Polarjazz or The Polar Jazz Festival (initiated 1998 in

Longyearbyen Longyearbyen (, , "Longyear Town") is the world's northernmost settlements, northernmost settlement with a population greater than 1,000, and the capital and the largest inhabited area of Svalbard. It stretches along the foot of the left bank ( ...

Svalbard Svalbard ( , ), previously known as Spitsbergen or Spitzbergen, is a Norway, Norwegian archipelago that lies at the convergence of the Arctic Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean. North of continental Europe, mainland Europe, it lies about midway be ...

) is the northernmost jazz festival in the world, and is arranged every year in February.

Background

The 19th Polarjazz festival took place between 3 and 7 February 2016, with almost 2,500 visitors. This unique music festival that residents, visiting audience and not least the artists, keep coming back to. Over the years a multitude of the best jazz performers and other musicians have visited Polarjazz. Polarjazz not only offers a varied musical experiences, but also other activities in the polar night. There are provided music for all ages and therefore the festival includes performances both in kindergartens, schools and the youth house. Some musicians are sent to perform for our neighbors in the Russian settlement of

Barentsburg Barentsburg () is the second-largest settlement in Svalbard, Norway, with about 455 inhabitants (). A coal mining town, the settlement was almost entirely made up of Russian and Ukrainian nationals. History Rijpsburg, a now abandoned Dutch s ...

Artists and bands (in selection)

;3–7 February 2011 * Hot Club de Norvege *

Solveig Slettahjell Solveig Slettahjell (born 2 April 1971) is a Norwegian jazz singer, known for her soulful, seductive voice. Career Slettahjell was born in Bærum, Norway, and made her recording debut with the album ''Slow Motion Orchestra'' (2003), which co ...

Beady Belle Beady Belle is a Norwegian jazz band founded by Beate S. Lech with her bassist and husband Marius Reksjø, after having been encouraged to make a record by Bugge Wesseltoft at Jazzland Recordings. Biography Lech and Reksjø studied music toget ...

and PUST *

Halvdan Sivertsen Halvdan Sivertsen (born 5 January 1950) is a Norwegian people, Norwegian singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was born in Tromsø (city), Tromsø, but raised and lives in Bodø (town), Bodø. He has won Spellemannprisen awards five times, twice w ...

Stian Carstensen Stian Carstensen (born 5 January 1971) is a Norwegian multi-instrumentalist musician, entertainer and with Jarle Vespestad (drums) and Nils-Olav Johansen (vocal and guitar), central member of the Balkan-jazz orchestra Farmers Market. Biography ...

;1–5 February 2012 *Bård * Bjelleklang *Christianssands String Swing Ensemble *

DeLillos deLillos is a Norway, Norwegian pop rock band formed in Oslo in 1984. They are generally regarded as one of the "Four Greats" in modern Norwegian pop music, i.e. one of the four 1980s groups that founded a new tradition for rock music with lyri ...

Kaizers Orchestra Kaizers Orchestra is a Norwegian alternative rock band formed in Bergen on 1 January 2000. They are notable for being among the first non- black-metal Norwegian artists singing in their native language to become popular beyond Scandinavia. In 20 ...

Maria Mena Maria Viktoria Mena (born 19 February 1986) is a Norwegian pop singer, best known for her singles such as " You're the Only One", "Just Hold Me", "All This Time" which charted in multiple countries. Early life Maria Viktoria Mena was born t ...

Ole Paus Ole Paus (1947–2023) was a Norwegian singer-songwriter and poet, widely regarded as one of the most innovative Norwegian musical figures of the 20th century and "Norway's most significant troubadour at the time of his death." Emerging during t ...

* The Real Thing ;31 January – 3 February 2013 *

Kari Bremnes Kari Bremnes (born 9 December 1956) is a Norwegian singer and songwriter. She got an MA in language, literature, history and theatre studies from the University of Oslo, and worked as a journalist for several years before deciding to dedicate h ...

Madcon Madcon is a Norwegian musical duo formed in 1992 by Yosef Wolde-Mariam and Tshawe Baqwa. They have released eight albums as of 2018, and became known for their 2007 cover of the 1967 song "Beggin'" by The Four Seasons. They took their name from ...

* The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain *Babylon Brothers *Bargoo *

Sivert Høyem Sivert Høyem (born 22 January 1976) is a Norwegian musician, best known as the vocalist of the rock band Madrugada. After the band broke up following the death of Robert Burås in 2007, he has enjoyed success as a solo artist and is also a me ...

*Howlin' Huskies ;5–9 February 2014 * Mezzoforte * Rypdal & Tekrø *Stillhouse *Urban Tunélls Klezmerband ;5–8 February 2015 *

Bo Kaspers Orkester Bo Kaspers Orkester is a Swedish pop-rock band with strong influences of jazz, formed in 1991. Consist of Bo Sundström, Fredrik Dahl, Michael Malmgren and Mats Schubert and won a Grammis award in 1998 for ''artist of the year''. Discography Al ...

Violet Road Violet Road is a Norwegian folk and rock band from Tromsø Tromsø is a List of towns and cities in Norway, city in Tromsø Municipality in Troms county, Norway. The city is the administrative centre of the municipality as well as the admin ...

*Vidar Johnsen *

Morten Abel Morten Abel Knutsen (born 15 October 1962), better known by his stage name Morten Abel is a Norwegian pop artist, and one of Norway's best-selling domestic artists. Career Morten Abel was born and grew up near Bodø, but moved to Stavanger ...

Emilie Nicolas Emilie Nicolas Kongshavn (born 26 November 1987), known under the stage name Emilie Nicolas, is a Norwegian singer-songwriter from Bærum. She is best known for her jazz-inspired vocals and electronic sound. During her career, she has released ...

Bugge Wesseltoft Jens Christian Bugge Wesseltoft (born 1 February 1964) is a Norwegian jazz pianist, composer, and producer, son of jazz guitarist Erik Wesseltoft. Career In 1989, Wesseltoft collaborated with the Knut Riisnæs Quartet and was soon after ...

& The Organ Club *

Árstíðir Árstíðir (English: Seasons) is an Icelandic classically influenced indie-folk rock/chamber pop band. The defining characteristic of this band is their vocal harmonies, as all members sing. The band formed in 2008 in Reykjavík as a trio, co ...

* Nina & the Butterfly Fish *Svalbard Kirkes Trio (World premiere) *Solid Comfort *Nora Konstanse ;3–7 February 2015 *

Per Mathisen Per Mathisen (born 7 October 1969) is a Norwegian jazz bassist and composer who has worked with Terri Lyne Carrington, Geri Allen, Gary Thomas, Bill Bruford, Alex Acuña, Gary Husband, Ralph Peterson, Nguyen Le and Terje Rypdal. He is marri ...

and

Ulf Wakenius Ulf Karl Erik Wakenius (born 16 April 1958) is a Swedish jazz guitarist, known as a member of Oscar Peterson's last quartet from 1997. He was also a member of the Ray Brown trio. Career Wakenius was born in Halmstad and raised in Gothenbu ...

Sondre Lerche Sondre Lerche (; born 5 September 1982) is a Norwegian singer, songwriter, musician and actor. His discography includes ten studio albums and multiple EPs. Early life Growing up in a suburb of Bergen, Lerche was heavily influenced by 1980s pop. ...

Ingebjørg Bratland Ingebjørg Harman Bratland (born 8 May 1990 in Edland, Vinje, Telemark) is a Norwegian folk singer, kveder and artist. In 2008–2009, she attended Foss Upper Secondary School in Oslo. Early life Bratland began singing as a kveder when sh ...

D'Sound D'Sound (stylized as d'sound) is a Norwegian neo soul band based in Oslo, Norway. The band was formed in 1993 with a line-up composed of lead vocalist Simone Eriksrud, bassist Jonny Sjo and drummer Kim Ofstad. After Eriksrud's initial departure ...

*Lyriaka *SvaJazz *Numa Edema * Sofia Jannok –

Susanne Sundfør Susanne Aartun Sundfør ( (local Haugesund dialect; Help:IPA/Norwegian, ʉˈsɑ̀nːə ˈɔ̀ʈːʉːn ˈsʉ̀nføːrin Urban East ("standard") Norwegian); born 19 March 1986) is a Norwegians, Norwegian singer-songwriter and record producer. ...

*Dos Mosquitos *Longyearbyen Storband *

Hekla Stålstrenga Hekla Stålstrenga is a Norwegian folk and folk rock band specializing in North Norwegian traditional music. It was formed in 2008 as a duo by fiddler Ragnhild Furebotten and guitarist Tore Bruvoll. They had their first recording as a duo, for ...

References

External links

* {{Jazz festival Longyearbyen Jazz festivals in Norway 1998 establishments in Norway Recurring events established in 1998 Music in Longyearbyen Festivals in Longyearbyen Annual events in Norway Winter in Norway