristinn Snær Agnarsson (drums), and Jón Rafnsson (bass). Its first 10 years together, the trio performed under the name Hot Eskimos. They made a name for themselves with their jazz arrangements of Icelandic rock, punk, and pop music. These were the kinds of songs on their first CD “Songs From the Top of the World” (2011). Critics gave it top reviews. This disc is now also available on vinyl. Their second CD “We ride Polar Bears” (2013) struck a new note. In addition to Icelandic songs, you can also listen to several original and foreign songs. DJÄSS has now finished a new record. Most of it is original material. Its release will be in October 2021. At this concert the trio will mostly perform material on this soon-to-be-released record, entitled “DJÄSS”. Karl Olgeirsson : piano Jón Rafnsson : bass Kristinn Snær Agnarsson : drums

Anna Gréta Sigurðardóttir was born and raised in Iceland but has been based in Stockholm, Sweden since 2014. She recently performed at the Nobel Prize Ceremony in 2020 as well as playing a featured concert at Stockholm Concert Hall in March. Since relocating to Stockholm, Anna Gréta has collaborated with some of Sweden’s finest jazz musicians such as Max Schultz, Joakim Milder, Magnus Lindgren, and Susanna Risberg and she’s had music commissioned for Norrbotten Big Band and the world renowned pianist Bobo Stenson. In recent years Anna Gréta has received numerous awards and nominations in both Sweden and Iceland, including the prestigious Monica Zetterlund award in 2019, Friends of Fasching award in 2018, Best Newcomer at the Icelandic music prize in 2015, nomination by the Swedish National Radio for Jazzkatten in 2019 and two nominations for the Icelandic Music Prize in 2019. Anna Gréta is presently among Scandinavia’s fastest-rising young jazz musicians. Her debut album as a solo artist will be released in January 2022 and features some of Iceland’s most prominent jazz musicians. For the Reykjavik Jazz Festival 2021 Anna Gréta will be performing with her trio consisting of Einar Scheving on drums and Johan Tengholm on double bass. […]

Open Mic is a free show every Wednesday. Watch the comedians try new stuff and polish old ones. If you want to try, out some of your own jokes, just sign up at the bar.

Reykjavík Jazz welcomes 2020 Grammy nominee Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet (BEST JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM: On The Tender Spot Of Every Calloused Moment) to the stage in Harpa on September 1st. During his 15-year career, Ambrose Akinmusire has paradoxically situated himself in both the center and the periphery of jazz, most recently emerging in classical and hip hop circles. He’s on a perpetual quest for new paradigms, masterfully weaving inspiration from other genres, arts, and life in general into compositions that are as poetic and graceful as they are bold and unflinching. His unorthodox approach to sound and composition make him a regular on critics polls and have earned him earned him grants and commissions from the Doris Duke Foundation, the MAP Fund, the Kennedy Center and the Monterey Jazz Festival. While Akinmusire continues to garner accolades, his reach is always beyond—himself, his instrument, genre, form, preconceived notions, and anything else imposing limitations. Motivated primarily by the spiritual and practical value of art, Akinmusire wants to remove the wall of erudition surrounding his music. He aspires to create richly textured emotional landscapes that tell the stories of the community, record the time, and change the standard. While committed to continuing the lineage […]

The band, Blúsmenn Andreu (Andrea‘s Bluesmen), with vocalist Andrea Gylfadóttir at the forefront, has been playing since 1989. The band is well known by jazz and blues lovers in Iceland and its concerts are well attended. Alongside Andrea is a group of prominent musicians: Guðmundur Pétursson- Guitar, Einar Rúnarsson- Hammond Organ, Jóhann Hjörleifsson- Drums and Haraldur Þorsteinsson- Bass. The band has released two LP‘s: Andrea og Blúsmenn (1998) and Rain on me rain (2011) in where you can find a blend of jazz, blues and soul standards, mostly from the first part of last century, plus a few original songs by Andrea. Andrea Gylfadóttir’s celebrated interpretation of the music of Billie Holiday is always well received. In this concert, the focus is on Billie’s songs plus a few others arranged by Blúsmenn Andreu. Andrea Gylfadóttir : voice Einar Rúnarsson : hanmond organ Guðmundur Pétursson : guitar Haraldur Þorsteinsson : bass Jóhann Hjörleifsson : drums