New voices: PSS-80
Kongsberg Jazz Festival also this year presents young musicians under the vignette 'New Voices'. This year there will be a double concert with the drummer Axel Skalstad and the pianist Håvard Aufles - both with origins in the productive jazz environment at Kongsberg.
NB! Joint ticket for both Nye stemmer concerts.
There are constant waves of talented jazz musicians from the well-reputed jazz education at NTNU in Trondheim, and in recent years the waves have been extra high. Several of the musicians in Axel Skalstad's band PSS – 80 has relatively recently completed his studies in Trondheim. We know them from bands like Megalodon, Krokophant, Kjetil Jerve Trio and many, many more. Trumpeter Erik Kimestad Pedersen is a central musician in Copenhagen's jazz scene. Trommis Skalstad has made a strong and positive mark lately - especially in the trio that has gradually become popular Crocophant. 'The music is complex and suggestive', says Axel Skalstad about PSS-80's music, which plays music composed by Skalstad himself and guitarist Karl Bjorå, 'but performed with excess and play, with inspiration from the sound ideals of the digital music world'.
Axel Skalstad received the Kongsberg Jazz Festival's recruitment award in 2012.
Axel Skalstad: PSS-80: Axel Skalstad (drums, compositions), Karl Bjorå (guitar, compositions), Erik Kimestad Pedersen (trumpet), Karl Nyberg (sax), Julian Haugland (bass), Vegard Lien Bjerkan (synth)
Photo: Stein Hofve
