Full program ready for Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2012

21/06

Full program ready for Copenhagen Jazz Festival

With a record breaking number of concerts Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2012 (July 6-15) will be bigger and more diverse than ever before. This year’s headliners include international jazz greats like Brad Mehldau, Wayne Shorter, Jim Hall, Joe Lovano and John Scofield as well as world music stars like Anoushka Shankar, Tony Allen and Concha Buika. Also the festival features a special tribute to the 1967-Miles Davis classic album "Miles Smiles" by some of musicians that played with Miles (e.g. Robben Ford and Joey DeFrancesco).

True to tradition the festival also features artists one wouldn’t normally label jazz – among them Neneh Cherry & The Thing, Nosaj Thing, Mikael Simpson and Choir of Young Believers. The latter will perform a special expanded version of their critically acclaimed record "Rhine Gold" at The Royal Theater's Old Stage – this year’s most used concert hall venue with a total of five concerts. Koncerthuset will host two concerts during the festival, inviting people in for musical treats by Anoushka Shankar and Caroline Henderson.

Concert themes return - 21st Century Jazz in Jazzhouse
Like previous years, Copenhagen Jazz Festival will feature a handful of themes, each representing entrance points to the expansive programme. One of these – titled 21st Century Jazz – will take the pulse of modern jazz in the newly reopened Jazzhouse and present new American names like trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and pianist Gerald Clayton as well as Nordic forces like trumpeter Goran Kajfes and avant-garde trio The Thing (with Neneh Cherry). Jazzhouse will also house concerts with British Portico Quartet and James Blackshaw, Australian trio The Necks and the Japanese vocal phenomenon Koichi Makigami besides the main attraction: A two night tribute to Wayne Shorter by a superb quintet lead by Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas.

Somethine Else and Classic Jazz Tributes


As the name suggests, the theme Something Else presents something completely different.  Teitur, Hymns from Nineveh and Mikael Simpson will no doubt make the jazz police head for Haveselskabets Have at Frederiksberg combat ready and fully armed – unless of course they chose to patrol Carlsberg to make sure the returning theme Classic Jazz Tributes goes down without any disturbances.

Music from around the world in Pressen and Islands Brygge
Another of the festival’s most beloved themes has also gotten a reelection: Jazz by the Sea at Kulturhuset Islands Brygge will host names such as Sinne Eeg, Bassekou Kouyate (photo above), Concha Buika and Ibrahim Electric.
The world music theme in Pressen at Politikens Hus has moved one continent west from last year's The Sound Of Africa and taken a new name: The Sound of Brazil. Here you can move your feet to the sound of legendary Milton Nascimento (photo below) and pianist Eliane Elias, while Statens Museum for Kunst hosts State Sessions indoors and Jazz for Kids in Østre Anlæg just on the other side of the window - and also in the new surroundings in Lindevangsparken at Frederiksberg.

Jakob Bro, Lee Konitz, Brian Blade and the music of John Cage
A great number of new venues have been added to this year’s festival. A few mentionable are Hofteatret where leading Danish jazz profiles like Jakob Bro, Lotte Anker, Simon Toldam and August Rosenbaum can be heard with special projects featuring international jazz legends; Jon Christensen, Thomas Morgan, Marc Ducret, Han Bennink (photo), Sven-Åke Johansson to name a few.
Teatret ved Sorte Hest will open its doors for a single night of avant-garde madness by John Cage (photo) performed by a special ensemble lead by Søren Kjærgaard, and Betty Nansen will offer concerts by Lee Konitz and Brian Blade Fellowship Band. 

And of course the city will brim with free concerts at Kongens Have, Sankt Hans Torv, Gråbrødre Torv, Vandkunsten, Østerfælled Torv, and Ofelia Beach among others, just as you once again can climb The Red Roof at DGI-byen and other venues for another treat of Jazz Remixed.

The 34th rendition will in other words span local and hip establishments, the city squares, streets and parks, the jazz clubs and major concert halls. The venue list totals approximately 110 excited venues spread out over the whole of the city, Valby, Frederiksberg, and Amager.

→ Jazzhus Montmartre, Indre By
→ Prøvehallen, Valby
→ Viften, Rødovre
→ Jazz Club Loco, Nørrebro

Copenhagen Jazz Festival
July 6-15, 2012

Wayne Shorter Quartet (US), Brad Mehldau Trio (US), Anoushka Shankar (IN), “Miles Smiles” (US), Tony Allen (NI), Joe Lovano/Dave Douglas Quintet (US), Jim Hall (US), Neneh Cherry & The Thing (SE/NO), Goran Kajfes X/Y (SE), The John Scofield Hollowbody Band (US), Brian Blade Fellowship Band (US), Christian Scott Quintet (US), Lee Konitz (US), Mulgrew Miller (US), Charlie Hunter (US), Yasuhiro Yoshigaki (JP), Jakob Bro feat. Jon Christensen & Thomas Morgan (DK/NO/US), Han Bennink Trio (DK/NL), Choir Of Young Believers “Rhine Gold” (DK), Caroline Henderson (DK), Leszek Mozdzer (PL), “An Evening of John Cage” (DK/DE/FR) + many others

Programme available for smartphones, www and on print
The printed programme is now for sale at the web shop at www.jazz.dk (40 dkk + postage) as well as at the venues, Irma and selected shops in Copenhagen. The programme will also be available for free download via App Store and Android Market end of June. Copenhagen Jazz Festival takes place from July 6 – 15. Information about tickets, venues and concerts available at our website.