New varied artist release!

Powerful music in Molde Cathedral

With a box-fresh record in his luggage and one of his big sources of inspiration as a travel companion – oud-player, Maher Mahmoud – it's only natural for Moldejazz to take him back for a concert in the Molde Cathedral where he had great success with Slow eastbound train in 2015.

Herskedal comes home to Molde Cathedral with his regular ensemble – and in addition the fabulous Syrian Oud-player Maher Mahmoud. Viola-player Bergmund Waal Skaslien, percussionist Helge Norbakken and pianist Eyolf Dale, completes a rich ensemble that can evoke tones and atmospheres – from the fervently beautiful to the dramatic and powerful. The music has a distinct flavour of the middle east, but inspiration from other parts of the world also play into a rich musical expression.

His latest release on British Edition Records is called Voyage, which is the starting point of much of what we'll hear in the cathedral. The album was released in March and allaboutjazz.com notes in their review, «Herskedal is a musician and composer of extraordinary ability who is pushing the boundaries of his instrument to the limit. Voyage emerges as Daniel’s definitive statement so far, merging awe-inspiring beauty with a refreshingly original sound. The music is supremely melodic, tinged with rhythmical flare and vibrant colors»

This really smells like a home-team-win in the cathedral, Friday 19 July.

Daniel Herskedal, tuba and bass trumpet / Bergmund Waal Skaslien, viola / Eyolf Dale, piano / Helge Norbakken, percussion. Guest: Maher Mahmoud, Oud.

On 1 May this year, Frisell and Morgan had a new record ready on ECM. We are truly proud to host the albums festival-premiere on the final day of this years Moldejazz, 20 July.

This will be a celebration of the label ECM, which Moldejazz has collaborated with for years. Among other things, the founder and the label himself, Manred Eicher, visited us at the 40-years celebration of the label. In May 2019 the duo finished a new record on ECM and Moldejazz is proud to host its festival premiere on 20 July!

Two years ago the duo Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan released the live-record Small Town on ECM, the renowned German label soon to be 50 years in business. Frisell has a rich history of releases on the label with has collaborated closely with many Norwegian jazz musicians and who've frequently used the services of sound-magician, Jan Erik Kongshaug, at Rainbow Studios in Oslo.

Small Town – recorded at Village Vanguard in New York – has received wonderful reviews and the record's been described as “sweet delicately vibrating guitar tremolo over bone dry bass. Two expressive instruments playing plays exactly what is needed to fill a susceptive Village Vanguard. It is sentimental, beautiful and toned down, but with an inherent passion and power, few other musicians can match. A musical nakedness and intimacy, which the two handle magnificently.”

Frisell is one of the musical paragons of Gard Nilssen, this years Artist in Residence. Nilssen will be playing the drums towards the end of the concert with Frisell and Morgan – a very special experience both for Gard and for those who find their way to Teatret Vårt this evening.

Bill Frisell – guitar / Thomas Morgan – bass. Guest appearance: Gard Nilssen - drums.

A Scandinavian supergroup!

When the trio, Rymden, recently released their debut album – talk about a pre-announced success! The Norwegian-Swedish trio had already been on the cover of the English magazine, Jazzwise, and played concerts on several big stages and festivals before many of us even had the opportunity to hear them.

Rymden is made up of Bugge Wesseltoft and the living members of EST (Esbjörn Svensson Trio), the rhythm section with Magnus Öström and Dan Berglund. Wesseltoft is one of the most innovative and best-selling jazz artists we have in our barren land – most renowned for his groundbreaking band “New conception of jazz”.

The Swedish EST had a soaring career until it suddenly stopped when Svensson died in a tragic car accident. Both projects toured the world and defined a new fresh sound, with large openings for experimenting and innovative thinking. Wesseltoft has been and still is, an important actor in modernising Scandinavian jazz music.

EST was the first band to play venues as diverse as a rock- and jazz clubs, classical concert houses and on the biggest stages at festivals around the world. The result was an international movement that inspired and keep inspiring generations to come. After many years of solo-, duo-, and bigger group projects, Wessltoft has been wanting to do a piano-trio and him finding Östrem and Berglund, must be called a stroke of luck.

Rymden's music is based on three elements: Melancholic and atmospheric music-writing, dramatically charged rhythms and high-class virtuoso jazz-playing. Only one thing's for sure – the temperature will be at the boiling point when Rymden takes the stage in Teatret Vårt this July.

Cole's distinct music gives us everything from energetic electro-jazz to silky smooth west coast vocal – sounding as much like sonic-funk as it sounds like Prince or Beach Boys.

In recent years the artist has focused more on his solo career, resulting in the record Time, last year. The record was released by the very respectable record label, Brainfeeder, in collaboration with greats like Thundercat and Brad Mehldau, among others.

When Cole now's doing concerts with the record, he's chosen the direct opposite of boring. With his computer and a keyboard controller, he's going all in with a full big-band and Coles role in the concert is really doing everything. It is just as natural to see him leading the band, as seeing him on keys, singing or playing the drums in a fervent groove. According to those who have seen the project live, this is some of the craziest and cool concert in this years program. In other words – what else is there to do, than to get your ticket and prepare to enjoy the music and performance of one of the most innovative artists on the American west coast.

«A jazz-literate multi-instrumentalist making harmonically complex R&B, Cole can be compared to Jacob Collier»
– Uncut (8/10)

"Wonderful, haunting bunch of covers from Norwegian singer”
Uncut Magazine (8/10)

Wallumrød has placed herself somewhere between folk music, pop, jazz and art-music and has collaborated with Jenny Hval, Stian Westerhus and Ensemble neoN, as well as Led Zeppelins bass player, John Paul Jones. She's made an impressive 12 albums and won three Spellemannsprisen (Norwegian Grammy Awards) this far. These days she is releasing her 13th album.


As an artist, she's appeared to be fearless in all her choices. She's induced goosebumps in her original interpretations of everything from Dolly Parton to ACDC – songs few others have dared to tackle. Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmos from 2008 was the first album containing only Wallumrød's own songs. Curiously enough, one of her most sworn fans, American singer, songwriter and actor, Will Oldham aka Bonnie Prince Billy, released his own new re-recorded version of the album last year.

Wallumrød and baroque harpist, Giovanna Pessi, released If Grief Could Wait with ECM in 2011. On the album, the two interpret Henry Purcell and Leonard Cohen, alongside Susanna's own music. This remarkable album mixed music from the baroque, singer/songwriters from the 70s and newer music. The project also did the atmospheric final concerts in Molde Cathedral at Moldejazz back in 2012 – a concert people still talk about.

This year, Wallumrød and her musicians are closing the festival at the same venue. Pessi and Wallumrød resumed their collaboration with the album Go Dig My Grave in 2018. Together with the young accordion-player, Ida Løvli Hidle, and fiddle player and folk-singer, Tuva Livsdatter Syvertsen (known from Norwegian band Valkyrien Allstars), they interpret old and new songs – gloomy blues from old 78-records, baroque music and no less beautiful-solemn new songs. Always at the centre is Wallumrød's very communicative voice and expression, sometimes giving associations to female artists like Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins and other times to the experimental operatic Klaus Nomi.

The album Go Dig My Grave was by many described as a new pinnacle in Wallumrød's career and we can guarantee an evocative and moving experience in Molde cathedral.

Last years favourite from the Alexandra park returns!

NB! Notice the change in concert-time from last year;
doors open at 19.00 and the concert starts at 22.00.

In 2017, Adam Douglas went from being a cherished name for all music-lovers with an ear bent towards funk and blues – to be everyone's darling when he won the musical talent show, Stjernekamp, on NRK1. With his incredible voice and a sympathetic nice-guy appearance, he's reached an audience far outside the borders of his genre.

Arriving at this year's festival, he's bringing a fresh album acclaimed by the critics – The beauty and the brawn – produced by star guitar-player, Geir Sundstøl. Following a hefty touring year the band's well-tuned and ready for Molde.

Before Stjernekamp, Adam Douglas can boast an extensive career spanning 17 years as a professional artist – on both sides of the Atlantic. Born and raised in Oklahoma, he's currently living in Hadeland in south-eastern Norway. The Norwegian critics were generous in their use of superlatives when his debut album I May Never Learn was released in 2015. He experienced great success with the song "I Once Was An Honest Guy" from the same album which, among other things, was listed on Norwegian national radio station, NRK P1.

The mild-mannered American is a firework on stage and we're really looking forward to having him back at the SpareBank1 SMN-stage in Alexandraparken. You wouldn't want to miss this!

Danish-born Maria Kannegaards piano-playing is described as extraordinarily gifted and with an ability to really affect and move.

Maria Kannegaard, from our neighbouring country Denmark, started her trio with fellow jazz-students Mats Eilertsen and Thomas Strønen. Eilertsen was later replaced by Ole Morten Vågan, who's one of the most important bass-players on the Norwegian jazz map, mostly known for his work with Trondheim Jazzorkester. Drummer Strønen's also a world-class musician, not least with his projects like Time is a Blind Guide. This comp has an edge!

Kannegaard is regarded as one of the really great pianists of Scandinavia of our time, with a unique signature to her playing and her compositions. Although Kannegaards Trio hadn't been active for a while – when they're set in motion again and new recordings are leaked, jazz-Norway are sure to listen attentively. Something legendary is in brewing for this years Moldejazz.

Maria Kannegaard – piano / Ole Morten Vågan – double bass / Thomas Strønen - drums.

World class organ trio!

Their last album, Toy tunes, shows a trio still exploring the quiet but still intricate and deep interplay between them, decade after decade. This is striking, considering that we're talking about three musicians – each in the absolute world elite.

Organist Larry Goldings has been an attractive co-player on the American scene in recent years and has played with everything from James Taylor to John Scofield. Drummer Bill Stewart is close to something of a drumming legend – perhaps most widely known as a drummer for Chris Potter and Maceo Parker. Guitarist Peter Bernstein was once described by his teacher, Jim Hall, as one of the most impressive guitarists he'd ever heard.

Luckily for us, it's perhaps exactly in this trio these musicians are at their very best. The afternoon in Storyville will let us hear a swinging set of organ-jazz, from what may be the best organ trio in the world.

«A musical sensation»
– Dagens Næringsliv

The venue is new to the festival and it is of course too small considering the interest in this group. To give a very special experience for the group and those who do get a place in the room with them, the performance is set in a very intimate venue with remarkable acoustic conditions. It will be a bit like when Moldejazz booked Tommy Flanagan trio in the small HotHat-basement where a limited group of the audience got to experience a legendary jazz-pianist up close.

Kornstad had his debut as a tenor singer in the Mozart-opera «La finta giardiniera» in 2012, only a little more than a month after he was nominated for Spellemannprisen (the Norwegian Grammy Awards) for jazz record of the year. He's developed a genre he's likely a sole-performer; where the jazz-saxophone with its unique tune and control, meets a warm, beautiful and liberal lyrical tenor – alternating between Italian audacity and Nordic restraint.

Avantgarde-minstrel, Frode Haltli, and rock solid, Mats Eilertsen, are both masters of their instruments. They are integrated parts of a unique ensemble where opera arias and beautiful ballads are replaced by improvised stretches. This will be a concert for classical- and opera-lovers, as well as the jazz crowd, and for those who didn’t think they liked any of the two. Experience bliss in the Cathedral and leave for the summer day after it, whistling a familiar tune.

Kornstad has been to Molde, both before and after his song/sax breakthrough with his album Tenor battle, but on establishing a new trio and their album last year, Im Treibhaus, loved by the international critics – we just had to have him back again.

Håkon Kornstad - vocals, tenor sax / Frode Haltli - accordion / Mats Eilertsen – double bass.

Riversongs in Rådsalen

We are very proud of this year's new creation: A series of concerts in the newly renovated Rådsalen, the chamber music room at Kulturskolen. In beautiful and unique surroundings, we will present exclusive intimate and distinct musical experiences demanding another kind of acoustics than what a club venue or a theatre can offer. First in the series is a solo-concert with Sigurd Hole, probably one of the busiest bass-players on the Norwegian jazz-scene this decade.

After a long row of collaborations and releases with bands like Eple Trio, Jon Eberson, Karl Seglem, Helge Lien, Eli Storbekken and Tord Gustavsen, he made his debut in 2008 with no less than two releases in his own name: the trio-album Encounters, with Jarle Vespestad and Håkon Aase, and his solo double bass-album Elvesang, which he's bringing to Rådsalen and Moldejazz.

Elvesang received wonderful reviews around the world, among others – The New York Times. John Kelman, a critic for allaboutjazz.com, described Elvesang as «an album of profound beauty» and included it on his best of 2018-list, in the company of greats musicians like Bill Frisell, Jakob Bro and King Crimson. Furthermore was the album also listed on the American magazine, The New York City Jazz Records, top 5 best solo recordings of 2018.

With full speed ahead!

This outgoing and convincing quintette brings its engaging presence and captivating music all the way past the physical limits of the stage. Their music is a delightful mix of lopsided pop and delicious jazz, with a clear and danceable beat. We associate the sound with Hanne Hukkelberg, Emilie Nicolas and Highasakite – a landscape of rhythmically motivated and organical exchange, where complexity and catchy playfulness is combined.

JUNO is heading upwards at full steam and after playing Nordic Showcase at Oslojazz last year, they'll be at festivals such as Trondheim Calling, Bodø Jazz Open, Festspillene i Nord-Norge, Tromsø Jazzfestival and Vinterjazz in Århus. Their debut album was recorded in September last year and the Norwegian audience is keenly awaiting its release.

Thea Ellingsen Grant – vocal / Malin Dahl Ødegård – vocal / Mona Krogstad – tenor saxophone / Georgia Wartel Collins - double bass / Ingvald Vassbø - drums