The Europe Jazz Network bestows 3 awards: the EJN Award for Adventurous Programming (now at the 13th edition), the EJN Award for Music & Community (now at the 6th edition) and the EJN Zenith Award for Emerging Artists, in collaboration with 12 Points Festival (now at the 3rd edition). In the year 2024, the EJN Award for Adventurous Programming is bestowed to Budapest Music Center - BMC (Hungary), the EJN Award for Music & Community went to Taller de Músics for Taller Obert (Spain) and Bunkern Bokar (Sweden) and the EJN Zenith Award for emerging artists to Liv Andrea Hauge trio (Norway). Please find below the info about the announced winners.
The renowned music house in Budapest was awarded for its strong commitment over the years to the development of creative music through its many activities: the Concert Hall & Opus Jazz Club, the music information centre & archive, the BMC record label and more. The Award, this year reaching its 13th edition, is bestowed each year by the Europe Jazz Network (EJN) to a European festival or venue who succeeds in creating visionary and fascinating musical programmes for its audience.
The Award winner was selected through a two-phase process: in the first stage all of the 190+ EJN member organisations from 37 countries were asked to indicate a potential award winner (not necessarily an EJN member). Later on, a selected jury of EJN members and other respected music professionals met online in June 2024 to choose the winner out of the resulting list of 22 nominated festivals, clubs and concert venues.
Comment from the Award Jury 2024: “The Budapest Music Center (BMC) is adventurous in its commitment both to domestic and international artists, in a programme which is stylistically diverse, and fearless in its allegiance to music as an art form. BMC is a musician’s dream: a renovated 120 years old building converted into a true house of music, with beautiful performing spaces, an information centre and apartments where musicians can be hosted. On another level, we believe their commitment also embodies the freedom of expression as a democratic right, which is inspirational in promoting music beyond borders and beyond the limitations of day-to-day politics.”
The 2024 jury of the EJN Award for Adventurous Programming included: Raluca Baicu (North Sea Round Town, The Netherlands), Xavier Barcelo (Fira B!, Spain), Alexander Hawkins (artist, UK), Harun Izer (Istanbul Jazz Festival, Turkey), Louis Rastig (A L’Arme!, Germany, previous award winner).
Comment by BMC “We are thrilled and humbled to receive the EJN Award for Adventurous Programming. It is the most important recognition of the Budapest Music Center's 26-year contribution to European jazz, a long journey of evolution and discovery, as embodied in the current programming of the Opus Jazz Club. We are grateful for the creative energies of the artists who drive us, our team members past and present, and the invaluable friendships we have made along the way with our professional partners within and outside the Europe Jazz Network. We can't wait to continue the adventure with you.”
The 13th EJN Award for Adventurous Programming will be celebrated next week during the 10th European Jazz Conference in Ghent, Belgium, from 12 to 15 September 2024, with the EJN members and many other professionals from the creative music sector in Europe and beyond, and at BMC in Budapest later on during this year.
About Budapest Music Center (BMC)
Since its inception in 1996 by renowned trombonist and academy professor László Gőz, the Budapest Music Center (BMC) has been a beacon for contemporary Hungarian music, dedicated to presenting it to a global audience. As a unique fusion of concert organiser, record label, and information hub, BMC has been instrumental in enhancing the international stature of Hungary’s rich musical heritage. In 2013, BMC expanded its reach with the opening of a state-of-the-art headquarters, equipped with a 300-seat concert hall, the Opus Jazz Club, a comprehensive Music Information Center and Library, and the ever-growing BMC Records label, boasting over 350 releases across classical, contemporary, and jazz genres. Additionally, the headquarters houses the Peter Eötvös Contemporary Music Foundation, a prestigious institution committed to fostering the next generation of conductors, composers, and performers.
https://bmc.hu/en
At the heart of BMC’s cultural offerings lies the Opus Jazz Club, a vibrant venue where the finest talents of the European jazz scene perform regularly from Wednesday to Saturday. Each year, Opus presents over 200 concerts, more than 70 of which feature international artists. Praised for its remarkable acoustics, rich concert programming, a cherished Fazioli piano, and refined dining, Opus has quickly ascended to the ranks of Europe’s top jazz clubs. It has become a destination for international jazz enthusiasts and curious listeners alike, drawn by a lineup that has included luminaries such as Dave Liebman, Irène Schweizer, Vincent Courtois, Daniel Erdmann, Akit Takase, Michel Portal, Louis Sclavis, Keith Tippett – and more recently, Leïla Martial, Valentin Ceccaldi, Théo Ceccaldi, Kit Downes, Clément Janinet, Kirke Karja, Thomas de Pourquery, and many more.
https://opusjazzclub.hu/en
BMC Records, established in 1998, has evolved into one of Europe’s premier independent labels, amassing a catalogue of over 350 releases. The label is deeply committed to honouring traditional musical values while promoting bold, experimental approaches. Through its releases, BMC has built lasting international recognition for many Hungarian artists and fostered fruitful collaborations between musicians and orchestras across borders. The catalogue spans the works of Hungary’s iconic composers – Liszt, Bartók, Ligeti, Kurtág, and Eötvös – performed by acclaimed artists such as Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Barbara Hannigan, Ensemble Modern, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. In the jazz realm, BMC Records has featured releases with giants like Archie Shepp, Chris Potter, Hans Lüdemann, and Émile Parisien. Numerous accolades from Midem, Jazzman, Deutsche Schallplatten, and Diapason Magazine, coupled with thousands of positive reviews in the global press, attest to the label’s growing influence in European music. Its releases are available both in CD format and online.
https://bmcrecords.hu/en
About Taller Obert / Taller de Músics
Every Saturday a group of people meets at Taller de Músics in the Raval area of Barcelona to share some vital experiences and express themselves through music. They live in different areas of Barcelona and out Barcelona, so public transport tickets are provided to those who have to travel to attend. They have very different backgrounds and experiences, but have some needs and pressures in life in common1. Professional musicians and experts at Taller Obert work with a practical learning methodology with them. That means they experience music through listening, sight and practice, through collective imitation and corporal expression in order to guarantee their creative participation. Learnings have concrete elements (songs and repertoire) that help to understand achievement and work as a resource to live again the experience through memory.
Taller Obert is a stable program and, at the same time, every year the group transforms itself: new colleagues come, some of them leave and every three years Taller Obert has a final restitution for all of them. There are some exceptions, and Covid has interfered with this structure in some cases. Reunion and routine has a strong meaning in their temporal community. A meal (breakfast) is offered at each session, and is a key moment when professionals and non-professionals share and communicate as equals and a relaxed atmosphere is prompted: a good moment to resolve conflicts.
Apart from the regular sessions, other activities are also carried out when possible: public performances, occasional instrumental reinforcement, attendance at musical shows, visits to rehearsals and productions, training and practices and personalised training within workshops, special courses and master classes.
Two concerts take place every June and December together with volunteer musicians. They have a deep meaning for them, their relatives and friends. Here two examples of last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJpVfHPAOWE; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmq9nqhsaqg
Some visions from participants:
“It is a space where I can relate to music, which is a passion I have had for many years, it has brought me stability in a certain emotional way and of all kinds.”
“It has brought me a connection, more desire. Every time with music I have a stronger connection with myself. Something about security too, obviously, and with confidence too.”
“For me, music is finding myself in a certain way.”
“Is what you do, what gives you the air, what has given me power, the power to decide on a day-to-day basis, the power to solve many situations that I did not understand because, well, the same social problem.”
“We are taking the first steps, it's about learning and enjoying, and especially enjoying”
“What I would like is to be with people, share music and feel at ease.”
“What music gives you is the possibility of power, of being able to work from within on all the things that you are experiencing because of the outside.”
“We danced again; we have to learn to dance again.”
1. All of them are in a process of reintegration after having received care in prisons, drug treatment residences, reception service for homeless people, reception service for immigrants and refugees, etc.
https://tallerdemusics.com/en/social-projects/taller-obert/
About Bunkern Bokar
Bunkern Bokar is an innovative booking agency based in Gothenburg, Sweden. It works with a dual purpose:
- promoting professional jazz groups from Gothenburg;
- educating and preparing persons with disabilities for a career in the music industry. Learning by doing!
Not many jazz groups in Sweden have the opportunity to be represented by a booking agency, most musicians do all the booking themselves. But of course they would all be very happy if they could get someone else to do that job, and only focus on the artistic development of the band.
On the other hand many persons with disabilities have difficulties finding a job. The labour market is constantly more and more streamlined,which leaves a lot of people behind. Persons that could be perfectly fit for many duties - with the right training and support.
Bunkern Bokar is providing this support!
For 4 years Bunkern Bokar has been running as a project funded by the Swedish Inheritance Fund. During these years 15-20 persons have taken part in the training to become a booking agent. This practical training has consisted of everything from contacting bands, making agreements, building a webpage, learning a CRM system, calling venues, making films, social media plans, networking You name it..!! Everything it takes to promote our bands. We have also initiated concerts and festivals which we have been curating and financing. All with a focus on gender equality. A lot of emphasis has been on getting every individual to feel comfortable, to provide the right conditions for everyone to perform according to their individual ability. And - at the same time create a good work environment for the group.
We have so far booked over 100 gis for our musicians. All over Sweden.
In 2025 we will transform from a project to a social enterprise. This is the next step in our journey, for a more inclusive music industry. The best way to support us is to book our bands!! That's how we make money, and can survive in the future.
A quote from Pontus Langendorf, producer at Scenkonst Sörmland: “Bunkern Bokar is an extremely committed and professional business. In all interactions that I have had both over the phone and via email, the employees at Bunkern Bokar have been attentive and efficient in responding to my wishes and needs. The music industry in Sweden largely lacks the important infrastructure between artists and organisers/buyers/bookers, a gap that Bunkern Bokar fills with the services offered. The project should develop into a permanent activity and has the potential to function as a model for how similar activities could be built up…”
https://coompanion.se/goteborgsregionen/
Budapest Music Center (BMC) is the receiver of the 13th EJN Award for Adventurous Programming
We are very happy to announce the winner of the EJN Award for Adventurous Programming 2024: Budapest Music Center (BMC) in Hungary.The renowned music house in Budapest was awarded for its strong commitment over the years to the development of creative music through its many activities: the Concert Hall & Opus Jazz Club, the music information centre & archive, the BMC record label and more. The Award, this year reaching its 13th edition, is bestowed each year by the Europe Jazz Network (EJN) to a European festival or venue who succeeds in creating visionary and fascinating musical programmes for its audience.
The Award winner was selected through a two-phase process: in the first stage all of the 190+ EJN member organisations from 37 countries were asked to indicate a potential award winner (not necessarily an EJN member). Later on, a selected jury of EJN members and other respected music professionals met online in June 2024 to choose the winner out of the resulting list of 22 nominated festivals, clubs and concert venues.
Comment from the Award Jury 2024: “The Budapest Music Center (BMC) is adventurous in its commitment both to domestic and international artists, in a programme which is stylistically diverse, and fearless in its allegiance to music as an art form. BMC is a musician’s dream: a renovated 120 years old building converted into a true house of music, with beautiful performing spaces, an information centre and apartments where musicians can be hosted. On another level, we believe their commitment also embodies the freedom of expression as a democratic right, which is inspirational in promoting music beyond borders and beyond the limitations of day-to-day politics.”
The 2024 jury of the EJN Award for Adventurous Programming included: Raluca Baicu (North Sea Round Town, The Netherlands), Xavier Barcelo (Fira B!, Spain), Alexander Hawkins (artist, UK), Harun Izer (Istanbul Jazz Festival, Turkey), Louis Rastig (A L’Arme!, Germany, previous award winner).
Comment by BMC “We are thrilled and humbled to receive the EJN Award for Adventurous Programming. It is the most important recognition of the Budapest Music Center's 26-year contribution to European jazz, a long journey of evolution and discovery, as embodied in the current programming of the Opus Jazz Club. We are grateful for the creative energies of the artists who drive us, our team members past and present, and the invaluable friendships we have made along the way with our professional partners within and outside the Europe Jazz Network. We can't wait to continue the adventure with you.”
The 13th EJN Award for Adventurous Programming will be celebrated next week during the 10th European Jazz Conference in Ghent, Belgium, from 12 to 15 September 2024, with the EJN members and many other professionals from the creative music sector in Europe and beyond, and at BMC in Budapest later on during this year.
About Budapest Music Center (BMC)
Since its inception in 1996 by renowned trombonist and academy professor László Gőz, the Budapest Music Center (BMC) has been a beacon for contemporary Hungarian music, dedicated to presenting it to a global audience. As a unique fusion of concert organiser, record label, and information hub, BMC has been instrumental in enhancing the international stature of Hungary’s rich musical heritage. In 2013, BMC expanded its reach with the opening of a state-of-the-art headquarters, equipped with a 300-seat concert hall, the Opus Jazz Club, a comprehensive Music Information Center and Library, and the ever-growing BMC Records label, boasting over 350 releases across classical, contemporary, and jazz genres. Additionally, the headquarters houses the Peter Eötvös Contemporary Music Foundation, a prestigious institution committed to fostering the next generation of conductors, composers, and performers.
https://bmc.hu/en
At the heart of BMC’s cultural offerings lies the Opus Jazz Club, a vibrant venue where the finest talents of the European jazz scene perform regularly from Wednesday to Saturday. Each year, Opus presents over 200 concerts, more than 70 of which feature international artists. Praised for its remarkable acoustics, rich concert programming, a cherished Fazioli piano, and refined dining, Opus has quickly ascended to the ranks of Europe’s top jazz clubs. It has become a destination for international jazz enthusiasts and curious listeners alike, drawn by a lineup that has included luminaries such as Dave Liebman, Irène Schweizer, Vincent Courtois, Daniel Erdmann, Akit Takase, Michel Portal, Louis Sclavis, Keith Tippett – and more recently, Leïla Martial, Valentin Ceccaldi, Théo Ceccaldi, Kit Downes, Clément Janinet, Kirke Karja, Thomas de Pourquery, and many more.
https://opusjazzclub.hu/en
BMC Records, established in 1998, has evolved into one of Europe’s premier independent labels, amassing a catalogue of over 350 releases. The label is deeply committed to honouring traditional musical values while promoting bold, experimental approaches. Through its releases, BMC has built lasting international recognition for many Hungarian artists and fostered fruitful collaborations between musicians and orchestras across borders. The catalogue spans the works of Hungary’s iconic composers – Liszt, Bartók, Ligeti, Kurtág, and Eötvös – performed by acclaimed artists such as Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Barbara Hannigan, Ensemble Modern, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. In the jazz realm, BMC Records has featured releases with giants like Archie Shepp, Chris Potter, Hans Lüdemann, and Émile Parisien. Numerous accolades from Midem, Jazzman, Deutsche Schallplatten, and Diapason Magazine, coupled with thousands of positive reviews in the global press, attest to the label’s growing influence in European music. Its releases are available both in CD format and online.
https://bmcrecords.hu/en
Taller de Músics in Spain and Bunkern Bokar in Sweden are the recipients of the 6th EJN Music & Community Award
As announced during the European Jazz Conference 2024 in Ghent last week, the 6th EJN Award for Music and community goes to Teller de Músics in Barcelona (Spain) and Bunkern Bokar in Göteborg (Sweden). The Award is bestowed each year by the Europe Jazz Network (EJN) to an organisation or project for its groundbreaking work on social inclusion.
For the first time, a public nomination phase was launched at the start of 2024, through an online form, allowing EJN members and non-members alike to suggest interesting and relevant projects, and submit information about them. The resulting shortlist was then analysed and discussed by a jury composed by Board members, previous award winners and experts on the subject.
The comment from the award jury 2024 states: “The 2024 EJN Award for Music & Community recognised two exceptional, creative initiatives: Taller Obert by Taller de Músics in Barcelona, Spain, and Bunkern Bokar in Göteborg, Sweden. Taller Obert impressed with its work with vulnerable people, including former inmates, refugees, and homeless people, through music projects for social reintegration. Their community-focused workshops and public concerts celebrate the power of music as a route for positive change. In contrast, Bunkern Bokar takes a unique approach by training and integrating individuals with disabilities into the creative industries workforce. As a hub for freelance jazz musicians in Western Sweden, they provide essential support for career development through bookings, management, and promotion.
Additionally, the jury awarded special mentions to two other projects that effectively break down barriers and engage marginalised communities: Ledebirds Orchestra in the Ledeberg district of Ghent, Belgium, and Współgłosy Foundation, which works with individuals with intellectual disabilities in Łódź, Poland.”
The 2024 EJN Music & Community Award jury was composed of Wim Wabbes (former EJN President, Belgium), Alex Carr (EJN Board Member, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, UK), Maria Rylander (EJN Board Member, Göteborg Artist Center, Sweden), Katy Minter (EJN member and previous award winner, B:Music, UK), and François Matarasso (community arts researcher and EJN consultant for social inclusion, UK/France).
About Taller Obert / Taller de Músics
Every Saturday a group of people meets at Taller de Músics in the Raval area of Barcelona to share some vital experiences and express themselves through music. They live in different areas of Barcelona and out Barcelona, so public transport tickets are provided to those who have to travel to attend. They have very different backgrounds and experiences, but have some needs and pressures in life in common1. Professional musicians and experts at Taller Obert work with a practical learning methodology with them. That means they experience music through listening, sight and practice, through collective imitation and corporal expression in order to guarantee their creative participation. Learnings have concrete elements (songs and repertoire) that help to understand achievement and work as a resource to live again the experience through memory.
Taller Obert is a stable program and, at the same time, every year the group transforms itself: new colleagues come, some of them leave and every three years Taller Obert has a final restitution for all of them. There are some exceptions, and Covid has interfered with this structure in some cases. Reunion and routine has a strong meaning in their temporal community. A meal (breakfast) is offered at each session, and is a key moment when professionals and non-professionals share and communicate as equals and a relaxed atmosphere is prompted: a good moment to resolve conflicts.
Apart from the regular sessions, other activities are also carried out when possible: public performances, occasional instrumental reinforcement, attendance at musical shows, visits to rehearsals and productions, training and practices and personalised training within workshops, special courses and master classes.
Two concerts take place every June and December together with volunteer musicians. They have a deep meaning for them, their relatives and friends. Here two examples of last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJpVfHPAOWE; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmq9nqhsaqg
Some visions from participants:
“It is a space where I can relate to music, which is a passion I have had for many years, it has brought me stability in a certain emotional way and of all kinds.”
“It has brought me a connection, more desire. Every time with music I have a stronger connection with myself. Something about security too, obviously, and with confidence too.”
“For me, music is finding myself in a certain way.”
“Is what you do, what gives you the air, what has given me power, the power to decide on a day-to-day basis, the power to solve many situations that I did not understand because, well, the same social problem.”
“We are taking the first steps, it's about learning and enjoying, and especially enjoying”
“What I would like is to be with people, share music and feel at ease.”
“What music gives you is the possibility of power, of being able to work from within on all the things that you are experiencing because of the outside.”
“We danced again; we have to learn to dance again.”
1. All of them are in a process of reintegration after having received care in prisons, drug treatment residences, reception service for homeless people, reception service for immigrants and refugees, etc.
https://tallerdemusics.com/en/social-projects/taller-obert/
About Bunkern Bokar
Bunkern Bokar is an innovative booking agency based in Gothenburg, Sweden. It works with a dual purpose:
- promoting professional jazz groups from Gothenburg;
- educating and preparing persons with disabilities for a career in the music industry. Learning by doing!
Not many jazz groups in Sweden have the opportunity to be represented by a booking agency, most musicians do all the booking themselves. But of course they would all be very happy if they could get someone else to do that job, and only focus on the artistic development of the band.
On the other hand many persons with disabilities have difficulties finding a job. The labour market is constantly more and more streamlined,which leaves a lot of people behind. Persons that could be perfectly fit for many duties - with the right training and support.
Bunkern Bokar is providing this support!
For 4 years Bunkern Bokar has been running as a project funded by the Swedish Inheritance Fund. During these years 15-20 persons have taken part in the training to become a booking agent. This practical training has consisted of everything from contacting bands, making agreements, building a webpage, learning a CRM system, calling venues, making films, social media plans, networking You name it..!! Everything it takes to promote our bands. We have also initiated concerts and festivals which we have been curating and financing. All with a focus on gender equality. A lot of emphasis has been on getting every individual to feel comfortable, to provide the right conditions for everyone to perform according to their individual ability. And - at the same time create a good work environment for the group.
We have so far booked over 100 gis for our musicians. All over Sweden.
In 2025 we will transform from a project to a social enterprise. This is the next step in our journey, for a more inclusive music industry. The best way to support us is to book our bands!! That's how we make money, and can survive in the future.
A quote from Pontus Langendorf, producer at Scenkonst Sörmland: “Bunkern Bokar is an extremely committed and professional business. In all interactions that I have had both over the phone and via email, the employees at Bunkern Bokar have been attentive and efficient in responding to my wishes and needs. The music industry in Sweden largely lacks the important infrastructure between artists and organisers/buyers/bookers, a gap that Bunkern Bokar fills with the services offered. The project should develop into a permanent activity and has the potential to function as a model for how similar activities could be built up…”
https://coompanion.se/goteborgsregionen/
The 3rd EJN Zenith Award for emerging artists goes to LIV ANDREA HAUGE TRIO from Norway
We are very happy to announce Liv Andrea Hauge Trio as the winner of the 3rd Zenith Award for emerging artists - an initiative launched by the Europe Jazz Network (EJN) in collaboration with 12 Points Festival, and supported by Creative Europe.
Liv Andrea Hauge Trio is composed of Liv Andrea Hauge (piano), Georgia Wartel Collins (double bass), and August Glännestrand (drums). They have been performing together since 2021, when the band was established by Liv Andrea following her selection for the first round of the Footprints project, funded by Creative Europe, and subsequently toured in Europe in countries including Slovenia, Hungary, Romania and the Netherlands. They have just released their first studio album ‘Ville Blomster’ on the prestigious Norwegian Hubro label. The trio was selected to perform as part of the official jazzahead! 2024 showcase programme on Thursday 11 April at 17h00.
The EJN Zenith Award was created in 2019 to shine a spotlight on a remarkable European ensemble or solo project working in creative jazz and improvised music. The winner is selected from the carefully curated 12 acts performing at the 12 Points festival, all coming from different European countries. The Award celebrates the ensemble’s ability to break musical boundaries while demonstrating an original approach to performance and a potential for a strong, ongoing international career. The name “Zenith Award” was adopted to reflect the level of excellence in the winning act, and its capacity to show a way forward for the future of creative music in Europe. The first recipients of the Zenith Award were Trio Heinz Herbert from Switzerland in 2019 and Nout from France in 2023.
For each award edition, the Europe Jazz Network nominates an international jury of artistic directors, all EJN members, to choose the winner out of the 12 bands performing at the festival. For this third edition of the Zenith Award, due to the cancellation of 12 Points Festival in 2023, the choice of the winning band was made by the Zenith Award jury through online meetings and digital evaluations, from a shortlist of the artists that were chosen to perform at the festival. Please see below the full list of shortlisted candidates.
In indicating their choice for Liv Andrea Hauge Trio, the jury underlined the maturity of the band, despite their very young age, their ability to create beautiful melodies and include them in open and shape-shifting soundscapes, and the outstanding interplay between the three musicians. It is a band that can play on every stage, from big festivals to intimate clubs, and that brings a fresh new reading to the piano trio format in its European configuration.
The jury of the 3rd Zenith Award consisted of: Csenge Hamod (Budapest Music Center, Hungary), Bogdan Benigar (Druga Godba, Slovenia), Igor Vida (Are You FREE? festival, Slovakia), Line Juul (Oslo Jazz festival, Norway) and Kenneth Killeen (Improvised Music Company/12 Points Festival, Ireland).
On being named the winners of the Zenith Award 2024, Liv Andrea Hauge commented: “Feeling super honoured and happy to get the opportunity to travel, play and share our music around Europe. We can’t wait to go on tour and meet all the people involved!”
Liv Andrea Hauge Trio will now receive an outstanding prize of performances and promotional opportunities from among the EJN membership, including a prestigious showcase at the 10th European Jazz Conference in front of over 400 music professionals from all over Europe and beyond in Ghent, Belgium (12-15 September 2024) as part of the showcase programme of the Conference.
EJN will also support additional international tours and concerts inside the EJN membership, setting up a communication and professional development strategy to promote the Zenith Award winners through its members and contacts and assisting in developing the winning act’s visibility and viability in the international arena.
About Liv Andrea Hauge Trio
Originally from Northern Norway, Oslo-based pianist Liv Andrea Hauge leads a trio with two Swedes, bassist Georgia Wartel Collins and drummer August Glännestrand. They were selected for the Footprints Europe programme, and their second album “Ville Blomster” has just been released on Hubro Records. Liv’s compositions focus on groove, simple and singable motifs and exploratory interplay. The music contains playfulness and melancholy in songs that always have a lot of room for improvisation. Hauge has been commissioned to write a major work for trio, three vocalists and full symphony orchestra for the opening of Bodø24 - European capital of culture.
Check out their Bandcamp, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Hubro webpage, and concert at Bimhuis (NL, March 2023).
The shortlisted projects for the 3rd EJN Zenith Award for emerging artists:
- Daahoud Salim Quintet; Spain. Spotify link.
- Dishwasher; Belgium. Bandcamp link. Spotify link.
- Inui; France. Soundcloud link. Spotify link.
- Liv Andrea Hauge Trio; Norway. Bandcamp link. Spotify link.
- moondiver; Ireland. Bandcamp link. Spotify link.
- NABOU; Netherlands. Bandcamp link. Spotify link.
- Olga Reznichenko Trio; Germany. Bandcamp link. Spotify link.
- PESH; Poland. Bandcamp link. Spotify link.
- Signe; Finland. Bandcamp link. Spotify link.
- Skylla; UK. Bandcamp link. Spotify link.
- Smag På Dig Selv; Denmark. Spotify link.
- Uassyn; Switzerland. Bandcamp link. Spotify link.
About 12 Points festival
12 Points is a dynamic festival of emerging European jazz established in 2007 by Dublin-based Improvised Music Company (IMC). The festival is nomadic, alternating between Dublin and other vibrant European cities. The 4 day festival presents 12 emerging acts from 12 different European countries. Over 600 young musicians from across Europe have performed at 12 Points since 2007. 12 Points is programmed each year through peer recommendations from a wide pool of jazz promoters and organisations across Europe to seek out the most exciting emerging acts from national and local jazz scenes across the continent. This exploratory approach to finding new talent earned 12 Points the inaugural Europe Jazz Network award for ‘Adventurous Programming’ in 2012. The next edition of 12 Points will take place in Tampere, Finland 25-28 September 2024, in partnership with G LiveLab.
www.12points.ie
