New international names for the program
Guitar virtuoso Ralph Towner plays a solo concert in Kongsberg Church, drummer and composer Sun-Mi Hong performs with a quintet and Chicago-based Isaiah Collier and the Chosen Few play a midnight concert at Energimølla.
Solo concert in Kongsberg Church
Ralph Towner has established himself as a musical icon - after several decades of impressive musical activity. His concerts are an image-creating, undulating and flowing stream - with space and air -, which contains a veritable flora of impulses: Spanish music, classical, folk music, much that goes under the umbrella term 'world music' and - of course! - deep dive into the jazz tradition. He has had fruitful collaborations with a number of jazz greats, such as Weather Report, Jan Garbarek and Gary Burton. On Thursday 7 July, the public will experience him in solo format, when he takes the stage for an afternoon concert in Kongsberg Church.
A drum journey of the rare
Drummer Sun-Mi Hong was born and raised in Korea, but after seven years in Amsterdam, she has now firmly established herself on the Dutch and European jazz scene. On Friday 8 July, she performs with a quintet at Energimølla. This American-inspired music is mixed with European impressionism and Korean music, and it is characterized by dramatic and emotional variety, from sensitive minimalism to fierce and expressive expression. The recognized website ProgJazz states that "Sun-Mi Hong feeds our optimism and our hopes for the future of jazz music".
From vibrant Chicago to Kongsberg
The multi-instrumentalist, composer, activist and teacher Isaiah Collier performs with a band at the Kongsberg Jazz Festival. Isaiah Collier and the band originated in Chicago's vibrant jazz scene, Isaiah Collier has become known mainly as a strong and clear saxophonist. In 2021 came his third release with the band The Chosen Few – Cosmic Transitions. The album received five stars from Downbeat Magazine. You can clearly hear Collier's great musical range and dynamic expression, which we can also look forward to hearing live at Energimølla, midnight on Friday 8 July.
