Hedvig Mollestad received the musician's award

Kongsberg Jazzzfestival's musician prize 2019 is awarded to Hedvig Mollestad. With the high price of NOK. NOK 200.000 follows several assignments at the jazz festival in 2020. The guitarist from Ålesund has a strong individuality and a clear signature in his musical projects. She has been a fresh and different addition to the Norwegian jazz flora.

Pushes genre boundaries

This year's award winner stretches the genre boundaries. Musical references from the world of rock can often be just as natural to use to describe Mollestad's music as references from the world of jazz. The guitarist is known for his exploratory playing style and approach to music. The main project is her own trio, but she has also left her clear signature on projects with other musicians. We mention, among others, Jarle Bernhoft, Jon Eberson, Hilde Marie Kjersem and the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra. Mollestad and his trio have six releases behind them on well-reputed labels Runic Gramophone. The latest release «Smells Funny» came in autumn 2018 to unison sparkling reviews.

Power and intensity

Hedvig Mollestad has a striking presence on stage, and she is known for delivering concerts with a lot of power and intensity. Among other things, the entire international jazz industry experienced this when she recently played a terrific showcase concert at Jazzahead, the world's largest jazz fair, where Norway was the focal country this year. Earlier this year, she also delivered this year's court proceedings for Vossa Jazz - a high-profile mission in Norwegian cultural life. - It doesn't matter if it's jazz or rock. It's about what energy music is, she stated in a previous interview.

"What is the difference between a jazz guitarist and a rock guitarist? The obvious answer is that a jazz guitarist plays a thousand bars in front of an audience of three people, while a rock guitarist plays three bars in front of an audience of a thousand. Hedvig Mollestad manages both."

(Salted Peanuts/Hauknes)

"Hedvig Mollestad Trio is a jazz band for rockers - and at the same time a rock band for jazz people. Tough – bone tough it is!”

(Thor Hammerø)

Main photo: Thomas Hegna