Four more days of amazing jazz concerts

12/07

Halfway into Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2012 the festival has already offered a plethora of great concerts. Vijay Iyer, Brad Mehldau and Anoushka Shankar are but a few of the many names who have enthralled their audiences in 120 venues all over town. 

If you missed the first half of the festival or if you are still hungry for more jazz have no worries, four days remain with close to 450 concerts. Here are a few of the artists lined up in the coming days that we urge you not to miss.

July 12: Tony Allen (NG) by Kulturhuset Islands Brygge
Considered the inventor of one of the most glorious sub genres of groove music, afrobeat, Tony Allen has been described by Brian Eno as “possibly the best drummer who ever lived”. A bold statement which considering Allen’s impressive career might not be too far off. Allen’s unique playing style is equally influenced by American jazz and traditional African music. For more than forty years Allen has been honing a distinctive style that crackles with vitality, pulsates with rhythmic wit, and pushes audiences into dance party ecstasy. This evening at Islands Brygge the audience will get the chance to experience the living afrobeat legend who has left deep marks on 20th century music history.

→ July 12, 8.00 PM, Kulturhuset Islands Brygge: Tony Allen (NG) BUY TICKETS

July 12: Lee Konitz & Kenny Werner Quartet (US) at Betty Nansen
The 84-year-old Lee Konitz is one of the most distinguished representatives of postwar modern jazz, "cool jazz". His alto sax can be heard on the album "Birth of The Cool" from 1949 by Miles Davis. This year Valby Summer Jazz has set up a true summit meeting between the cool Konitz and the playful Koppel; instrumental colleagues exploring and developing jazz across generations. They are well supported by Kenny Werner, Scott Colley and Johnathan Blake.

→ July 12, 7.30 PM, Betty Nansen: Lee Konitz & The Kenny Werner Quartet (US) BUY TICKETS

July 12: Choir of Young Believers "Rhine Gold" (DK) - expanded edition+ very special guests at Old Stage
On Thursday July 12 the Danish indie band Choir of Young Believers will take over the Old Stage at the Royal Theatre with a special performance of their masterpiece “Rhine Gold”. The concert will play out in two acts: In the first act, the band will give an acoustic rendition of rarely played tunes from their back catalog with help from special guests. In the second act, they will go electric and for the first time ever perform “Rhine Gold” in its full length from beginning to end. In this way, Choir of Young Believers will give converts as well as yet-to-be converts a unique concert experience in beautiful surroundings.

→ July 12, 8.00 PM, Old Stage: Choir of Young Believers "Rhine Gold" - expanded edition+ very special guests (DK) BUY TICKETS

July 13: The John Scofield Hollowbody Band (US) at Old Stage
The American guitarist John Scofield and his Hollowbody band play this year’s last jazz festival concert at the Old Stage on Friday July 13. Talking of great jazz guitarists, only few can match Scofield. Throughout his career, which is running on its fourth decade, the American “guitar slinger” has played with everyone who’s anyone: Miles, Mingus, Hancock and Baker to mention a few. The Hollowbody project, named after the guitar, employs the huge tonal color palette of the instrument featuring Scofield’s arrangements for the ensemble. Joining the expedition is Scofield’s younger colleague Kurt Rosenwinkel who is one of the most important guitarists from the younger generation. There is no doubt that sparks will fly when these two greats meet in a mesmerizing live performance.

→ July 13, 9.00 PM, Old Stage: The John Scofield Hollowbody Band + support: Girls In Airports (US) + (DK) BUY TICKETS

July 12 + 14: Jazz Remixed on the red roof of DGI-byen and Visit Carlsberg
Under the theme of Jazz Remixed, leading Danish DJs remix jazz music of their own choosing. Thursday the DJ duo Dixen/Dokkedal will remix music by trumpeter, arranger, and producer icon Quincy Jones who may be best known as the man behind the world’s best selling album of all time: Michael Jackson’s Thriller (1982). He began his career arranging jazz music, however, and worked with names such as Phil Woods, Charles Mingus and Jim Hall. Saturday, it is the two experienced gentlemen Steen Rock and Tue Track who will remix jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd at Visit Carlsberg. Donald Byrd has released records since the mid-50s, but among a younger jazz audience, he might be best known for his contribution to the JazzMatazz recordings from the beginning of the 90s with DJ Premier and the late rapper Guru. Jazz Remixed is free of charge.

→ July 12, 10.00 PM, DGI-byen at the Red Roof: Jazz Remixed: Dixen/Dokkedal vs. Quincy Jones (DK) FREE ADMISSION
→ July 14, 9.00 PM, Visit Carlsberg: Jazz Remixed: Steen Rock/Tue Track vs. Donald Byrd (DK) FREE ADMISSION

July 15: Pierre Dørge New Jungle Orchestra feat. James Blood Ulmer (US/GH/NO/SE/DK), Toldboden
70-year old James Blood Ulmer is a true harmolodic guitarist and bluesy vocalist who has played with musicians such as Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, Sam Rivers and Arthur Blythe during his 50-year career. He has created his own personal musical style, which has earned him the designation as ”the missing link between Jimi Hendrix and Wes Montgomery”. The 66-year-old guitarist and conductor Pierre Dørge has a lot in common with James Blood Ulmer. He has met many of the same musicians and studied Ornette Coleman’s harmolodics in 1980 – the same year the New Jungle Orchestra was founded. When the two meet at Toldboden on Sunday July 15, the audience can look forward to a scintillating meeting between Dørge’s jungle music and Ulmer’s harmolodic blues universe.

→ July 15, 8.30 PM, Toldboden: Pierre Dørge & New Jungle Orchestra feat. James Blood Ulmer (US/GH/NO/SE/DK) BUY TICKETS

July 15: Christian Scott Quintet (US) at Kulturhuset Viften
Trumpeter Christian Scott is on everyone’s jazz lips at the moment and is hyped worldwide as the reincarnation of legend Miles Davis. On the last day of the festival he will perform live at Kulturhuset Viften in Rødovre, Copenhagen. The 27-year-old American trumpeter released the album "Yesterday You Said Tomorrow" in 2010. The dark, serious - and at the same time melodic - album was praised by critics all over the world, some deeming it: "The most important jazz release in 50 years!" Scott draws on such diverse names as John Coltrane and Charles Mingus and newer bands like Coldplay and Radiohead. His inspiration reaches far into the history of jazz music but the fact is that Scott is his own man and he has placed himself solidly at the forefront of new American jazz.

→ July 15. 8.00 PM, Kulturhuset Viften: Christian Scott Quintet (US) BUY TICKETS

We urge all of the jazz lovers out there to dive into the unique Copenhagen Jazz Festival atmosphere and explore the many more jazz concerts Copenhagen has to offer over the next four days.