Jaga Jazzist:
guitar, effects Marcus Forsgren
bass guitar, keyboards Even Ormestad
vibraphone, guitar, drums, electronics Andreas Mjøs
tuba, percussion instruments Line Horntveth
drums, drum machine Martin Horntveth
tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, guitars, keyboards Lars Horntveth
keyboards Øystein Moen
trombone, percussion instruments Erik Johannessen
Ever since the release of their second album in 2001, the Norwegian group Jaga Jazzist, who first formed a quarter of a century ago, have held a secure place in the heart of lovers of sophisticated yet accessible music. While some listeners may be struck by the sheer number of instruments and musicians in the band and the complexity of their music, the band's humour and magical, dreamlike moods also combine to invite you on a truly special musical journey. Four years on from their previous album, the eight-member group began work on recording a new album in 2019, ensuring they will also have some brand new songs to perform on their visit to Müpa Budapest.
The internationally acclaimed Jaga Jazzist are a genuine supergroup on the Norwegian scene, with strong links to jazz-metal group The Shining, the avant-garde indietronic band The National Bank, and the free-improvisation, noisy post-rock group Puma. This set of styles already indicates just how impossible it is to categorise the music that the band create. In fact, Jaga Jazzist, who were formed by three brothers, have made a sport out of trying to ensure that every new release is different from the previous one. They began in 1996 with electronic nu jazz, while their groundbreaking 2001 album A Living Room Hush featured more stratified future jazz, before they were then signed to the renowned Ninja Tune record label, who typically manage bands of a similar style. They later developed elements of breakbeat electronica, post-rock jazz and progressive jazz-rock, while they have most recently begun to display their uniqueness and electrifying creativity in lengthier compositions. You can count on more of the same in this concert, whatever the style and sound of their eagerly awaited album in 2020 happens to be.
