Rita Engedalen
Rita Engedalen's critically acclaimed and album "Sun Will Come" 2022 will be able to be experienced at the concert during this year's Kongsberg Jazz Festival.
Norway's blues queen Rita Engedalen is back with her new album, which gives us a mix of high goosebumps and infectious rock.
The artist from Jondalen in Kongsberg was nominated for the Spellemann prize for the solo album "Sun will come". The album consists of ten self-composed songs that Rita and her band perform in their distinctive and personal way.
Rita is often described as a musician and performer with a unique presence, who hits the audience "right in the soul" with her honest lyrics, strong melodies and her powerful and sensitive voice.
"Sun Will Come" is a strong blues record that embraces a wider musical spectrum than the artist's five previous solo releases. The album's musical expression shows the various blues landscapes of the southern states with a special fondness for the unique and rhythmic Hill Country Blues. But here, too, gospel, roots and folk music, driving rock, and the long and close are strongly present.
The record contains socially relevant and personal texts, and the first cut "Let's Go Down and Pray" is performed acoustically by guitarist Morten Omlid and Rita Engedalen. Together, they create magic and associations with folk music, while being clearly within the blues concept.
Ritas Engedalen's strongly personal song "I´m Changed" is lifted to new heights in a new recording with Nils Petter Molvær on trumpet. The song "Sunshine Devil" shows the raw and rocking Rita with powerful energy.
Rita's regular guitarist, partner and good friend Morten Omlid passed away in November 2023. He played regularly with Rita on all her record releases and live concerts over 30 years. Rita and Morten collaborated closely on many different musical projects during these years.
To Kongsberg this year, she has brought an energetic band with her, consisting of the musicians Espen Liland on guitar, Eskil Aasland on drums and Bård Gunnar Moe on bass.
