Presenting a packed four-day programme, the annual Reykjavík Jazz Festival is just around the corner. From Wednesday August 29 to Saturday September 1, various downtown concert venues will play host do diverse music events where local and international musicians will perform a vibrant mix of jazz, blues, soul and funk.
Held for the 18th time, the Reykjavík Jazz Festival has become known for its ambition of bringing together renowned foreign acts and household names in the Icelandic jazz scene, and in the meantime, grown into a much-awaited celebration among musicians and musiclovers alike.
This year, international artists include Jazz-pionist Uri Caine, who will open the festival with a show at Austurbær on Wednesday evening, backed by Drew Gress on bass and Ben Perowsky on drums. Faroese singer/songwriter Eivör Pálsdóttir and the Reykjavik Big band will play Austurbær the following night while saxopoinist Jerry Bergonzi takes the stage at club Domo. Friday night will see Sigurður Flosason and his guest vocalist Ragnheiður Gröndal and Egill Ólafsson play Iðnó theatre.
Among special hosts at many varied concerts, in some cases with multi-national jazz artists, will be some of Iceland’s finest jazz players such as guitarist Björn Thoroddsen, pianist Eyþór Gunnarsson trombone player Samúel Jón Samúelsson and saxophone player Sigurður Flosason. The festival’s final event will be a grand-scale music extravaganza at club NASA on September 1.
A festival-pass and tickets can be bought at www.midi. is. For a full programme visit: www.jazz.is.
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