Arild Andersen, Jan Garbarek and new Norwegian stars dazzle at Oslo Jazz Festival

Norway’s capital boasts an abundance of cool venues that play host to the city’s seven night-long festival every August. First launched in 1986, this year’s edition was the final one under the directorship of Øyvind Larsen, who moves to the Nasjonal Jazzscene-Victoria, with that venue’s former producer Line Juul taking over the festival reins.

One of the most spectacular buildings in Oslo is the National Opera & Ballet House that juts out like an iceberg on the waterfront. Not usually associated with jazz, it was an aptly grand location for the opening concert by one of the stalwarts of Nordic jazz, Jan Garbarek.

The festival programme focuses largely on Scandinavian and European jazz in all its various guises rather than the big-name international headliners. There were a couple of standout collaborations such as the concert by two titans of double bass, Arild Andersen and Henri Texier. Both players were born in 1945 and have had parallel influential careers but have never played together before. There was a great sense of bonhomie and warm affection between Andersen and Texier who evidently thoroughly enjoyed the occasion.

Another septuagenarian, the saxophonist and clarinettist John Surman showcased his new project (pitured above - photo by Egil Austrheim), Words Unspoken, a collaboration with drummer Thomas Strønen, Rob Waring on vibraphone and Rob Luft on guitar. Now resident in Norway, Surman revealed that they had already recorded the album and he hoped it wouldn’t be too long before it was released – given the fact that he’ll be 80 next year.

Sinikka Langeland is a leading figure in Scandinavian folk music and she presented music from her forthcoming album Wind and Sun (on ECM, released in the UK on September 15) in the new performance space within the Edvard Munch museum. Setting the poems of Norwegian writer Jon Fosse to music, Langeland played various kanteles (the Finnish zither) and jaw harp, alongside a stellar quartet of musicians (Mathias Eick on trumpet, Bendik Hofseth on saxophone, Mats Eilertsen on bass and Thomas Strønen, again, on drums). Performing against a backdrop of rolling black & white images of Norwegian countryside, the ethereal combination of the kantele, woodwind and Langeland’s distinctively clarion-like vocals evoked bird calls and a desire to explore Norway’s myriad landscapes.

A sonic experience of an altogether different nature was on display at Herr Nilsen club the following evening, courtesy of the unashamedly retro prog-jazz-rock trio Elephant9. They transformed the tiny venue into a sweaty, throbbing mass of bodies who were seemingly immune to the ear-piercingly high decibels. Sporting a T-Shirt with ‘Athletic Sound’ emblazoned on the front, Torstein Lofthus was suitably energetic on drums, underpinned by Nikolai Hængsle’s constant thudding bass and Ståle Storløkken’s exuberant workouts on Hammond and synths. It was full-on, visceral and great fun.

One of the rising stars of the festival was the young Latvian guitarist Ella Zirina (pictured above - photo by Havard Windstad) who was part of Amsterdam’s Bimhuis’ artist development programme and who released her debut in March 2023. Initially Zirina’s delicate playing sounded almost imperceptible alongside the double bass and drums, but she gradually became more assured and melodic. Really refreshing to see a young female guitarist making her mark in a predominantly male domain.

The highlight of my final night in Oslo was a gig by the saxophonist Colin Stetson who gave blistering solo set at Blå, the grungy club venue in the hip Grünerløkka district. Having previously seen Stetson play much larger venues, it was a treat to see him perform in such an intimate space. There’s always something quite spiritual about a Colin Stetson performance, and here it really felt like a communal experience, as the crowd swayed in sync as if hypnotised by his circular breathing and the ferocity of his playing. After an intense hour-long set, we left wanting more but feeling dazed and exhilarated – the perfect conclusion to my first Oslo Festival experience.